New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-05
A FRENCH FRESHMAN.
NOTES On MARSHAL IMAGINATION.
4 HIGH SPIRIT AND SWEET NATURE-HTs LIZ
IN ALGERrA-A GOOD HUSBAND AND FATHER.

HIGH SPIRIT AND SWEET NATURE-ITIs LIZ
IN ALGERrA-A GOOD HUSBAND AND FATHER
Paris, October 90
The death Of Marshal MacMahon has In no Dc.
gree damped the festal spirit which the visit Of
the Russian naval officers has called forth. Il
has only added another grand spectacle. which to
them Will be a new MacMahon was just and
Kind and could be generous. though he had an
Irish capacity for harboring rancor against dis.
honest persons who injured him. One might dc.
pend both upon his love and his hatred. How
ever as ne was constantly sounding his conscience
he took pains not to let the latter feeling hurry
him into Injustice, or blind his eyes to the truth
lie had also. associated with the pride OF ana
situation. a humble spirit which led him to mis-.
trust himself. and made him prone 10 obey com.
mands and circumstances rather than the prompt.
ings OF his own wishes The Marshal was affec-
tonate In his family relations and truly the hus-
band Of one wife. His fidelity In this respect was
also Irish characteristic. and exposed him in the
army TO the irony OF other officers OF his stand
ing. Another Irish quality his capacity 10
go a long time without food and not feel the
weaker for it. He was always a plain liver. and.
when he had urgent military other work to
get through preferred to set meal biscuit
with little whiskey and water. His table. by his
wish. plainly served. he preferring few good
simple dishes to variety OF palatetickling ana
liver-exclting cnes. Toward his children he
all sweetness. He himself not 10
much to give them a good example az. when they
were young to be In harmony with their In.
nocence
He was. In 1885, In minority OF one In the I'm.
perial Senate of which he a member, against
q law which gave the Emperor power To transport
suspects to Cayenne untried. The division over, he
was universally Stunned by his feow-Senat0rs.
The late Due de Brogle. who man OF a
good deal OF backbone called on MacMahon to con-
gratulate him on the great .lOral evnced
in his vote. MacMahon said II felt called on By
my conscience to speak and vote as DID. When-
disregard call of conscience do not dare
to embrace my children" This saying gives the
keynote of the Marshals character and career.
Honor in France is conventional virtue born Of
social requirements. and distinct from honesty and
duty. MacAlahol never admitted the distinction.
He maintained that II careful to do ones
duty under all circumstances ones honor would
be without n stain.
The moral complexion OF MacMahcn. like his ply
siognomy and physique, was not French but Irish.
H.N had the high sprit and the "spunk OF an IrIsh
gentleman. the Indifference, after certain point for
money which vne so often sees in Ireland. His de-
testation of indecency and of mean stingness was
very Irish and not French. He had Irish Catholic
piety, but was far from being Clerical, and his
having taken his politics from Rome is one
of the reasons why the King Of Italy showed such
deep sympathy for him after he retired to private
life. MacMahon, Governor General OF Algeria,
Empress Eugene and Cardinal Lavigerie for the
conscences and parental rights Of the Arabs
to be respected. He never forgave the Cardinal his
attempts to proselytze Arab children against the
wish of their parents and the MarshaI's orders and
spoke OF him to the last ntriguer who wanted
to become Primate Of all Africa and make a large
fortune by getting grants of land getting African
catechumens to work them. and sending round
in France the beggng-bag to collect money for
his farms and neophytes.
Lavigere went TO France to complain. The
Emperor and Empress. were already jealous
Of MacMahon, and did forget his vote.
He was ordered to let the Cardinal alone. At once
he offered his resignation. AS they thought at the
Tuileres it better to keep SO illusrious brave
and Independent minded soldier In Algeria than to
have him in France his resignation was refused.
A compromise then agreed to. Lavigerie might
kidnap young negroes. but not to NEEDLE. with
the Arabs.
MacMahon kept up splendid state as Governor
General of Algeria. There simpler man IN
his home life, and his Indifference to show and
luxury was remarkable. But when he filled any
great public situation he instinctvey went In for
magnifcence in his dinners, balls general surrounds
ings and equpages spending cent Of his salary
and his and his wife's private incomes. He even
went in debt at the Eysee and must have ended
his life in poverty had his wife not unexpectedly
inherited $4,000 from Irish relative for her
two grandmothers were Irish women. The Marshal
was deemed the first figure at the coronation OF the
late Emperor william as King OF Prussia, ae
Koenigsberg. His equpage eclipsed every other.
Nobody had a better eye for the points OF a car
riage or a saddle horse, and he looked sharply to
see that his grooms and stable did their duty.
His humility did not prevent him taking a high
view of himself as the chief of the Government
when he at the Eysee Persons OF royal birth
seemed wanting in presence beside him there.
His private life unaffected and that OF high
hearted Christian soldier and gentleman As .
marshal of France, he considered to be In
active service, but practically not Having been
head of the State he would accept no paid Office
however high. and accordingly. when General Faid.
herbe died. declined the Grand Chanceorship OF the
Legion of Honor. NIacSlahon looked after old
soldiers paid visits illusrious friends and Arch.
duke Albert among others. in Austria and Italy.
and passed his summers and autumns at small
country house OF his wife, Ia Foret Montargis
where he died. His servants venerated and loved
him. The English thoroughbreds in his stable also
knew him and craved to be stroked and patted by
him. He a keen sportsman and unerring shot
to the end. The death illness brought on by
a drenchng he got when out shooting. He gen.
orally shot in the British STYLE and hated the
continental "battue" which he thought wholesale
butchery, demanding fine quality on the sports
mans side and not aifording healthy exercise.