The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-07-29
A PURE MILESIAN.
Marshal Patrick MacMahon, the
Duke Of Magenta and Ex-Pres-
ident of France.

ident of France.
A BRAVE FRANC0-IRISHMAN
He is One of the Most Wonderful
Characters in the World
to-day.
The news of the serious illness OF Mar.
shall MacMahon has been received with
deep regret in this country. While the
bond that binds the American heart te
heart with the citizen OF the French Re
public is in itself strong enough to com.
pei us to { ke more than passing inter
est in the we fare of the exp President the
fact that he is of Irieh descent endears
him still more to the hearts Of the peo
pie of this-the older republic, says q
writer in the Catholic Columbian. AL
ready we have learned to appreciate the
sons of Ireland and the people OF this
land. Catholics as we'll a. Protestapts
can understand the love and respect
that every Frenchman feels for thus man
who can trace his ancestry back to the
most early days of Irish history.
The Irish character has played an i'm
portant part in the history Of this land
but the French nation can teach us a
lesson in appreciativeness. While we
have gladly accepted the labors and
lives Of Irishmen. fQr the good of the
country we have not properly appreci-
sted their efforts. France, however,
took it's brave Franco -Irishman and
made him President of the new republic
Marshal MacMahon is one Of the most
wonderful characters in the world today
On Thursday, July 18th, he entered upon
his eighty sixth year and it has only
been within the past few months that ILL.,
ness has made any impression upon luis
wonderful physique. Through his more
than three score years and ten" he has
known the advantages OF perfect health
The hardships of war made no impress.
sion upon him. He laughed at exposure
and, to his friends, it almost seemed as
though death feared to attack him. A
few months ago, however, the Marshal
had an attack OF influenza and now that
more serious complications have set in it
is feared his days are numbered and that
before many weeks have passed the brave
warrior will have joined the innume1able
caravan that leads onward to the dim
realm of shade.
Every student of history would dc
we'll to study the characteristics Of Mar.
shall MacMahon. While be has placed
himself in such position that the his
tory of France could not be written un'
less chapters should be devoted to hie
work for the nation, he has made no at
tempt to conceal his true self beneath
the cloak that patriotism stood ready tc
throw over his shoulders.
As recent writer says:
"He is proud man in some respects
but the least vain OF mortals, and enjoys
a rare freedom from self-consciousness
Though subject to passing fits Of anger
he was never known to harbor ennlty
against any fellow mortal. He accepted
the defeat inflicted on him in 1877, and
retired from the Presidency Of the Re-
public as soon as was possible after serv.
ing as a figurehead at the ceremonies o1
the Universal Exhibition of 1873. He
left office considerably poorer than he
entered it, and owing to heritage which
fell to bis wife was able to live in &
house Of his own in the Rue de Belle
chasse."
McGee, the author of olives of Irish
mems Sons, sums up his character wher
he says:
"MacMahon, Duke of Magenta and
President of the French Republic, has
long seemed to me- to be the beau idea
of Franco. Irish soldier; brave, austere
and reserved, loving arms as profession
and his native country with his whole
heart, yet capable of yielding at times te
the softer impulses of his nature, or o.
leading desperate charge amid deae
and dying, with undisturbed compo
sure"
Maria Esme Patrick Maurice MacMa
hon is an Irishman as President Andrew
jackson and Gen. Phil. Sheridan were
Irishmen. ALI were the inheritors Of The
brain and muscle of that undying race
from which so many distinguished mel
have sprung, developed and trained By
foreign associations, as we'll as by the &C
cident OF birth.
MacMahon is an Irishman but, ikt
the Irish-American patriots whose names
are written upon the pages of our owl
history, he loves hisInative land more
than he can love the island home where
his ancestors first saw the light of day