The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-05-30

their own destiny. The Assembly, how
ever, m the representatives Of the poo
pie, Dbl not regard the resignation NJ
porienious Of such dircful results rs
Their cnlcavorcd to make HE constitu.
ents believe would flow from his abdica-
ton. Immediately upon the reading Of
HE resignation, the motion prevailed to
appoint a SUCCESSOR. Marshal MacMa-
hon was chosen without material delay,
and the machinery Of government
moved on, as though It had suffered no
disturbing cause.
The public services Of Marshal Mac
Mahon have impressed themselves upon
the history ~ France. lie is soldier
of ripe experience and tried ability. His
ldUtion TO the welfare Of France and
pc Napoleon family has chiefly marked
the sentiments of his nature. AT this
particular juucture in the history Of his
public service, he may be probably call
ed upon to suppress, temporarily at least,
his individual sentiments, in order that
the full forcs Of his mental energies may
be directed to the promotion Of the well
fare Of the government; or in other
words, II will be his duty to lay aside
his personal inclination to subserve the
the Napoleon interests, that he may
faithfully discharge the public trusts
which have been consigned to his execu-
tive guardianship. His life long services
and indisputablo integrity furnish full
guaranty that he will not suffer his feel
iugs, as man, to successfully compete
with his duties rs an officer. His pub
lie duties have been, during period of
more than forty years, rather Of a mill
tary than q civil character yet the high
order Of executive ability he has uni
formly manifested in the various stations
he has filled, furnishes more than pre-
sumptive evidence that he will not fail
in this new field of public guardianship
His military life practically closed at the
battle Of Sedan on the 1st OF September,
1870, when he received a severe wound
in the leg in the opening of the engage
ment. Compelled by this accident to
surrender, or turn over, the direction Of
the operations of the day to a siboriin-
ate, the burden Of the command was as
signed to General Wimpfen, who signed
the articles Of capitulation which finally
resulted in the complete overthrow of
the Napoleon dynasty. His address to
the Assembly is brief and piihy. and in
u certain respect complimentary to his
predecessor. He said: IL am animated
by respect for your wishes, and viii al
ways scrupulously execute them. The
first was ably conducted by my prede-
cessor with heroic patience. The coun-
try and | rely on you to accomplish the
other, | shall follow the foreign policy
Of my predecessor. | wish for peace
and the reorganization of the army, de-
string only to restore our strength and
REGAIN for France her rank among the
nations. The home policy will be reso-
lutely conservative. The administration
must be imbued with conservative
spirit, appoint to Office respecters of law,
defend society against factions, and
stand as a sentinel to sec that your sover-
eign will is obeyod in its integrity"
In this short and pointed address, the
wisdom Of Theirs is conceded with ref
erence to the liberation of the territory,
and the conduct of the foreign policy.
1t seems that he failed, in the Judgment
Of his predecessor, only in his effort to
preserve order. But when it is borne
in mind, that the disorder and dissen-
sions which prevailed in France during
the close of Thiers' administration, re-
suited from the excessive turbulency
and insurrectionary spirit Of the French
people, no fault can be found with
Thiers' policy further than the general
criticism, that Ill things human are inn
perfect. A contrast between the two
presidents would at this time be
purely speculative. One has already
made his record, the other is now on
trial The administration of Theirs in
the beginning was marked by the elimi-
nation of order out Of chaos-the crea-
ton Of system Of government out of
disjointed fragments of power. But as
his laudable purpose to maintain proper
equilibrium between the terrorism Of ex-
IRENE democracy and the autocracy of
imperialism, he encountered the opposi-
ton of both extremes, aud was erushcal
by the combination Of extreme forces.
MacMahon may well feel despondent in
accepting position, the history Of which
has been that OF the enchanted castle Of
the legend, wherein those who enter,
find their pleasures ending only in their
doom.