The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-31
Ffom ssdah t6 tine Present Tinnssr.>s,.
A AbHefHettpspectsoI the, gsituasion in

WA! DISCLOSE he extraordinary turbulence
of French politics, aud Indicate what
purely transition regime must be the
| ministration OF Marshal McMahon.
Hardly had the news of the inglorious
loapitulation of on Emperor with his
chief army been announced in Paris,
before jules Favre, from tho tribune of
the Corps Legislatif. became the pioneer
OF the new republic. aud tho 4th of Sop
tember, 1870. became one Of those quo.
table dates which form tho chief feature
ot French history. It was bloodless
| day: bnt it was victory, too. Hurried
away by the crowd to tho Hotel de
Vile. tho new government was installed
according to precedent, and cabinet
formed OF which Que extreme was the
soldieriy Breton. Troohu, and the other
| Henri Rochefort, the destroyer of the
empire, now languishipg in fortress
prison. Tho inheritance of the Favre
| Ministry wus q disastrous war, which
subsequently involved the surrender, as
prisoners Of war, of over 800,0 sol.
diera and the capitulation Of nearly
every stronghold in France. On the
very men who had bitterly opposed the
empire, during its nineteen years of op-
pressfve rule, devolved the duty of olos-
ing its unfinished war and of signing hu.
initiating terms OF peace.
Oat of the general ruin and chaos that
prevailed during the closing days of
January, 1871, there arose one who had
long been ailent in public affairs It is
true he had made circuit of the Euro
penn capitals to iiud an ally, and he had
lmplored bismarck and the Prussian
King in their headquarters at Versailles.
But throughout tue extraordinary pro-
ceedings OF Gambetta at Tours and
Bordeaux he had not the influence OF a
child. 1t WAS only on the 9th OF Febru-
ary. when the French people gathered at
the polls. that the popularity Of Adolphe
Thiers was proven by his becoming the
elect of nineteen departments of the
National Assembly. He was naturally
called to the position OF Chef lu Pouroir,
and began with a resolute hand to repair
the disorders of state. Fettered by tho
pact OF Bordeaux, embarrassed by the
lnsensate demands of monsrchists pant.
ing for an immediate king, embarrassed
by the claims of the great republican
cities. and driven to civil var by the So
cialists of Paris, the opening months of
his administration were characterized by
dissensons and perils which have seldom
perplexed ruler. The 18th of March
found the great statesman in the ridicu-
lous position of fugitive from his own
capital; the 22d instant saw the Pluce
Vendome the scene of heartless massa-
Gre, and mere accident on the 4th of
April prevented Bergeret md his 30, 600
National Guards from seizing the for.
tress Of Valerien. There the local Com
muns began t. weaken; but Lyons,
Marseilles. Bordeaux and Lille exhibited
revolutionary symptoms. NJ. Theirs
hastened to assure the republicans that
the remainder Of his life would be de-
voted to the establishment of an endur-
ing republic, and that thu only ambition
OF his lust years was to become q second
Washington. Then he sought them to
remain quiet and pacific. They did.
On the 22d Of May Marshal McMahon's
Investing army began to conquer Paris,
and on the I'd of June he announced the
submission OF the capital. Followed
then the barbarous executions at Satory
and the fearful reprisaIs dictated by the
monarchical Assembly. The re-organiza-
ton OF the army, the emission and ab-
sorption OF the national empruni, the
gradual consolidation of the temporary
regime and tho evacuation Of occupied
provinces by the Germans were the
principal events wherein Al. Theirs dis
played an astuteness and vigor rurely
e1oelled. In the meantime Henri Y 70.
turned, temporarily, to Chambord, the
Orleans Princes took their seats in the
Assembly aud the Bonapartists showed
fresh activity. The situation became
moro perple1ed. One day NJ. Thiers
vas tho target for the bitter denuncia-
tions of the Right, and the next he fell
onder the impatient suspicious Of the
Left. Gsmbetta rose week by week, and
became power in the tribune
Ii. Thiers saw that the question would
become, not rs to the form OF govern
ment-for the people were decided rs to
that-but ''shall il be Thiers or Gam bet
tn?" He was for Thicrs. He coquetted
with the Left. The Right cried Urea
son!' and tho "Pact of Bordeaux" Crisis
after crisis followed, and again Herald
correspondents were sent to every part
OF Francs to await the annual civil war.
But tho skillful Parliamentariap, armed
With the weapon OF debate, controlled
the factions from the tribune aud Gained
the tumultuous Assembly at every ex.
cited sitting. The shrewd monarchists
got tired. "CIose his mouth" they said,
''and his official days will be numbered. :"
After hard struggle, NJ. Thiers surren-
| hered hI9 stropp avn op5