The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-12
CoMMUNICATIONs.
M. THEIRS AND M. DE LAMARrINE.

- - - - - - ~ - ~ =
3 ~ AL s&ff 1870 For the Union.
M. THEIRS AND M. DE LAMARTINE.
am indebted to tho pen of very accomplished
LADY, for the following porraits Of Theirs and La
maritime, two Of the most celebrated Statesmen OF
France. They arc translated from Bianc's Histo-
nv Of the Ten Years from 1880 to l840--a republr
can work in Ave volumes, already gone through q
fourth edition. Theirs is the man now at ihehead Of
the movement menarchical party in France, and
was called, by Talleyrand, the Alexander Hamilton
Of France. Both the portraits are pleasant, and no
doubt quite faithful.
NJ THEIRS.
No ono was more fit than M. Theirs to lead the
bovgeoisie; his acute mind, his refined but be-
nevolent countonence, his informal manners, his
gossip the careless grace with which, at need, he
lavished his Importance, =-all made his superiority
light, and secured its sway, oil was of use to him,
complainant merit. He had risen from very
humble sphere, and that was title TO the fla
sor OF upstairs, who recognised in him the lawful
ness of their own fortune. And what fertility Of
expedients What lively intelligence! What
an aptitude in understanding and explaining every
thing M. Theirs was journalists man of let
ters-a fnancier He would have become, If it had
50 happened general of an army; and, in spite of
the tendency Of his studies, above ALL he ambition
ed the part Of warrior. In his History of the
French Revolution, he affected great knowledge of
tactics; and he would have liked nothing so well as
to mount horse review troops, and seek popuari-
~ among soldiers. Eloquent he was not, and his
small size WINS marked disadvantage to him in de-
bate. But he stated things with such clearness;
he spoke with such natural ease Of his love for his
country; his pantomnle was expressive, his sharp
poweress voice, borrowed from effort, something SO
touching, that his very defects promoted his success
which were, his want Of nobility, his prolisty, ex-
trcme negligence, and trivislty In an assembly, no
one saw better than he how 10 seem but middng; and
his ideas were manfesty turned towards the empire
He wanted active and respected power and despised
the scrupulous. Principles he disdained with heed.
lessness, sometimes with impertinencc--for in pol
itics he acknowledged no duty but force, which he
vided, always, that il did not present itself with
traits Of rigor. He liked it either the Of
tyranny, or the instrument of revolt He admired il
in Bonapartc. He admired il in the impetuous Dam
ton. He would have admired il even in Robes
pierre, If in Robesperre it had not been united to
austcrity: as to the rest, uncertain in his conduct
little depth Of feeling res,lessness than ACTIVE
~, more turbulence than boldness, some ability,
and some elevation of thought, il there had been
more of feeling. In many respects, M. Theirs
was a Danton in miniature. He had nevertheless
more probity than was imputed to him. His enc
mics, in this respect, accused him unjustly. Blu,
man Of imagination, loving the arts with childish
passion full of frivolous wants. capable Of forget
ting state affairs for the discovery of bas-relief i'm
petuous in his fancies, eager to enjoy, he was very
open to calumny. Though he was not bitter as a
private man, minister he was much less averse
than M. Guixot to violent measures. II is true
that there was not with him, as with NJ Guizot.
any parade of despotism. He would willingly have
frightened his enemies, without feeling any incna.
ton to boast Of 1.-THE main point with him being
TO put in operation the system Of intimidation
which M. Guizot planned; for one was burning to
act, the other to appear. Sometimes, after having
opposed fatal plans in the council, NJ Guzot
would go and apologize at the tribune and utter i'm.
pacable words there--such words as arc not forgot
ten. Il was not SO with Mr.. Theirs, the indeiati.
gable corruptor Of the press, skillful in eludng
public opinion, and the fortunate courtcr of that por
ton of the bougeoisie who plume themselves on lib
eralism and national pride. Nevertheless M. Theirs
neither liked mankind, nor knew its capacity for
Improvement Foreseeing nothing beyond the hor-
izon-feeling no soicitude for the people, whom he
only admired on the field of battle, whore thew 90
TO be decmated, and only thought useful as mate
rails for the combinations Of those insoent specula-
tors, who, under the usurpcd name Of statesmen,
sport among themselves with the spoils Of the
world.
NJ. DE LAMARTINE.
In M. de Lamartinc, the outer man belonged en-
trey to the aristocracy. His features were delicate,
his make slender; he had m easy dignity, the mag
ni6cence of gentleman, and that elegance without
effort, which consists in exquisite trifes. Only po-
etical intercourse having accustomed him to the
pomp of speech, he did not speak parlor lam
guagethat light and lively talk which is so charm
ingly insignificant. Some people were surprised
that such man should be democrat. Nothing,
however, was more true. And if he did not offer
his first alteration to democracy, il was because il
only appeared TO him amid the dust raised by half
century of strife; because he had always seen it
bloody, ragged, ever ready TO tamper with death
neither knowing, in short, how to command itself,
or make its trumphs lasting. How could such
spectacle fail to move, beyond measure, the dream
ing poet--thc poet who was 80 calm and 30 mild,
that he was almost lyrei How could so many
hymns chanted to destruction, fail to trouble that
harmonious soull But external deception exerts
only passing influence on superior men. They
easily perceive the march of intellect through the
most confused manifestations, which announce at
the same time that they mystify it. Il is not, more
over for the virtues they possess, that love
the people: one must love them and vicious
love them for the virtues they have not, and which
they certainly would have, if their share Of educa-
ton had not been taken away, and their right TO
happiness measured in an Ubiquitous manner. M.
de Lamartine was Christian from feeling; there
was nothing too elevated for him in this sentiment
ofjusticc towards the people. And, besides like
all minds truly endowed with strength and great.
ness, he was a man TO comprehend that those only
deserve authority who are raised and carried on by
public accamation; that the conservation of every
privilege which gives to the people pastors chosen
by chance, is madness; and that great is the mpety
Of abandoning the government Of human affairs TO
folly or meannesa Unfortunately, the Inconsistency
Of M. de Lamariine's Impressions put suspicious
hearts on their guard against him. They arden,ly
wished him for an ally. When he was won thew
dreaded TO lose him. His magnanimty, even in
the avowal Of error and his intrepidty in change
had given undecided color to his politics. fIe
found himself gloriously lessened by il. On the
other hand, the place Of head of party did not
suit him, any more than M. de Chateaubriand.
Not that he neglected the practical side Of
things on the contrary, he was pre-occupied
with it, ard even with childish sort of anxiety,
as if he feared that some of the fvors Of fame
would escape him, and that, in his person, poetry
would be exposed to the contempt Of men Of bust
ness. But, to be the head of party, one must be
dependent to excess on il; and when command ia no
longer anything but naughty kind of obedience,
there must be abnegation Of onc's-self of ones
thoughts and sometimes scrvility of ambition, Of
which men Of inspiration are incapable. A tribune
M. de Lamartine could not be. In the Chamber
N sk.s al