The New York herald., 1877-09-04

the hands of the clergy in the sheer dread
OF the consequences OF liberal education Although II
would be quite vain attempt on our part make
here anything like complete sketch OF the President
OF the French Republic wc must stlll add few words
OF general description oil this person.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
The personal appearance OF ~. Thcrs was probably
az we'll known In America as In France by those
who have seen NJ. Theirs face only in pictures.
But tho parliamentary and presidential figure
Of NJ. Thiers probably less known abroad.
and people likely 10 fancy It much more imposing
than u really Dlvesed OF all the usual attributes
OF political power NJ Theirs appeared quite comical
parsonage, especially when he a little souter
and the short legs OF this short man seemed to
quito disappear under the shadow OF his
round little body. He was devoid Of anything
In the shape OF grace of earnestness Imagine
lttlc stontsh, hdgetty man, with face slightly re-
scmbng that OF parrot, and with two Lsonstrously
large spectacles on his large hooked and the pic
ture oi M Theirs Is complete. As a speaker he was
never distinguished by coluence but was always
known to be man capable Of delivering
clever speech any given subject. FL
nance, law military matters. science, everything
seems to nave been equally familiar to HIM. His
voice was somewhat shrinking aud feeble and pro-
duccd effect. so to say account of It's defect, lis
tones appeared BE- 1t were, tired and asking for
compassion.
In the critical moments OF mis- career NJ Thers was
almost invariably ridiculous on the night OF the
coup dstdt aud when quito uncertain as 10
It's ultimate ends, Napoleon did not find any
better means of dvcsiins himself from the
anxiety under which he laborcd this night than to
laugh with Mocquard about tho two smallest men OF
the Assembly, NJ Theirs and Baez who would be ar
rested in their shirts a. Thcrs' conduct on this
rico to
that be threw himself upon his before the Com
missioner OF Police NJ. Hubault, who
| directed TO arrest HIM, but that officer
never confirmed this piece OF gossip He simply said
that he found ~ Theirs in bed adorned with white
lace and pink SILK curtains, and that the head Of the
| little Deputy was hidden under cotton nghtcop
When awakened and while still sitting up in bed he
seems to have begun a discussion with the Comms.
sloner OF Police upon the character OF
his arrest All these little comical sides OF N. Theirs
did not, however, prevent his thinking him.
self Ut for the highest positions. Ambition
was always the paramount feeling that guided him.
and from the very first day he reached Paris in 1921
his lie unceasing effort 10 obtain power at
any price, No sort OF scruple was known to him
this respect. He used with equal freedom aattcry
corruption, iaisehood--anything that would
him. and II the world ut large was astonished at see
ing N. Theirs become the Pres id6nt OF the French
Republic in 1871, those knew the secret his.
tory OF the government OF 1slS were aware that he
aimed at the post twenty-five years ago II
only when he saw that his chances OF success were
small that he supported Louis Bonaparc for tho pur
poso OF preventing Ledru Rollins election to the
Presidency. But TO give even the shortest sketch OF
NJ Thiers political would be almost to write
essay upon French history from 1890 to 1872.
AS JOURNALIST.
AS journalist be was remarkable for the aptitude
he displayed In writing on all subjects and for the
originality of his IDEAS Whether in defence or in
attack his pen ready quick and certain.
As consequence, in France. where the ''gourth
tato" is all powerful, he soon became prominent
and TO be regarded authority among his
friends and fellow writer's. Tho articles he published
in 1922 upon the book of Montoser and .'Dc la Mon
archie Franchise caused complete revolution among
statesmen and men OF letters. NJ. Theirs
doubtedly the most versatile journalist of his day.
| His style was lively and brilliant, aud ad.
| mirably suited for polemical controversy. With
| the bodness of truo genius he vcntured to
| write upon all subjects, no matter how superficial
| his knowledge was Of them. Politics, literature, art
philosophy. religion, history, all came alike ready to
his hand And. singulariy enough, when we bear
In mind his comparatively meagre education, he
made no mistakes. He wrote for his journal an &c.
count OF the saloons Of art. His articles united in
OF the revolutions in painting and some general con.
siderations upon the for and criticisms on art
These papers subsequently appeared in volume
entitled 'Saion lie Paris uS22). About the same
time NJ Thiers published notice OF the lilo of Mrs.
Bellany, the celebrated actress OF Covent Garden
London, which subsequently placed at the head
OF the biography OF that lady in the memoirs dra.
matte art Toward the end of autumn, IN 1922 II.
Theirs took tour IN Italy and in the Pyrences
publishing his observations in The ConSutionnei on
his return They formed lively and picturesque pro-
duction, and part Of them were aiterward published
under tho title OF ''Les PyrGne,s 10 Midi dc Ia
France pendant les mos dc Novcmbre ct Decembrc
1922 and the work went through three editions. BY
this time the had already begun TO prove
too small field for his genius In 1929, when tho
war with Spain was going on, and on the occasion
OF the battle between Vlllce and Chatcaubriand he
took part with JoufIroy, Dubois, De Remusat ana
Mgnct in editing 'The Tabicttes Hisorqucsn liter
ary and political compilation. From Baron Louis he
learned the science OF finance; Baron Jomn Gen.
eral Foy taught him the art Of war, and At Vim
cennes frcncs OF his, who were familiar
with artillery, initiated him the art OF siege de-
fences. He neglected nothing necessary to make his
work complete and accurate. He consulted every
authority that could aid hm-geographical and s,ra
tegica charts, time tables memoirs, pubiished or in
manuscript. legal processes, official reports, &C. were
alike examined for Information.
PUBLIC LIrE
He oflcla In the Treasury under Louis
Philippe In 1892 he Minister OF the Interior in
scuts Cabinet He quelcd the insurrection Of
Lyons and Paris 1884 In December OF
that year he took his seat in the French Academy.
| He resigned January, 1885, and in February
became Premier and Minister OF Foreign Affairs. In
August retired and was reinstated March 1, 1870
He resigned again in October Then he beg his 'His
toire du Consulat ct do Empire In juno sis be was
elected to the Constituent Assembly Hc first
concedc to Cavagnac extraordinary powers against
socialists Subsequently he supported Louis Napoleon
| for the presidency and fought duel with Bixco Tor
| repeating a Tumor he had denied that he had pre-
viousy disparagcd such election. He was
arrested on tho coup d'etot OF December 3