The New York herald., 1874-10-04

system OF governing France by battaliOns OF
Mayors. ofncered by Prelecs and SuD-Prefects.
No wonder lawyers and men Of letters find the
system unsuited to their genus Nor did II.
Guizot succeed better IN diplomacy. AS
THE FIRST PROTESTANT AMBASSADOR
France had ever sent to London, he was welcomed
with extraordinary cordiaity by the English, and
he has lett pleasant volume Of recoliectons on
the subject Of his mission. 1t Is noteworthy that
though his thin and angular features suggest any
thing but the idea OF man who would require to
be amused, yet he found Queen victoria's Court
insunerably dul. English society generally he
liked very much, and was careful to conciiiate 1t
by bringing an excellent French cook and
going one day to Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile
LORD Palmerston having amused him with neg0tl-
atiOns the Eastern question: signed treaty
behind his back with the representatives OF Aus
trla Russia and Prussia, which practically ex-
GUIDED France TOR a time from the Euro
pean system. M. Theirs, who was then
Minister Tor Foreign Affairs, would have gone
to war with England, but was restrained
by the tmidity of Louis Philippe. The same year
(29th October 1S4o he resigned, ana was sue
cceded in the Premiership by Gulzot, who IN
augurateu domestic policy OF repression and o
foreign policy or peace at any price. In the latter
he was seconded by Sir Robert Peel. who, NOM
ter traders VINO have administered English affairs
on purely commercial principles. NJ. Guzot liked
him much better than LORD PalmerstOn, as did
also the Emperor Nicholas, and, generally speak
ing, all who wished TO outwit "perEdous Albion"
Seven years OF steady opposition to reform on the
part OF a government which gave the French
neither glory abroad nor extraordinary prosperity
at home were too much ter "the great nation.n In
1S4S NJ Guizot, who had long since lost all popu
lariry lost Office as well, and dragged down In hts
fall the King, the royal mousse, the monarchy
and order ITSELF More fortun ate than Prince
Polignac and his colleagues who suffered six
years. Imprisonment for their ioes M. Guizot
escaped with short exile. But he attempted
in vain TO get elected to the Legislative Assem-
bly,. French statesman has too often to com.
plain like Wolsey, that
When once ne falls he fails like Lucifer
Never to rise again
1t is hazardous TO prophesy, but II Thiers. o.
livier or Rouher Is ever again at the head of al
fairs his good fortune Will be almost unpre-
cedented Minor positions may be recovered, but
the 1rst rank Of all Is not easily reganed.
NAPOLEON III.
Still, NJ. GuiZot was director OF the French Acad-
emy, and therefore enjoyed both dgnity aud inhu-
ence even under the Secoad Empire. 1t was his
duty to present each newly elected 'Immortal"
TO the Chief OF the State, and even M. Guizots
Oreanism did not shrink from these necessary
interviews with Napoleon Ill. He Unidentified
himself for this implicit acknowledgment OF the
Emperor by saving unpleasant things to that
much enduring Prince. When informed OF Pre-
vost-Paradol's election. His Majesty asked, 'sWho
is her" M. Guzot replied, "Slre, his handwriting
is on the wall" According to a friend who knew
the Emperor well, he would receive these impertl-
nences in dlgnlfed silence but when alone he gave
faanOS-hiQ roli iad Wi ho
stamped on the ground, he almost screamed with
rage-ln word, all thea Corsican was visible. In
making iiLnatured remarks, meditating IN PRINT
on the beauties OF the Christian religion, and
steadily narrowing his views OF men and things,
NJ. GuKot passed Ia tranquil and venerated
old age
HIS CHARACTER
At length he is gone, and 1t may be said OF him
that he was man Of talent. eloquence ami sur
passing diligence "Onlnium coRse,aSQ capdc TN
zevit, 81 nunquama imDeravlsset." lie has been
compared. and not unjustiy, to Edward Hyde, Earl
OF Clarendon. The chief fault--or rather the mis-
fortune-of both was that they were political
pcdants who had learned the grammar OF govern
ment without understanding Its philosophy.
Clarendon and Guizot misgoverned their respect
I've countries on the most correct constitutional
principles. 1t may be doubted whether Hyde en-
dured fourteen years exile SO much out OF devo-
tiOn TO the TWO Char!eses as from sheer dislike
o! such new tangled ideas as Commonw eallh, and
Parliament with upper house in it, and
Church without bishops. SO men of NJ. Guizot's
stamp Will unable 20 conceive the possibility or
monarchcai institutions wnen the present Repub-
lie shall nave celebrated, ike the United States,
its first centenary and accumulated proper
amount OF precedfnts.
HIS LIFE GT WASHINGTON.
may here commend % 4Americaa readers NJ.
Guzot's Life OF Washington" as we'll az lis
shorter study on the career OF that inimitable
man. 1t IS the very model OF what an historical
essay should be presenting in hundred pages an
exhaustive analysis OF the work done by Washing.
ton as o statesman and showing Just apprecla-
tiOn 0. the difficulties with wnlcn he had to con-
tend. 1t Is pity NJ. Gu.zot did not content him.
self with such fame as satisfied his friend
Hallam. HIS career would not the less have been
politics, for those who decaim on public platforms
are hot always the men who really sway the minds
OF kings and peoples. The rccluse who had the
ear OF Grey Melbourne and Lansdowne probably
served mis- country quite as effectively as the
straightlaced Genevese lawyer, VINO must have
fet so strange III white SILK Dreeches and gold
lace, with a red ribbon and diamond star to
from his own particular heaven on MS spiritual
descendant clad III q costume more gorgeous ,han
that OF a medieval bishop.
TIE AEERICAN NAVY ABROAD.