The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-15 00:00:00

the Duae de Persigny on the new mark of distinc-
tion which the Emperor Napoleon has bestowed on
him. M. de Persigny, during his two missions as
Ambassador to this Court, did much honour to his
country and to hien:telt. In all the anxious, intri-
cate, and often difficult diplomatic negotiations with
which he was entrusted he won golden opinions
from all the English statesmen with whom he came
in contact, Earnest, acute, and gifted with unusual
penetration, the French Ambassador was indefati-
gable in the service of France. But what men, and
specially those Ministers with whom the current
business of affairs brought him in contact, especially
admired in him was a sincerity, a candour, and that
high sense of honour which, to us, is so clearly ex-
pressed by the idea of " a perfect gentleman." At
the unpleasant periods of the Conspiracy Bill and
of the annexation of Savoy and Nice, when distrust
and suspicion were so rife, no one for an instant ever
doubted whatever was alleged by M. de Persigny.
The Re Galantuomo himself bad not a higher re-
'putation for chivalric honesty than the French
Ambassador. 'When we add to these personal
claims on our liking that the English alliance has,
from the earliest days of Napoleon's advent to
power, been the unswerving object of this states-
man's policy, and that in the couneil, or from his
embassy, his voice has always been heard in its
favour, we add what is indeed well known, but
what cannot be too well appreciated. It is by
listening to the advice of such men, with whose
notions his own have most fortunately coincided,
that the Emperor has been able to do all the great
things that he has achieved for France. It required
prodigious powers of mind on the restoration of a
dynasty so strongly associated with ideas of war,
of conquest, and even of revenge, to be able
frankly to discard them, and to enter upon a new
era which has proved a fresh revolution and a
new glory. It is marvellous when we come to
think of what the Empire has done for France.
Prostrate after the great war, she occupied but a
position of mediocrity under the Restoration, while
under Louis Philippe that position was still further
lowered. Yet at this moment no voice is more
powerful in Europe, whilst her eagles are borne in
triumph in every quarter of the world. Allied with
us in the Crimean war she broke the power of Rus-
sia, and with her own arm alone she has freed Italy
under that guiding star of Napoleon which has
again shone in the splendour of victory on immortal
battle-fields. Add to all this that the prosperity of
France is prodigious, that every Frenchman who
has a house, or land, or a business, finds his pro-
perty nearly doubled in value ; that railways (with,
by the way, large dividends), telegraphs, and every
application of modern science are spread throughout
the country; that not only Paris and Marseilles are
nearly rebuilt, not only the Louvre finished and
Notre Dame restored, but that every town and
village is France has its new road, its waterworks,
its bridge, its church to boast of, all owing to the
Empire. Rich at home and respected abroad, need
one be surprised that ear neighbours aro eminently
satisfied with the Empire P Now, it is only justice
to M. de Persigny to say, what is well•kr,own to
many persons, that he actually foresaw all that has
come to pass. If he worked for the cause of
Napoleon and threw hiswhole soul and every capa-
city of his being into the success of the Empire, it
has been because he understood what France was
and what she needed. He devoted himself with
passion to what he deemed the salvation of his
country. The results are what we see. France has
every reason to be proud of the men wbo have con-
tributed to make her what she is. The Emperor
performs only a graceful duty when he confers the
title of Duke on a man who has led the vanguard
of the new Empire. To M. de Persigny the public
acknowledgment of what is hie. due must be grati-
fying, but his heart must beat with great happi-
ness, and a just pride, when he looks at the
prosperity of his country, and her position in Europe,
and recognises in both the fruition of his dearest
aspirations. His many friends in England will
wish him many years to enjoy his honours, and to
continue labours which will add distinction to the
present, whilst in the future they promise a noble
record in the page of history. That high character
to which we have referred has always given great
weight to his words. His devotion is undoubted,
and so is his fearlessness. One of the commonest
remarks about him is, " He is the only man who
dares to speak the truth to the Emperor," meaning,
not that others are not also frank and loyal, but
that he is almost the only man who, regardless of
consequences, would boldly tell unpalatable facts,
or dare to give the most unpleasant advice if at
any moment he thought it to be his duty. M. de
Persigny is one of those natures so' thoroughly 'ap-
preciated by all who come in contact with him,
that, however many opponents he may have—and
the very straightror wardness and impetuosity of his
character almost creates them—he is a man who has
but few, and deserves to have no enemies. In Eng-
land he left many pleasant memories and many sin-
cere friendships. The genial hospitalities of
Albert gale, and the agreeable impressions which
his embassy left in English society, will long be
remembered. The best wishes of troops of friends
accompanied him when he quitted London, and
their congratulations on his new eignity will re-
mind him of that neighbour land for whose alliance
with bis own country he has always striven, and
where a sincere interest will always be felt in the
Duke de Persigny.