The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-18
ILLU,1RIOvs CONTEMPORARIES.

day in France, was cIe OF W men
whose names once flied the civilized
world. The other is nearing the end OF
life, disappointed and defeated in the
ambition Of his years. MacMahon is
SO nearly forgotten already that his
name will be recalled by most people
with an effort of memory. The other,
though moro in public mind, is rapidly
passing to the care of historians, and
should prolonged life lengthen the years
of his retirement from active participa-
ton in tho politics of the great empire
his political genius established, he will
in q decade be Us completely forgotten
as his illustrious contemporary and an
tagonist. the second is Prince Bis
marck. MacMahon diod aged SO, and
Bismarck is 10. Both men in the days
Of their vi-.r rendered their countries
vast service, and their later days have
not been happy, though MacMahon had
passed so completely from public affairs
that but little is known Of his later life.
Under pressure of adverse political i'm
%portuning he resigned the presidency Of
the French republic in 1879, which
Office he held from 1873 to 1879, the try
ing time following the defeat of France
by the German forces.
MacMahon first saw military service
in Algiers in 1880, and was a soldier of
France from that time until his Access
ion to the presidency in 1873. His
1ost brilliant laurels were won at Sc
bastopol, Sept. 8, 1855. At the head OF
his division he stormed the. Malakof
hill, the key to the delenses of Sebasto-
pol. The attacks at all other points
failed; the French were repuIsed at the
Little Redan, and the English from the
Great Redan. MacMahon alone won.
The Russians, realizing this, made al
most superhuman efforts to %recapture
it. A terrible contest was waged, but
MacMahon kept his advantage and ut
dusk the Russians sullenly retired.
When morning dawned the Russians
were gone.
In the Italian campaign Of 1853 Mac
Mahon decided the victory of Magenta
and was the, most brilliant of the
French marshals who participated. At
Solferino his services were not less
brilliant. At the opening of the Franco
German war he was in command of the
French forces which defended the limo
between Metz and Strasburg, against
which Won Moltke operated with q
vastly superior force. The campaign
was a series of rapid disasters for the
French and at the decisive battle of
Sedan MacMahon was taken prisoner.
After the surrender OF Paris to the
Germans and the withdrawal of their
forces MacMahon successfully on
Quoted the seige of that city against
the and ably assisted Presi-
dent Theirs in the reorganization of the
army, and succeeded the latter as pres
ident.
Responsibility for the disasters Of the
campaign OF 1870 cannot be entirely
laid upon MacMahon, for the move
ments were against his strong protest
and made only in obedience to the Or
ders OF his superiors in rank.
Bismarck has been a much more con-
spicuous figure in Europe than Mac
Mahon, for military men are neglected
by their contemporaries unless actual
war is in progress. The dream of the
great Germans life has been realized
through his W prodigious efforts and
the German empire is clearly defined on
the maps of Europe, including the nu-
merous petty German provinces there
tofore independent, with Prussian lean
ings. Bismarck dictated terms to con-
quered France and was present at the
coronation OF the Prussian king as en-
peror of Germany. He was all-powerful
in the councils of the new empire until
the accession of the young emperor. who
would not tolerate the domination of
the iron chancellor, and replaced him
with a younger and more pliable chan
cellor. Bismarck had come to believe
himself essential to national integrity
and security and the steady progress of
affairs without his advice and action has
saddened his latter days and his public
u%tterances have betrayed the chatting of
a great spirit in sore disappointment.
In another column we reproduce from
the Madisonian an article on the new