The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-06

The professions OF ono epoch with tho acts OF
another. Had he died ut the age Of 70. before
he had paid the war indemnity. and released
the territory Of his country from foreign occu-
patton, he Would have missed his ono supreme
and unimpeachube title tn honor and esteem
Heretofore his career had been series Of cor
uscations. dazzling enough. no doubt. but Of
little permanent profit 10 anybody except him
self. Ho had been ono Of the most trenchant md
influential Of journalists, and ho had written
histories which bccamo the most powerful en-
gincs Of propaganda. Yet there was no party in
the State which could wholly afford to trust him.
which at one epoch or another had not had
cauee to rue his enmity. or to regret his friend
ship. The Lcgitimiets saw in him the man
who, more than any other. caused tho downfall
Of Charles X. and tbs Republicans upbraidod
him with having rendered that revolution
abortive. and, through his influence with La
fayete compelled tho nation to accept spuri-
Gus copy OF English institutions under Louis
Philippe. On the other hand. the doctrinaires
who saw their theories embodied IN tho Or
leans dynasty, had n right to hold him RESPONSE
BILE for the overthrow Of monarch who had
ventured to dispense with the services OF
THEIRS as his Prime Minister. The Bonapart-
lists also had reason for regarding Theirs
with divided sentiments. He had devoted his
wonderful industry and effective literary talent
to n Qualification Of the Napoleonic legend and
he had rehabiitnted the empire. in the minds
OF the generation which were to witness
and tolerate tho coup d'6tat OF tho "a Of De-
ccmbcr. He had brought back the remains
Of tho first Napoleon from st. Helena: he had
voted FOR Louis Bonaparte against Cavngnac in
the momentous election for President Of the re-
public He had sanctioned. too some OF the worst
measures taken by the reactionary majority in
the Legislative Assombly-such for instance. as
the limitation OF the suffrage. Under these cir
cumstan res. II was not surprising that THEIRS
should have been included in the first amnesty
when some OF the worthiest mon Of France were
sent TO die in Cayenne. and when such patriots
US Victor Hugo held persecution TO be an honor
And II we come to a later period. when he who
had witnessed the enormitics Of the "a Of De-
cember accepted the empire. as at all events. a
government de facto. by entering the Corps
Legisatif. we ind the same wary. cunning am
bguous tactics. Sometimes he supports Jules
Favre and the small cohort Of Republicans in
that body and sometimes he disappoints them
when they reckon most on his support. Thus.
in the spring OF 1870. when the Opposition
sought 10 tie the hands OF the Government and
arrest its prcposterous projects by curtaling
its military strength. THEIRS seconded the EN-
perors Minister'S Again. during tho feverish
month preceding the collapse OF Sedan. when
the popular branch Of tho Legislature tried to
effect a pacific revolution. he seemed unwilling
10 commit himself in vigorous concerted action
with the radical leaders and was largely re-
sponsible for the divided counsels. the irresolu-
ton and delay which provoked and excused
the uprising OF Sept I. He refused 10 take part in
the Provisional Government. and even hositated
TO accept tho mission which they gave him 10
III ft... 4 fa
ture with the executive authority 10y the Bor-
deauX Assembly. It was his inexpicable APP
pointment Of the Bonapartst General. Vinoy. to
he Governor Of Paris. and the exasperatng pro-
ceedings In relation 10 the seizure OF the cannon
subscribed for municipal defence which pro-
ccedings were unquestionably sanctioned by
Theirs. that gave rise to the Instruction and
the Commune.
All this and more would have bcen remem-
bered against Theirs had his career ended In
1871. before he performed services OF immense
almost unparalleled import. He had served all
parties. and. II he had not BETRAYED them all.
had incurred general dis;rust. lie had been
entirely consistent in one aim only. and that
HAD been the advancement OF Adolphe THEIRS.
There WIS strong dash OF Greek blood in his
vens-tho Greek blood OF tho lower empire
and an more than one occasion he had evinced
the suppleness. adroitness. and spirit OF SELF
seeking inherited on one side from Levantine
traders In word. II We look at his whole life.
and are not spelbound by the splendid Rchiev
ment OF his last years. we must needs concur In
the caustic judgment passed by Mr.. John Bige-
low on the marvellous adventurer who, without
money. or powerful friends, or military Abili-
ties rose by the slow rounds Of civil life from a
humble station almost at the foot OF the ladder
TO DO the prime minister Of king. and the mas
ter OF a commonwealth. Without warm affsc-
tons and apparently without strong convictions.
but by the dint OF exceptional sagacity and
exhaustless energy. this obscure Massiliote
climbed into the front rank OF statesmen over
turned by turns the Bourbon and the Orleans
monarehies. created and then helped to extin-
guish the Napoleonic myth. defeated the repub-
lie in 1880. assisted in cripping II in 1850. and
at last when its existence seemed to be indis-
soubly knit with his own fortunes and fame.
rescued II from its enemies. and placed II on
Arm foundations.
In DIR. lie COTS biography. the first seventy
years OF Thiers's life are TRANSPORTED. as 1t
were. by the dignity OF its close. And It Is be-
yond dispute that. considering the composition
OF the Bordeaux Assembly. no other man could
have rchabilitated France so promptly and COM
pletely 1t may be that no other man could have
saved her at all. To tho majority OF Frenchmen
IN inc next generation ne VIII stand forth, per-
haps, as kind Of Washington. all his earlier
shortcomings forgotten in the Rureole OF his
later achievements. Only few sober republ-
cans may still call to mind that IL Theirs came
forward M the saviour Of the State. no WIS
chargeablc in no small measure. with its evil
plight since but for him the republic might
have been founded half a century before: but
for him and his fervent exaltation Of the Napo-
leonic traditions the patriot Cavaignac could
never have been superseded by the son OF
Hortense.