New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-08
IHE LAST WORK OF THTERS.


The posthumOus address of Theirs to the
electors of the Ninth ACCOMPLISHMENT, the most
important passages of which we publish in The
TRIBUNE to-day, is destined to become his
torica document. As his last labor, it is the
fitting crown of a aborious life; as his dying
utterance, it Is the climax of his political in
sight and his slowly acquired wisdom. For
calmness and dignity of Tone for lucidity of
statement, and for weight of arguments which
are none the less crushing when they are I'M
piled instead of being pOintedly expressed, it
is a remarkable paper. There IS no trembling
of the octOgenarian hand perceptiblo in 1t, from
the first line to the last. The force of simple
truth, heated now and then with the glow of
an honest Indignation, charges 1t with destruc-
tive logic. Ii is impossible to remember the
barefaced contradictions of MacMahons proc
lamation while reading it, or to remember
them otherwise than with centemptuOus pity
A failing cause may be known by the blum
ders of its advocates and there is nothing in
the history of France more remarkable than
the manner in which the three present
monarchist factions have betrayed their own
weakness Theirs has arraigned them before
the court of the worlds opinion. His citation
of facts so recent that they are not only fami
| liar to all Frenchmen, but to every intelligent
! ne wspaper- reader of other lands, is argument.
conviction, and sentence, IN one. HIS defence
of the dissolved Chamber is complete and over
whelming; his answer to the charges of the
! Utram0ntanes shows that they simply fegned
! grievances for the sake of disturbing agita-
ton his bold declaration that France is now
Republic with an anti-R Republican Govern
ment, is the briefest possible description of the
| situation-in short he makes it clear that
! MacMah0n's act of last May was dictated, not
by any discoverabe danger, but by the
monarchical and ultramontane fears of the
peace, the order, the moderation, the wisdom
and the patriotism of the Republican party.
His answer 10 the vague assertion of Mac
Mahon's Government that France is menaced
by the increasing radical spirit, is a good
specimen of his vigorous, incisiye elOquence
10 term radca a Chamber which does noteyen raise q
discussion upon the income tax, which retains intact tho
duration OF the military service, which grants The salary
OF all the ceeds recognized by the state, and IA parcu
lar Increases grant for Catholic worship; which. in
presence the condemnabe acts Of some bishops limits
itself "a censure when all 9th citizens would IN
chr gave penalties for such which, far from allow
ing Ia itself ndiscreet interference In the policy Of
the State refuses question the Minister az Foreign AZ
fairs which, far from Misunderstanding tie limits of
the executive powers recognizes Ia the Senate rights
which England recognize in the House OF Lords
and wnich sorupuously ooDciiates nn Upper Chamber
which does not concia'e 1t In roturncall such Cham
Der radical No. Messicurs les Ministries you may say 1t,
| but you do not think II.
We heard much, from French journals, con-
corning the confidence which might naturally
be placed in tie honor of soldier, when
Marshal MacMahon was chosen to eupersede
Theirs, in 1878. The latter a;ludes in terms
of equal modesty and dignity to his own res
| ignation and no trace of personal jealousy is