Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-05-28


President Theirs has resigned and Mar
shall McNabon has been elected President
Of France. The change causes the great
est excitement 10 Paris, but is reported t
have been accomplished without serious dis
turbance. Tho new President accepted
his Office in the following terms 81 will
obey the will Of the Assembly, the deposit.
Org Of the national sovereignty. 1t is a
heavy responsibility, but with Gods aid
and devotion Of the army will continue
the work Of liberating the territory Of
France, aud restoring order, and will main.
tain tranquility and the principles on which
society rests TO this | pledge my word
as an honest man and soldier" The i'm.
mediate cause Of Theirs resignation is sup
posed to have been the consolidation Of the
Orleanists aud legtimists in the assembly
in opposition to him, which rendered bis pc.
siiion, at best, prcearous.
The new President of France is the
foremos, soldier Of the nation. lie was
ovcrbornc with an the other Frcnchmcn in
the disasters Of the German war. But 50
gallandy did he dcmeau himself SO skill.
fully did he conduct bis retreat after he
had been beaten by twice bis numbers in
the Vosges, so maufully did he voluntarily
90 to share the captivity Of his men after
being wounded just before Sedan, that these
misforiuuos did not detract from the repu.
ta'iln be had previously won. He has pre-.
served his prestige and popularity.
McNlahon is about sixty-Gve years Of
age, and descended from an ancient Irish
family which was warmly devoted to the
Stuarls. His father was Peer of France
and personally attached to Charles X. He
himself was trained at the military school
Of St. Cyr surrounded by the scions of the
nobility and the partisans Of the Bourbous.
and came forth opposed to all Liberalism
aud as pronounced O Legitimist as ever
wore the red ribbon. lie has always been
a soldier, however, and not politician, and
soldiers accept the existing government
He pledged his sword to the House of Or
leans as he had to that Of Bourbon When
Louis PHILIPPE fell, he acquicscod in the
Second Republic. When the Second Re-
public disappeared under the comp d'etat,
he accepted the Empire Of Napoleon
When the Empire was crushed he served
the Third Republic, and now becomes its
head Probably his dynastic preferences
are what they were forty years ago, but he
has always loyalty followed the government
Of the day. Ills sword has been the right
arm Of Theirs, aud slew the instruction
of Paris. But while faithful in his alleg-
ance, he has said no word for the Republic.
1t will thus be seen that McMahon is al.
together a soldier aud not a politician
How he will succeed in his new position
remains to be seen. Heretofore it has been
his duty to obey-uow he is placed in po-
sition where he must lead or he will be
led to his own disaster. He cannot mount
the tribune, like Theirs, and control the
Assembly by the spell Of his oratory. lie
cannot attract confidence by his statesman.
ship. He may however prove a good ex-
ecutive, aud may surround himself with
capable ministers. But more vital thar
his personal qualities and abilities, is the
question Of his disposition. VIII he pre-
serve the republic or will he promote The
restoration Of the throne ? VIII he cal
in couuseors who, like the Due de Brogie
would re.establish the House of Orleans
or will he offset one group of partisani
with another2 These are questions t.
which there can as yet be no answer.