The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-09 00:00:00

DEATH OF M. HOUHER.

M. Ronher, the Emperor Napoleon's former
minister, who had a paralytic attack last summer, and
had since been in a precarious condition, expired on
Sunday morning at his Paris honse. He received
extreme unction on the previous Friday, and on
Saturday a telegram of sympathy was received from
the Empress Engdnie. Prince Napoleon called at
night and clasped his hand, but he was unconscious.

The Paris papers, in their biographical notices, treat
M. liouher personally with a certain amount of
respect, and state that his honesty may be estimated
by the tact that he only possessed the Chateau °creep,
the gift of N.poleon, and an income of 30,000 fr.

Eugene Rouher was born at Riom on November 30,
1814, end had therefore but recently entered his 70th
year. He was edncated for the law, and became an
advocate, practising in his native town, where he was
one of the most distinguished members of the local
bar. In 1846 he sought without success a seat in the
Chamber, under the auspices of M. Guizot, but after
the revolution of February, 1848, he was returned to
the toratiteent Chamber by the Department of Pay
de Dome.
M. Rouher became Minister of Justice in the second
Cabin,A of the Prince President, and was one of the
principal movers in the policy enunciated by the
Presuient's Message of October 31, 1849. In the
Assembly he spoke of the Revolution of February as
a catastrophe, and defended the law of the 31st of
May reetricting universal suffrage. On the 18th of
July, 1651, he resigned his portfolio, on account of a
ceesere ef the Ministry passed by the Assembly, but
returned to his post within a week, as well as other
members of the Cabinet. On the 26th of October he
again resigned, but again resumed his portfolio
on the 2ad of December. On the 22nd of January,
1852, he again resigned on account of the
(leen° with regard to the property of the
Orleans family, and not long afterwards was
appeinted Vice. President of the Council of State.
In 1855 he became Minister of Agriculture, Com-
merce, and Public Works, and, assisted by M. Baroche,
conducted the negotiations with Lord Cowley and Mr.
Cobden, which resulted in the Anglo-French Treaty of
Commerce. In 1861 he also concluded the Treaty of
Commerce with Belgium, as well as a Convention of
Navigation and the Literary Convention with the
came country. In the same year he was acting Presi-
dent of the French Commission for the London Exhi-
bition of 1862. In 1863 he negotiated the treaty of
commerce with Italy, and King Victor Emmanuel
conferred on him the Grand Cordon of the Order of
St. Maurice and St, Lazarus,
In June, 1E63, he became president of the Council of
Stute in VA place of M. Bemire, a post which he left
for a time to replace M. Boudet as Minister of the In-
terior, but on the death of M. Billault in October of
the same year M. Ronher again became the Minister
of the Empire, and for some succeeding years was an
able defender of the imperial policy in the Chamber.
When the Senate proceeded on the 16th of July,
1870, to see the Emperor at St. Cloud, war having
been declared on the previous day against Prussia,
M. Rouher made a speech assuring them that France
was ready, and the hour of victory was at hand.
After the first defeat of the French, he secretly pro-
ceeded to the Emperor at Chalons to inform him of
the state of affairs in Paris, and to demonstrate to him
the political necessity for the march of Marshal
M`Mahon to relieve the army of Marshal Baz line
shut up in and around Metz. When after the disas-
trous news of Sedan had reached Paris the Revolu-
tion of the 4th of September had been declared, M.
Rouher vainly endeavonred to stimulate the Senate to
take some action, He was, however, compelled to
fly, and he who had been often styled "the Vice-
Emperor" had some difficulty in his embarkation in
Calais in escaping from popular insults. At the end
of October he started in London a Bonapartist paper,
which declared the Government of the Empress
Regent the only legitimate authority in France, and
invited the Senate and Legislative body to meet in a
provincial town.
In 1871, having returned to France, M. Rouher
became a candidate for a seat in the Assembly, both
for the La Gironde and Charente lnf6rieure, but
failed in both departments. However in the month of
August, 1871, M. Severin Abbatucci, deputy for
Ajacio, resigned his seat to allow M. Rouher to seek
election, and after a long and most exciting contest
he received 36,026 votes, while his two opponents only
polled an aggregate of some 16,000. He took part
during the session in several important debates, and
in 1873, when attempts were made to bring about a
restoration of the Monarchy, he ably argued the
necessity for an appeal to the people, and pointed out
to those who supported the Septennate that they were
founding in their own despite a definitive Republic.
His speech was published and 5C0,000 copies dis-
tributed throughout France. However, after the
Sept ornate had been adopted he counselled his party
to accept it as a trace which must lead to a plebiscite.
As head of the party, and a most influential member
of the council in charge of the education of the Prince
Imperial, he undertook many journeys to Chislehurst
to consult on the steps to be taken in view of the elec-
tions of 1875 for the Senate and the Chamber. After
the death of the Prince Imperial M. Ronhsr declared
in a meeting of the principal men of his party, that
his work was done, and he even manifested the inter'.
tion of retiring from public life, He assisted at
ChisleFurat at the opening of the will of the Prince
and later at his funeral. He continued to sit in the
Chamber and spoke on the Costoms question in
Fel,su.ry, 1880, making a powerful display in defence
of free-trade principles and of the commercial treaties
of the Empire. His speech on the best mode of
resuniLating the French merchant navy was not less
In 1856 M. Rouher was promoted to the rank of
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and of the
Grand Cross in January, 1860. In July, 1E67, he
received from the hands of the Emperor the insignia
In diamonds, this Imperial gift having but twice pre-
viously been made—namely, to the Duo de Monies
and to Count Walewski.