The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-27
The New President OF France.
His Ancestry, Tastes and Family Affairs.

Paris Letter to the New York Tribunel
Grevy's character is misunderstood by the
English press. He is man of Spanish raca
grated on Franche-Comtois stock. Spain long
held the Franche-Comte, which Charles V.
thought one of the most important of his mill
tsry positions. He garrisoned 1t strongly with
Catalonian and Arragonese troops. Grevy has
the cold dignity of the Spaniard, and the capac-
ity which we have seen in Carist wars to
devote himself to a cause, though 1t is los
ing one. He has also the Incidence Of the
hidslgo, though but little of the grandiloquence
of the SNOWY chivalry. His patience is Frsnche-
Comtos, and his simplicity of tastes s wiss.
never saw Grevy in the chair that I did not
elements at the Lords supper. BE is not .
picturesque man-quite the contrary The
Spanish soldier, his ancestor-from whom he
took his intensely dark eyes, his gravity, his
disinterestedness and laziness-I suppose was
If Grevy fnds official life bore he will resign.
There is, however, one great attraction for him,
at the Elysee. 1t is the billiard-room. With
out billiards and chess he would not think the
presidency of the republic worth having. He
resigned the presidency of the Assembly short
~ UoiOTo tuo @ftu VI udJ w Sob o2Ch w tu6
Cafe de la Regence aud indulge there nightly
in his favorite recrestion. He is an excellent
speaker In small room where the acoustic
conditions are good, but he never much culti-
waited oratory at the bar. 1t was bore to walk
or drive to the law courts, to robe. to walk
about in the Sale des Pas Perdus, to go home
to receive clients, and then to sit up worsing
at briefs. What he liked was business 10 cham
bsrs, which he could attend to In dressing
gown and slippers, and smoking cigar. Tots
Ii, INEx rlarx
on him during the empire. If he found his
brain too sluggish for work he got his wife or
daughter to play the piano, and himself per-
formed flute accompaniment. He inter-
spersed his legal occupations with literary
studies. In the country he goes about dressed
like peasant, Madame Grevy's quarrel with
him arose from his hatred of fine CLOTH
ing. She has lately been reconciled to him, af-
ter separation of five years. 10 presiding over
the Assembly Grevy discardeda swallow-tailed
coat and white cravas. This greatly shocked
the royalists urtil they got used to him, and
learned to appreciate his great fairness There
is no more impartial man in all France and
he is honesty incarnate. He twice refused to
be made Senator, because he thought the in
stitution of Senate cut at universal suffrage.
Nile Grevy has the Spanish Imagination and
romantic fiber that her father lacks. They
have given him world of trouble. She at
tempted to run away with Capoul, the Singer,
and refused to marry any one else. Grevy will
never consent TO match with that breaker of
ladies' hearts. He wishes for Deputy Wilson,
the owner of Chen-0u ce0ux, 10 Touralue, to
become his son-in-law. Chen-on-ceaux was
built by Catherine de Medici, and is the grand
The young lady prefers Capoul 10 his little
villa, to Wilson with his palace and his mill
lions. She is now 20 years old If obstinate
as her father, she Will marry the singer when
meantime he does not become the husband of
somebody else.