New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-12
PARIS NOTES.
MACMAHON'S TOME BESIDE THAT OF a
WCMANS-A FIGHT FOR PRECEDENCE
-PRINCESs MATNILDE,S HOME

nv tho Government in connection with the state
funeral of Marshal MacMahon. and the soem-
nifty as we'll the splendor of the spectacle
seemed to create more than ordinarily deep
impression upon the huge Partisan crowds usu-
ally so DISPOSED to levty and to turn into ridi-
Guile even the most sacred things. No Emperor
or King could have had grander obsequies than
this fine and honest old soldier. behind whose
hearse followed the diplomatic corps all in full
uniform, the American Ambassador being In
evening dress. the judges in their scarlet and
ermine-trimmed robes and the naval and mill
tarv officers both French and foreign with
their epaulets and gold embroidery shrouded III
Grape. Indeed the tributes of sympathetic re-
gard and warm admiration rendered at Mar
shall MacMahon's obsequies by all OF the Tor
eign Governments without exception must have
shown 10 many of our politicians and states
men of the present era that there is one quahty
which the world at large honors even more
highly than brilliancy and cleverness, namely
perfect integrity in public as well as in private
life.
All political parties may be said to nave peeh
represented at the funeral, and to have tempo
rarilv forgotten their differences for the pur-
pose of paying last homage to the dead Mar
shall: the Socialist members of the Municipal
Council of Paris uncovered their heads as
mark Of their respect for the old Marshal Can
robert Notwithstanding his faithfulness to the
Bonapartist regime and the active part taken
by him in the sanguinary coup detat which
inauguratcd the reign of Napoleon III. while the
Comte d'Haussonville who is the principal lieu
tenant of the exed Comte de Paris in this
country was to be seen in friendly converse
ton with the chief of the Presidential household.
General Borus. who represented Nj. Carnot at
the obsequ:es the Chief Magistrate of the Re-
dabar by etin n f.
tending funerals of any kind President Carnot,
moreover sent his state carriage and four,
which. with it's lighted lamps and hammer
cloth and door handles draped with Grape. fol-
lowed the funeral procession.
special decree, bearing the signature Of the
President and of the Premier. was needed to
permit the interment of Marshal MacMahon in
the mausoleum of the Invades, Immediately
Under the great dome. The centre of this maui
solemn is occupied by the tomb of the first Ma
poleon. and among Frances military heroes and
generals whose remains bear him company in this
species of military pantheon are those Of Mar
shals Bertrand Duroc, Oudinot Nauban Tu-
renne Bessieres, 'Grouchy Jerome Bonaparte
ex-King Of wesphalia King Joseph Bonaparte
Of Spain and Mortier There are over fifty OF
these illustrious dead inferred in this Gallo
Walhaa, and among these relics one womans
heart lies enshrined in marble urn. II is tina
which once beat beneath the breast of Mile. de
Sombreu the daughter Of General de Som |
breuil, Governor of the Invalides, who, in the
massacre which inaugurated the Revolution Of
1892. would have persisted had it not been for |
his daughters intervention in his behalf. In
order TO preserve his life, she was forced, so the
legend runs. to satisfy the mob leaders by drink |
ing q cup of blood fresh from the veins of muir |
dered aristocrats. She died the wife Of the |
Corte de Villelume after the Restoration. and
q was in remembrance Of the manner in which
che saved the life of the former Governor Of |
the Invalides that the general who in
command Of the institution at the time of her |
demise requested that her heart might be al |
lowed to repose under the dome, as thoroughly |
equal in courage to those of the great military |
leaders who lie buried there.
Old Marshal Canrobert. who is consider
ably over eighty years of age and very infirm,
did not take part in the funeral procession.
but occupied seat in the choir Of the Chapel |
of the Invades, where he awaited the body of
his old comrade and friend. arrayed in the full
uniform of his rank, the last Of Frances Field
Marshals, grade which will become extinct
his death. the Republican Government being
opposed to its continuation. There have been
some 800 Field Marshals since the first creation
Of the Office and from time immemorial the
place has been regarded Of the highest
dignities in the State, and the names of those
who have held the baton figure in the most
glorious pages Of French history. The same
rule seems to have prevailed under almost every
regime. namely, that the rank Of Marshal should
only be conferred generals who had either !
won great battle captured two great fort
resses. But the treachery of Bazaine and the
stupidity of Leboeuf, who was in chief command
at the time of the outbreak Of war in 1870
hole
tributed not little to the decision to abolish it,
The baton of Marshal MacMahon which was
carried by an officer on a cushion Immediately
behind the hearsc. adorned with eagles |
the latter having taken the place of the gold
bees Of the First Napoleon and OF the neur de
lys of the batOns of the Bourbon regime AS q
rule. these batons are only carried very
grand occasions. such as, for instance at re-
views. In fact. throughout Marshal MacMahon's
career, l have known him to use his but
once. The eccentric Marshal de CasteIlane |
however. the father of the present Duchess de
Sagran and vallancay was wont to carry his
about with him all the time and when his own
hands were full he would give it to his aide-de-
camp 10 carry for him.
Although we are In a republic and the |
national device Of "Liberte, Egalite and Fra
ternite' Is to be seen everywhere on public
buildings. on coins and on official documents of
one kind and another, yet the doctrine of equal
lily Is very far from meeting with general appli-
cation and just at the present moment the
Council Of Ministers is engaged in discussing
the conflict which has arisen between the
President OF the Chamber and the President of
the Senate on the subject Of precedence Hith-
erto the President of the Senate has ALWAYS
been regarded ranking Immediately after
the President Of the Republic and before the
President Of the Chamber. The latter has
never been willing &c acquesce in this arrange
fnent. and on all official occasions the Presi-
dents Of the two houses of the national legis-
lature have walked together in line and i'm
mediately after the President of the Republic
neither being willing to yield the pas TO the