Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-06-02
oreign policy. eliminating in Prussian


means of retrieving the terrible disasters
which threatened to overwhelmn France.
The administration of affairs for more
than two years as chief of the republic
is the highest ornament Of his long life,
and, whatever may be his fortunes IN
the future, he has won an imperishable
title to the regard and esteem of his
country and the world.
Marshal MacMahon can lay claim to
no such brilliant abilities as his illustri-
Gus predecessor, and his chief claim to
respect is the faithful service which he
has rendered to France, alike in victory
and defeat Entering the military SER
vice at the school of St. Cyr in 1925,
and advancing steadily in rank in con-
sequence of his action in Algeria, the
Crimean war gave him an opportunity
of distinguishing himself on a more i'm
portant field than he had hitherto enter
ed. Appointed by the emperor in 1866
a general of division as successor to Can
robert, MacMahon was honored by the.
chief Of the allied armies in being ap-
pointed the leader of the attack on the
Malakoff The brilliant success of this
movement gained him the Grand Cross
of the Legion of Honor, and the even
more satisfactory tribute of Knight
Grand Gross of the Bath. His military
distinctions eliminated in the Italian
campaign of 1869, when the victory of
Magenta secured for him q marshal S
baton and a dukedom. Representing
France at the coronation of William Ill.
of Prussia in November 1861, he was
appointed commander of the third corps
d'armee in the following October, and
was made Governor General of Algeria,
September l, 1864. His efforts in this
position to create an Arab kingdom
proved unsuccessful, and the dissatisfac
ton created by the departure of the
French and other European colonists
and the sufferings of the natives, occa
stoned great cutlery in France agains
the marshal, while his policy was alst
severely censured by the bishop of AL
giers.
When the German war broke gu
MacMahon was made commander of tn
First army corps, whose head-quarter
were at Strasburg. After the defeat o
the French at Weissenberg by the crow
prince of Prussia, MacMahon concentra
ted his corps at Worth to arrest the ad
vance of that victorious general. Tn
marshal occupied a strong, defensive pc
sition on the slopes of the Vosges, bu
his force of fifty thousand men was una
BILE to resist the onset of the Prussians
flushed with success and directed b
consummate generalship. They turne
the French line at two points, and, not
withstanding the desperate charge of CAY
4 airy which MacMahon ordered as La
t resort, sbroke their left and center III
r marshal now had no alternative but r.
; treat, and the pursuit OF the rrussiar
t resulted in another defeat, when he W;
driven back beyond the Meuse. Fl
: was chief in command at Sedan, but
d severe wound early in the battle Inc;
e pacitated him from further service. A
I ter being conveyed to Germany as
S prisoner of war, he returned to Fran,
: in time to command the national fore
d successfully against the Commune, al
n was of great assistance to Theirs in +
! organizing the army. Never caring f
: political office, his acceptancy of Il
/ presidency is, doubtless, dictated !
: that high sense of duty which has co
: trolled all his actions. While deplo
II ing the crisis which has called him
st the headship of the republic, at the sa
: rifce of Theirs, we have confidence tn
y the interests of the country will be sa
/ in his hands till France is in positi
is to organize a permanent government.
is Boston Globe