The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-18
WHAT rs GOING ON IN EUROPE
Nothing ia changed in the position OF En-

| tIn MS u'hulD'h ~ tlc ohin's anu hp-
body seems to be disposed to predict the prob
able issue. The most Ineligible information
comes from Paris and runs thus: " Gen Igna-
tieff leaves here to-day Thursday for London.
| This Is regarded here as n peaceful sign"
| And 40 1t should DO. few days before Gen.
Ignaticr had handed Count Schouvaloff. in
Paris tho project OF protocol TO DO signed by
| the European powers. Had this project been
rejected by the British Cabinet. tho General
| would have had no need whatever TO go to Lon
don to receive the refusal. The regular Am
bassador was quite equal to the performance Of
| such task. II Gen. IRnatcff consented TO go
to tho capital Of Great Britain. 1t could only be
| for the discussion Of somo minor details Of the
agreement. tho main points OF which had al
ready been accepted. In fact. later despatch.
| based on the authority OF the Times informs us
| that the differences now are merely verbal"
Another pleasant bit OF news is that the astute
Russian General and his wife are TO to DO the
guests OF Lord Salisbury. at his country resi-
dence. This is equal to a public decara-
ton that the British and Russian plenipo-
tentiaries have not merely met at Constan-
tinople er-ofcio. but that they have be-
como friends and mean to cement this friend
ship still more. Had there been anything like
a serious difference between the Cabinets OF st
James's and st. Petersburg. tho two plonipoten-
tiares would never have vontured to meet on
such terms OF social familiarity.
In this way. peace OF some sort or other. and
for longer or shorter time. is what we have
TO expect next in the way OF political news from
Europe.
Meanwhile. the diplomatic negotiations have
disclosed some queer things in the political sit
uation OF France Tho interest centres this
time around the little figure Of old Papa Theirs.
Since his downfall the cx-President and hsto-
| ran has, II seems. been gnawed by the desire
tosccure for hlmselfa kind OF out-of-ofce pow
| or. which would enable him TO govern France
| without being a member OF the Government.
For Marshal MacMahon no had never had any
great respect. Ho considered him q stupid
man. and one who could not possibly maintain
himself for any length OF time ut the head Of the
nation. When however. the law OF the seven
years Presidency had been passed. and the
Marshal was firmly established in tho Prcsiden-
| tial chair till at least 1880 Theirs took 10 his old
policy OF opposition intrigues which he had so
successfully employed against Louis Philippe
and the Cabinet OF Guizot. Every element that
was opposed to tho Marshal and his partisans
was courted by Theirs. his wife. and his sister
in-law. His evening parties became regular
meetings Of conspirators. As the internal az
| fairs of the country seemed 10 get on very COM
fortably. the old man concluded that the best
| field for making his influence felt was foreign
politics. Duke Dccazes was then at the head OF
| the Cabinet. and Theirs exertod all his efforts
| to make his views and wishes prevail with the
| Minister. Tho Duke. however twho. by the
| by. would certainly have prolted by accepting
many OF Thierss suggestionsl wanted TO be
| Minister for himself. and took no notice what
over Of the overtures made to him. This kim
died the wrath OF Theirs. and no efforts were
now spared to overthrow Duke Decazes. 1t
Itstl IL a
this but he succeeded at last His mannuvres.
both ut homo AMI at the foreign courts. were
discovered. and the press as well IA the public.
began openly to speak OF them. So loud and
general. indeed. became the talk that Theirs felt
compelled 10 take some public notice OF the ac-
| cusation. He wrote "a letter TO the Temps the
other day. denying the alleged facts and stating
that he had never had any intercourse with
Duke Decazes since the days when the Asscm-
bly WAS sitting at Bordeaux. As If a man wants
to be in personal relations with a rival against
whom he intrigues.
The genius Of Theirs. az we'll as his popular
ity. is so great that facts like these may appear
incredible. Tho truth is. however, that the
abilities of a man have but little TO do with his
temperament and character. Tho personal
biography OF the great politician and historian
has not been written yet but when II is written
everybody will learn that there probably never
lived a man OF celebrity who was as cold am
bilious. cgoistic. and small in his animos-
tiles IA Old Papa Theirs. His teacher. Tai.
leyrand. IL nowhere when compared with
him. The principle Of all success. so cynicaly
formulated in the sentence Have bad heart
and u good stomach" has been better carried
into practice 10y the pupil than by the master.
great many people are surprised 10 see an
old man like Theirs still conserving vitality
gupnph n only IN bia rL,
but 10 minsle in politics. But this surprise is
not quite Justified. He is only eighty years ofage
takes indies 'ribable care Of himself and spends
scarcely any physical strength at all, not ever
IN his voice. NJ. Dutaurc. who Was but recently
the head Of the Cabinet. who has never takcr
care Of himself. who shows a rude physica
vigor and speaks in a stcntoran voice, Is ex-
arly OF the same age. Changarnier, who died
but few days ago. was full Of activity. notwith
standing his eighty-four years. Guizot at tn,
same age dictated TO his secretary and took tn,
livclicst interest in political and clerical conro-
vcrsics up to within a fortnight OF his death
Aubcr WAS Just as bright and young in tn,
music he composed at eighty five as at thirty
and Humboldt finished his Cosmos" at tn,
axe Of ninety. Papa Theirs is not so very ole
alter ALL His enemies sarcastically remark
that he even expects 10 live long enough TO b,
once more President of the French republic.
Though general politics appear to be dor
mant in France. 1t becomes evident. from thes,
proceedings OF NJ. Theirs. IA well as from /
good many other indications that political par
ties and animosities are rs thoroughly alive a,
ever. Take. for instance. the ease OF Emil,
lola. That Industrious and prolific novel writer
recently published novel under the queer it'll,
of " LAssommoire." 1t is the most faithful
and vivid picture OF the life Of the lower STRAIT.
OF Paris artisans that has ever boon given. Tn,
novel had an immense success. as showing tn,
public what was the true nature Of the elements
underlying the political and social fabric o
Paris. Everybody ought to havo been salts
fled yet the radical part Of the press began t,
attack NJ. Cola for his want OF human and pa
triotc feelings. They argued that he had proved
himself TO be "A traitor TO tho cause of repub
licanism and democracy. of which he formerly
pretended 10 be IA warm partisan; that he huC
no business TO disclose tho dark side Of tho
working man 1t was tho rich and fashonahl,
classes that he should have shown up. Tn,
masses were. Of course. quite prepared TO tax,
the same view on the matter. and poor VI. Xoli
| found himself 50 docp in hot water that he Ia,