New-York tribune., 1870-09-13
lilies FdVRE.

/
dence than NJ. Jules Favre, the long-tried,
clear-headed, strong-hearted Republican leader,
the great advocate and jurist, the lndepend-
ent and experienced legislator, the author and
| Academcian. During the brief existence OF
the French Republic of 184S, he was one of
the most satisfactory, If not one OF the most
prominent figures that took part in the stormy
politics of the times. Fixedly Republican, de-
terminately radical he was yet temperate, jul
dicious, and, in the right sense of the word,
nservative-appreciating more deeply than
most of the other Republican leaders the value
of constitutional limitations, and comprehend
ing the necessary restrictions of popular gov
ernment as well as of political power While the
Republican Government existed he took part
in the conduct of both its administrative and
legislative departments. He labored to sus-
tain it in the days of its peril, and protested
strongly but vainly against the usuTpatOns of
the man who overthrew it, and who in his
his turn has at last been Overtbrown.
Throughout the whole period of the existence
of the Napoleonic Empire he boldly and un-
hnchingly displayed his devotion to Liberal
principles. For long time he refused to sub
scribe the oath of allegiance, which was neces-
sary before he could become member Of the
Legislature and when, finally he assented to
this condition, and became one of the mem
bers for Paris, he never ceased to maintain
his attitude of personal and political indie
pendence toward the existing Imperial Gov
ernment. He took every opportunity of rails
ing his voice against its despOtic measures, its
interference with popular liberty, its corrup-
tions, its Mexican expeditions, and the faulty
of its foreign and domestic policy. He was
recognized as the ablest, strongest, and sound
est Republican leader in the Legislature or in
France and as man without an intellectual
superior in public life. Some two years ago
he was elected a member of the French Acad-
emy, to fill the place that had been occupied
by the illustrous Victor Cousin, and the dis
course he delivered on that occasion was one
of the loftiest pleas for political liberty ever
heard in France.
When the present war between France and
Germany had broken out,-after the Emperor
had left Paris for the field, and the French army
had suffered defeat which was prophetic of
the doom of the Empire,-Jules Favre startled
France and the Legislature by rising in his
place and proposing the establishment of a
Provisional Government. The proposition
| raised tremendous uproal, and one of the
| EmperOr's most servile tools instantly cried
| out for the execution of martial law upon NJ.
| Favre and the members who had supported
| bin. But the Republicans assumed an atti-
tude of defiance before these menaces, and
displayed such determination and strength
that the Imperialists were only too glad to Sc
cure the restoration of order. M. Favre's
proposition was defeated for the time being /;
| but it had served a valuable purpose. Again
and again, during the progress of the cam
pagn he charged the disasters of the French
arms upon the Emperor and the Imperialist lead
ers-accusing them of imbecility, corruption and
| incOmpetency and demanding their overthrow in
| the name of France. At the same time he al
ways demanded the most energetic prosecu-
tiOn of the war into which France had been
| plunged; and, on tie very day of the En-
peror's surrender-but before the prOstration
of the Napoeonic power was known in Paris
| he declared in the Legislature that the
| French people were "unanimOus for defense
until death" AS soon as the EmperOrs
capture was known in the Legislature, M.
Favre seized the opportunity to introduce a
measure declaring the throne vacant and
now also he brought forward a proposition
similar to that which he had previously intro
duced, for the establishment of Provisional
Government. When the Council of Minister'S
was appointed, NJ. Favre was offered the lead
ing position in the COuncil-the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. Gen. TrOchu was assigned to
the place of President of the Council, but he
has very properly confined himself to his duties
as military commander of Paris, while NJ Favre
has been the real head of the Provisional Gov
ernment since its establishment at the begin
ming of last week.
We do not know that any better man could
have been found in France for this highly
responsible place. He enjoys the confidence
of the intelligent classes in France more than
any other Republican leader; and he also
enjoys the highest respect of his colleagues in
the Ministry, as well as of the Liberal members
of the Legislature. We have had quite a
number of reports during the last few days
about his carrying on negotiations with the
different Governments of Europe and about
his attempts to rescue France from the terrible
difficulties into which she was plunged by the
late Emperor. We place but little reliance
upon most of these reports; but we are con-
WINGED that if any man in France can furnish
| wise guidance to the sOrely tried French people
| at this crlsls, 1t is Nj. Jules Fayre.