The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-07-29
MINNEAPOLIS PAUL, SATURDAY, 1893

" LIZ 'o1A l. ~ lN1IAAA y -
the eleven children of the Marquis de
Mac cMahon, Lieutenant General and per-
sonal friend of Charles x. While he is
not OF immediate Irish parentage, there
i'd no do doubt that paternally he is the
direct descendant of very ancient and
noble Irish family, and can trace his
pedigree in direct line through success,
sive generations for at least five hundred
years. In 1850 the grandfather OF Mar
shall MacMahon explained this ancestry
in petition to Louis XIV In this he
says that the family "drew their mater
nal origin from the lords of Clondirola,
in Ireland, who were descended from the
lords and princes of Glare, who were is-
sue Of the ancient monarchs of Ireland.
Their attachment to the Catholic reli-
gion and their legitimate prince has de-
prived them Of their possessions and til
ties and they find it impossible to estab-
lish their noble and ancient extraction
by literal proofs. But they have proofs
and testimonials beyond all suspicion,
and admitted by the tribunals, which es-
tablish their nobility, not only from the
year 400, but even up to Brian Boru,
monarch of Ireland in the eleventh CEN
tury."
The Father of Marshal MacMahon
also devoted his life to his country, and he
ross to the rank of Lieutenant General,
and commander of the Royal and Mill
tary Order of St. Louis. When the son
was still young man he graduated from
st. Cyr to serve with FeIissier, Canrobert
and Changarnier, in the regiments sent
to Africa; he distinguished himself in
those arduous campaigns, and was raised
to the rank of General after his daring
exploits at Constantine. He reached
Malakof in time to carry the works, and
display heroic valor.
Although he was passionately fond of
Algeria the brave soldier forsook it in
1857 in order to go and pacify Kabylia
ana presently to receive the appointment
Of Governor of that province by the En-
peror. Magenta-remaining as the tri-
umphant record Of strategy and military
science-saw the General assume the IT,
tie OF Duke and Marshal Of France and
ashiez,e the highest honors. Then came
1870 with the fatal reverses obscuring
the glorious pages Of life on which
were inscribed SO many victories; yet the
brave soldier remained undannted and
undislnayed; he advanced IN the direc~
tion of Weissenbourg and F'roeschweller,
where 100000 Prussians awaited 10000
Frenchmen; he saw the remnant Of those
fine squadrons of the enemy, and as they
fell, wrenching from Emperor William
the involuntary tribute ''Oh, les braves
gems" MacMahon would have operated
a junction with Bazaine, throw back
Prince Frederick Charles beyond the
Mouse, and persuade the Prince Royal
marching on Chalons. Other advice pre-
vailed. It was not to be. Napoleon iii.
entered Sedan to be trapped with his
10000 men, and, fortunately for Mac
Mahon, he lay seriously wounded before
the tradition of a large army took
place.
Had he been at the head OF his troops
he would have conquered or perished,
l,,f oil
When he bewailed that he had not died
before this humiliation of his flag. the
last surviving Turcos who had fought
with him at Frossch weller gathered
around him with tears on their swarthy
cheeks; TOR they had loved him since the
days in Africa, and said in their broken
French: "Die! You won't die; you see
we ara still alive The Marshal was
earned off in an ambulance as prisoner
to Germany, and returned to France q
broken-hearted man, to whom military
service was henceforth but glorious
memory.
After peace bad been restored, Mar
shal MacMahon drifted almost unconsci-
ously into political life. He had no poll
tical ambitions, and yet the highest civil
function in the land was thrust upon
him, almost in opposition to his wishes,
and recent writer says:
His period of presidency was perfectly
clean and loyal; he may have erred on
minor questions, offended one party or
another, laid himself open to the CEN
sures of the press; but his reputation of
a perfectly honest man was as undis-
puted as that of the soldier of Malakoff,
of the victor of Magenta, or of the pris-
oner of Sedan; it can be summed up in
the word-immaculate He submitted
rather than accepted to be elevated to
the presidential chair; he descended
from it with equanimity to retire to his
country home OF Sully st. Leger, near
Autun.
M..1loJ M,oHoL1o 1,o. c1 I,,o-