Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-23
TWO STATESMEN
Emile Olivier, Prime Minister OF
FRANCE.

TWO STATESMEN
Emile olivier, Prime Minister OF
France.
Olivier Emile Olivier, Prime Minister
of France under the newest imperial re.
CINE sanctioned by the plebiscite, is the
son of Demosthenes Olivier, a merchant
of Marseilles, renowned for his eloquence
and for his persistent radlcalism. He
was always in opposition, and after the
coup q etdt his antipathy to Louis Ma
poleon, both as President and Emperor
: was so indispensable that he was arrested,
and had to leave France, to which he did
not return until 1860. His son, the OBJ
Ject of this notice, has been no less re.
markable for his adhesion 20 the broadest
democratic principles. Although under
the modifying influence of recent conces-
sions TO the cause of freedom by the
French government, he has felt at liberty
to spouse the policy of the empire, and
fills the unsatisfactory position of being
blamed by his old friends for desertion,
and not being implicitly trusted by
the new until more perfect ac-
quaintance, although it is fair to assume
that at this moment he must have the
personal confidence of the Emperor. He
is fOrty-ive years of age, and was called
to the Paris bar in 1S47, and in 1S4S was
appointed commissary general of the new
republic in Marseilles. His first public
duty was the repression of the Marseilles
riots, and for his firmness in the cause of
law and order was praised by the solid
men it was nokyiewed so favorably by
the Reds. However, CaYaignac sustained
his action, and appointed him project
After the fall of the republic he retired
from politics, and took his place again
at the bar, where his brilliant Oratory
soon brought him into reputation, and he
was engaged in many SUITS both political
and pecuniary, and was esteemed one of
the ornaments of the French bar. In
1857 he was removed to the Assembly
for one of the electoral districts of the
Seine. In the Chambers he was one of
the five eminent members of the Opposi-
ton, and opposed the public safety law of
IS, the italian Expedition of 80, and the
control of the press law in go. In 1868.
NJ. Olivier was reelected, and during
this session he recognized the impOliCy of
continuous opposition to the government
for mere party purposes, and on several
occasions took the side of the Ministry
when it seemed for the public benefit that
he should do so. This uncertain action
continued until the imperial declaration of
liberal intentions, and the large cOnces-
siOns of popular freedom determined him,
and he formally joined the imperial party,
making his profession of faith and justi-
flying his procedure in a pamphlet entitled
1.-The 18th of January" In the follow
ing election he was thrown out of his old
parliamentary seat by a radical opponent;
but having been nominated for another
district-the Ear-he was returned in
chat division. He became a parsonage of
the highest importance in the Chamber,
and the pivot around which all the
parliamentary movements of the old and
new parties concentrated. The famous
liberal reforms which were to consoli-
date the personal and dynastic authority
of the Emperor on the basis of enlarged
popular rights, led to the appointment of
a ministry on the new basis of parliament
airy rule and ministerial responsibility.
NJ. Olivier was the individual selected by
the Emperor for this very responsible and
honorable post. The situation has not
been without immense difficulties. The
angry assaults of his old comrades of the |
Left have made his premiership anything |
but bed of roses. He has shown both |
independence and notwithstanding in his
recall ofLedru ROllin' while his impartial |
administration of justice was shown in
the prosecutions arising out of the Victor |
Noir affair, and the popular demonstra-
tons that have taken place since his ap- |
pOintment His first wife was daughterof |
the renowned composer, List; his sec |
Ond, daughter of a Marseilles merchant, |
has made herself conspicuous by her sup
port of dress reform in Paris, in contra |
distinction to the sunptuOus prOfusion of |
the Empress Eugene and the court ladies. |
1t has been rumored, but on very insult |
ficient grounds, that NJ. Olivier is or
posed TO the Prussian war, and has even |
had dissensiOn with the Emperor on the |
subject. NJ. Olivier was suspended for |
too free expression of political, opinions |
in the trial of NJ. Vacherot, and he was
challenged by Granier de Cassagnac for. |
expressions that wounded the feelings of |
the Left-a natural consequence of his |
change of opinion.
Count Won bismarck. Prime Minis.
ter of Prussia.
Ohio, Count Won Bismarck Schonbau- |
sen, Prime Minister of Prussia, and. with |
the sole exception of Napoleon Ill, the |
most famous man of the present age, is |
the descendant of long line of petty no |
bility, whose origin is lost in the remotest |
antiquity. Frederick the Great, COM |
mencing life with almost puerile tastes, |
and in a condition of abject domestic sub
lection to the will of a crack-brained, |
eccentric father, built up the Prussian
monarchy q century and half ago. Bis
marck, who, by his eccentriCity and ir-
regular mot viciOus) habits, earned for |
himself the derisive appellatiOn of Mad |
Bismarck, has outlived the depreciatory
opinions OF hisiyOuthful critics, and has,
by the strength of his will and the force |
of his political genius, torn the prestige of
German leadership from Austria, raised
Prussia to rivalry with France for the
premiership of Europe, and realized the
dream of great German empire by the
of all the German States
under the guidance of Prussia. To Bis
towering abilities, and to the inn
mense strength of his political combina-
lions, is owing more than to any other
single or personal cause the pres
emit war. The tradition of French diplo-
macy will not admit of a superior or even
Of an equal in the political equilibrium of
Europe. Napoleon has found himself
,quallee, if not dominated, by Bismarck's