The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-24

all summer. Bob! Bob!
Paris and France-MucSIahon Master OF
the Situation.
Marshal MacMahon, made Duke of Magenta
by Napoleon the Third, in recognition of his
skill and bravery in the great battle of
Magenta, in the Austro-Itallan war of 1859.
and who has ever since been great favorits
of Napoleon, is now master of the situation in
Paris and France. No wonder the imperial
exiles at Chiselhurst are hopeful of recall
and an early recall-to France. The intimate
relations established between the ex-Emperor
and the Marshal from the declaration of the
war against Prussia to the capitulation at
Sedan, together with all the subsequent events
In France, it may reasonably be supposed,
have not materially weakened the devotion Of
leon in his great soldier.
On the 18th of July, 1870 the formal
declaration OF war was sent by the French
Imperial government to Berlin, aud on the
Esd of July the Emperor Napoleon, In bis
proclamation, said :-'sThere are certain
national honor, violently excited, imposes
itself with irresistible force, dominates all
interests and alone takes in hand the direction
of the destinies of the country" and that
Zone of these hours has now arrived for
France" In other words, Napoleon wished
it to be understood from the outset
that he was driven into this war
by the will of the French people;
and 1t is at least true that the French people
shouted him into it and urged him to his ruin
and their own. On the 2sth of July he took
the field, and on the 3lst King William left
Berlin for the front At this time the army Of
Napoleon, of 100000 fighting men, was dis
posed in semi-crcle from the strong fortress
of Metz on the left (the army fronting tho
Rhine), around to the strong fortress of Stras-
bourg, on the extreme right and close upon
the sacred German river. Marshal MacMahon,
with fifty thousand of the finest and best
equipped soldiers of the line, held Strasbourg.
To him was entrusted the important duty Of
heading the advance over the Rhine. The other
French columns, extending back to Metz, we're
then to follow him. The necessary pontoons
awaiting him for crossing the river, MacMahon,
on the I'd of August, marched ont of Stras-
bourg, with his fifty thousand men, to open
passage to the Rhine and to cross it; but on
the 9th of August, in the disastrous battle OF
Woerth, the whole face and plan of the cam
paign on the part Of the French was changed
their whole line was broken up, and its shat
tered columns were turned right about face for
Paris, and next day Paris was declared in
state of siege.
MacMahon, escaping from the Prussian pur.
suit with some fragments of his army across
the Moselle, pushed on to Chalons to reorgan-
ize and reinforce for another trial, while the
rest of the "Army of the Rhine" concen-
trated above Metz, under Bazaine. With
the crossing of the Moselle, after sharp
fight, by the main body of the German army,
Napoleon and the Prince Imperial sought
safety, and none too soon, by falling back
from Metz to MacMahon at Chalons. Then,
after the bloody battle Of Graveloste and the
shutting up of Bazaine in Metz, and with the
advance of the Prussian Crown Prince toward
Chalons, MacMahon and the Emperor
retreated, and so on, from point TO point, with
the approach of the Germans, to Mezieres
and to Sedan. We know what happened at
Sedan; but had not MacMahon been disabled
in that battle it is possible that he might have
saved the Emperor from capture and Paris
from the revolution which followed.
Thus intimately associated with Napoleon
from the beginning to the end of his struggle
with the German armies, it is difficult to
believe that MacMahon, from his present posi-
ton as the master of the French situation, is
not thinking of the ways and means for the
restoration Of his Emperor or his Prince Impe-
rial The atrocities of the Paris Commune,
on the other hand, including the destruction
of the Vendome column, have prepared even
Paris for the imperial restoration. We hardly
expect, however, coup detat from Mac
Mahon in favor Of the empire, or an immedi-
ate movement in this direction by M. Theirs
and the Assembly. They have first to restore
order In Paris, and next to look about them
to see how the popular wind of France is blow
ing and, meantime, MacMahon, loyal SOL
der, will probably await the shaping Of
events. At all events, he is the General
Monk of the situation.
George Ticlnor Curtis and tho Albany