The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-16


Alter the Revolution OF 1885, however he made
another push and, succeeding this time, entered
the constituent Assembly as a stanch cOnserva-
tive. lie was reelected in the following year to
the National Assembly, and then began the career
which was soon to lead him to honors. In Para-
ment, as at the Bar. Rouher displayed qualities
essentially vigorous. At the time when repub-
1canlsm was most in the ascendant he never
missed the occasion of having his fling
at 1t, and II his adversaries yelled at him
ne showed that he could yell even louder.
Louis Napoleon soon set eyes on him and
he on LOUIS Napoleon. The two suited each
other, ana IN ls4s Rouner was appointed Minister
OF Justice at one Jump, having never served in any
subordinate otlice under government. 1t was
doubted at first whether a man plain spoken
and unconclliatOry would work well in such post
as Cabinet Mnstershlp which requires tact and
considerable amount OF social varnish. But
Rouher worked so well that from 1s49 TO 1870 he
retained ONCE without more than six months in
terrupton Vice President OF the Council OF State,
minister OF Commerce. President OF the Council,
Home Mlnlster-all these Offices were successfully
held by him, until finally he was promoted to be
Minister of State or Premier. One would think
that Rouher caught the social varnish as he grew
Injured to the atmosphere of courts but he never
did so, and he has not done 80 yet. A hale man.
ner, business-like capacity for work and figures
and promptitude in giving importunate persons
touch with the rough side OF his tongue, these
were the characteristics which kept him In office
even as they had helped him to attain 1t.
He was, ana Is, determined free trader,
and took the principal part in framing
the treaty OF commerce with England: but,
as regards politics, his maxims were for alb
solute C4sarism, with such things free press,
free municipalities or right OF public meeting. To
Rouher belongs the main credit OF having learned
how obedient an instrument universal suffrage
may become in clever hands. The country con-
stituencies never voted wrong under ROuher.
Large and subservlent majorties OF Bonapartists
were persistently returned by them, and with
these steady politicians to back him Rouher could
very plausibly contend that imperio. democratic
despOtsm was the form OF rule which the country
best loved. 1t was against Rouher's strong advice
that Napoleon ILL., tried the experiment OF liberal
institutions in 1870 and when he did so Rouher
made way for Emile Olivier and was appointed to
the Presidency OF the Senate. His tenure OF this
post ended with the war; and since the war
ROuher has been the leader of the Bonapartists.
Too shrewd to have ever plunged France into war
before she was prepared for 1T, he is one
OF the the men who most emphatically
throw the whole blame OF the countrys disasters
on that unlucky Emile Olivier: aud in the AS
semby, as elsewhere, he never tires of insisting
that Napoleon Ill. fell victim to the too great
confidence he mad placed in his liberal Ministers.
This Is manifesty unjust, for Emile Olivier was
firm upholder Of peace. So was Marshal Lebnuf.
who well knew that France was not ready for
great struggle; and virtually the three sole or.
ganizers Of the war were the Empress, the Duke
de GrammOnt and NJ. Benedetti. But NJ. Rouher is
not bound to confess this AS party man he
naturally makes most OF his advantages, and 1t
certainly Is an advantage to him that France was
smashed under the liberal Ministry he so cordially
detested. M. ROuher sits for the stanchly Bona
partist Island Of Corsica, and he leads his little
band OF twenty-five mperialist Deputies with
such skill as to give them an influence alto
gether disproportionate to their numbers.
Socially he supports the cause he loves by
dinners and parties ut q pleasant house
(Which he rents from the Empress) in the
Rue des Champs. He Is immensely rich-for there
is no etiquette which prevents French Office
holders from gambling on 'Change, and If there
were any such etiquette they would override it.
With the first Information of all political move
ments at command, large sums OF public moneys
in trust and credit unlimited, 1t Is odds French
Cabinet Minister does not rake up In the OF
twenty years in place few honest millions. One
may conclude NJ Rouher has done SO; for having
not centime OF his own when he first embarked
in politics, he was soon enabled to buy himself an
enormous landed estate at Cercey, in Auvergne,
and to acquire splendid gallery Of pic
lures If a third empire should be es-
tabshed during his lifetime NJ Rouher Will
become its Prime Minister, and he makes
secret Of the fact that Will study to bring back
the Casarsm, pure and simple, as it fourlsned from
1852 to 1870. He has no belief in parliamentary
in rae In nj for
argument Is that Napoleon Ill. was more bitterly
assailed after he had started on his liberal course
than when he held his bride tight. $50 long as
there are Irreconcilables," said NJ. Rouher "that
is, so long as concessions fail to appease ones
enemies so long must one refrain from conces-
sions ~ which Is like saying, $50 long as the Kettle
does not blow up, keep the lid down tight" But
then, as we have seen. NJ. ROuher was not sitting
on the lid OF the imperial kettle when it blew up
In 1870.
We come now to the
DUKE OF PADUA,
and can soon dispose OF him, for, though
busy character, his great works were not numer-
GUS. The son OF General Alright, created a Duke
by Napoleon l., Ernest de Padoue, was born in 1914,
entered the military service as an engineer, but
soon resigned because the government OF Louis
Philippe not one to his taste, and also because
his private fortune was large enough to render
him independent of soldiers pay. On the estab-
shment of the Second Empire, M. de PadOue
Alright, as he then called, appointed to the
Prefectshp Of Versailles, then the Councillorship
OF State, and, the death OF his father, inherited
the family dukedom, and was raised to the Sem
atorsnip which the previous Duke had held. In
1859 he became for SIX months Home Minister; but
did not shine greatly 10 this post, and was conse
tlv uho w n Legion
of Honor. Tie Duke is a courty, busting French
man, who looks well at the head of committees
and Populations. Since the Empire has fallen he
has frtsked about like parched pea on shovel,
getting sheets of vellum covered with signatures
of loyalty to the family at Chiselhurst. On all the
imperial birthdays he may be seen crossing over to
England with big bouquets OF vioets-the Napo-
leonic nower-carefully packed IN cotton wool,
and he is intimately persuaded that by leading