New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-20
TIE TRENCH EXECUTITE.

TIE TRENCH EAECUIIJE.
The tendencies of the French Assembly fore
Swallowed by the elections of its officers have
been still more strongly indicated by the cleo
ton of Mr. Theirs as President of the Provis-
ional Government for what may be styled the
period of transition. The choice OF Mr. GrGvy
as President of the Assembly. and of four Of
the Oldest and most eminent advocates of con-
sttutional monarchy i'll France as Nice-Presi-
dents, was enough to prepare us for this we'll
nigh unanimous gift of the Executive power
to the veteran statesman who for many years
has stood at the head of the political party
which demanded that the throne should be
preserved in France, but stripped OF its per
SOnal and arbitrary pToTogatves. The choice
of associates which Mr.. Theirs has made and
| which he yesterday presented to the Chambers
viii everywhere be recognized as most saga
ciOus and fclictOus. The best elements of the
Republican party, of the Olivier Third Party
movement, and of the old organization of Con-
stitutional Monarchists, are equally represented
in it. The struggles of the citizen soldiery to
save the endangered Commonwealth after the
surrender at Sedan is recognized in the appoint
ment of Gen. lie Flo, who shared their tolls and
dangers. TIE name of Mr.. Buffet recalls the
/
TO reconcile the Empire with freedom and
progress. The Departments of Finance and
Marine are filed by friends and associates of
the President, and the denomination OF MN.
| Favre, Simon, and Picard is a practical recog-
milton of the services of the Committee OF
National Defense. Their presence i'll the Cabinet
will be the hest guarantee that no unfair
advantage will be taken by the monarchlcal
members III favor of any aspirant TO the throne
and against the Republic. 1t will greatly tend
to allay the suspicious and alleviate the dIsap-
DOintments of the better class of Republi-
cans over the disastrous issue of the elections
and the conservative organization OF the As
sembly. 1t is true that Mr.. Favre and his CO.
religiOnares must expect to suffer the severcst
and most cruel animadyeTsiOns of those violent
demagogues whose truculent folly has already
done so much injury to the cause they pre-
tend to support. But their whole history has
shown that they are capable of sacrificing even
their popularity at the bidding of duty and
patriotism.
The Ministry now formed under the Presi-
dency of Mr.. Theirs cannot be regarded as in
any sense a permanent one. IL 1t concludes
effectively, with the concurrence OF the Con-
| stituent Assembly, the work of making peace,
removing the Prussian occupation, and estab-
fishing the future basis Of government for
France, it is not impossible that its services
may be still further required by the authority
which is to receive the charge of the country
from the hands of the Assembly. But that
would be a new appointment and would
probably not include the whole Ministry. The
function of this Theirs government is to
| pH IN hnl no rpiD of
until France has decided who shall govern
her in future whether herself or king.
1t is not likely that any undue or illegal in
fluence will be exerted upon this question by
the cautious and prudent men whom the new
President has seen fit to call around him.
1t is very sure that Mr.. Theirs himself is one
of the last men in France to avail himself of
the policy of force or trick to secure the TIL
umph of his views. He is noted among all
classes of politicians as the most vigorous and
most candid of adversaries. He was equally
hated and feared at the Tuileries, for the I'M
f1inching integrity with which he called the
Imperial Government to account for its cor
ruptiOns and It's bunders, and for that calm
ness and moderation of statement which
captivated hostile majority, and made him
at once intolerable and unanswerable. Only
once was the wild and brutal passion of the
hour too strong for the shrill voice of the
veteran debater to dOmineer and control, and
that was when he attempted to warn the
Empire and its cOurtiers against this i'll
starred war. They hoOted him into silence,
and the subservient rabble of the faubourgs
besieged the gate Of his splendid mansion in
the Rue st. Georges night after night with
cries of Down with the little Prussiann In
those days of delirum that saw the march
/ to Berlin begun, this cool and sagacious
3 statesman was the best hated man in
| all Paris, sharing the epigrams and the
, carcatures with Bismarck; and at ban
quet of farewell given by the Empress
? TO the officers of the guard, she proposed
a final toast: "TO Mr.. Thiers-for buiIdno
"the walls of Paris, which release an army to
"go to Prussia" This was thought the nor.
lection of wit and satire; yet how tame a trutl
if grew in a month or so! When the Grassland
ruin came. which Mr.. Theirs had foreseen and
, patriotically refused to denOunce when il
was too late to remedy, he wasted no time il
iustifying himself and defining his posi-
ton, but placed his talents and ex
nerience at the service of the Government
of National Defense. AT an age which ha'
p already passed the Psalmist's limit, he made
series of Journeys which would have beer
fatigning to men in the prime OF youth. lie
shared nothing to gain for his struggling