Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-02-17
THE ORLEANS PRINCES.
How They Have Gradually Lost
Ground since the establishment
OF the Republic

although 1t may be too much to say that
the gift of this splendid domain to the
nation will bring about the immediate
return of the Comte de Paris and the
Due d'Aumale, it may make the way of
Cancellation more easy. But in order
TO understand what the situat on of tho
Orleans family now S, it is necessary
TO revert for "A moment to the events
which have occurred since the close of
the war, in the course of which more
than one member of the family served
his country with the greatest distinc-
ton. There can be no doubt that a
considerable proportion of the deputies
elected TO the national assembly in the
beginning of 1871 imagined that the
restoration of the constitut onal mon
archy would be a matter of little or no
difficulty; but whether because the Or
leans princes themselves were lacking
in decision, or because they allowed
themselves to be out-maneuvered by NJ.
Theirs, the opportune moment was al
lowed to pass; the legitimists had time
to rally their forces and theTepublicans
to increase their strength The restitu-
ton of the property which had been
conliscated by the empire was also
used As a weapon against them o o
afterward. though. as a matter of fact,
they only received back, out of the q,
600, 600 sterling worth of land, etc. ia
ken from them, property of the value
of e., 600. 600. And this, it should be
remembered, was gwen back, not in
money, but in land and houses. Still,
though they were s%urrcndering more
than half of what belonged to them,
this restitution deprived them of many
friends, not only among the peasantry
and artisans, but among the more en-
lightened classes of the community.
Following upon this came the visit of
the Comtc de Paris to Frohsdorf in
1873. and although this step was taken
with the best of motives, IN the hope
of diminishing the number of parties in
France and of railyiug round one flag
all those who believed hat a monarch
zeal form of government was better
adapted TO Franco than a republic, it
DID not increase his popularity with
the leg tim SIS, while it had quite the
opposite effect ON the molcrat men,
VINO, accepting the republic as being,
TO use NJ. Theirs phrase, the form of
government which divides Us the
least would have preferred a constitu-
tional monarchy.
After this, and until the death of the
Comte de- Chambord. the Comte de
Paris held almost entirely aloof from
politics, and when he became the chief
of the house OF France the republic had
the prestige which an existence of
nearly thirteen years confers, had
grouped numerous interests around 1t,
and had obtained a clear majority in
the senate as we'll n in the lower
chamber. All this made the Comte dc
Paris position a very difficult one, and
there can be no doubt that Prince Bis
marck has from that day to this set his
face resolutely against anything like
the restoration of the monarchy of July,
being firmly cOnvinced-and in this he
is no doubt right-that such a r%e,tora-
ton would tend to make France more
powerful than she can be under existing
circumstances. 1t was because the Due
d Aumale. who did not share the views
of his nephew with regard to the fusion.
saw that he could do rothing a a poll
tician that he asked to be restored to
his rank of general in the army,
and did not seek recollection TO
the new chamber at the dissolution of
the national assembly. 1t will be re-
membered to his credit that. after pre-
siding with great credit at the Bazaine
trial, he vas appointed to the command
of the Seventh army corps at Besancon,
and it is admitted even by his political
adversaries that he had brought it 10 a
nigh state Of efficiency when he was
deprived of his command. 1t was only
then that he retired to ChaGtilly and
commenced the restoration, not to say
the construction of the chateau VIII Oh
he had inherited from his great-uncle.
but in which up to that period he had
spent but little time. Here he gather
ed around him all the most eminent
men of letters and science, artists, and
d%tettanti, thus creating for himself oc-
equations and interests which might i'm
n measure console him for the domes-
tic Affections and the injustice of
parties. Here he hoped to spend the
evening of life in peace; yet at the age
of Ga he has been compelled once more
to go into exile and to abandon the
home which he had filed with
the choicest treasures of art and
literature. 1t would detract not a little
from the admiration which this gift
now EFFORTS from all part es in France
if one imagined that it was a mere
bid for popularity, and we know as a
matter of fact that the donation dates