New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-29


for National Sovereignty. which you have be-
trayed.
The oil needed on the troubled waters was
poured by NJ. Henri WALTON. whose common
sense. smoothing out all difficulties. won him
the name of the Father of the Republic" His
famous amendment took this brief and luminous
form: The President of the Republic shah be
elected by an absolute majority by the Senate
and Chamber Of Deputies. uniting in one Ma
tional Assembly. He shall be appointed FOR
seven years and capable of reelection Al
most automatically this amendment pushed the
Presidential Septennate into oblivion and pro-
claimed the Republic. Accepted by the National
Assembly it gave the whole country an instant
feeling of relief and safety. Much remained to
be done, especially in the perfecting of the Con
stitution, and NJ HanOtaux is deeply interesting
in his account of all that followed NJ WaIon's
success. including the dissolution of the Ma
tional Assembly, the elections of 1876 and the
work of the Dufaure and Jules Simon cabinets
But the salient event treated in his present vol
is the emergence OF the Republic into the
light OF day as a tangible, duly accredited and
durable thing.
One other topic dealt with in these pages he
handles in an especially negotiating manner.
We refer to that curious phase of unrest which
was que 10 french rear OF BlSIndrCk NlnQlc-
tiveness. On every side the country was putting
forth her powers of recuperatiOn- VI. HanOtaux
well says that whilst bringing much eager
ness to its specially political and constitutional
work. the Assembly did rot neglect it's other
duties: whilst declaring itself constituent
body. it did not forget it's legislative functions
y regular campaign carried against the
phyIloxera, which had devastated the vineyards.
thereby adding terrible industrial crisis 70 the
sorrows flowing from the war Railways were
developed Questions of labor and education
were actively t4dversed- Meanwhile the peOp.-
showed buoyant spirit. ''Frenchmen have ever
been like summer flies. says the historian whirI
ing again in the sunshine as soon the swallow
has passed But the cloud would not dis
appear. NJ Hanotaux is positively brilliant in
his description of the foreign policy developed
by the Due Decazes. II makes 4 long story, too
long TO be more than terseIy summarized here
Bismarck was in irritable and irritating mod
Ultimately he denied that he had ever in
tended to draw France into another war, with
the object of absolutely crushing her. but BIZ
was unquestionabIy the source Of that obscure
campaign of rumor which kept the French g]r-
eminent pins and needles
The Due Decazes was desperately worried and
kept his ambassadors at St Petersburg. Vienna
Berlin and London necessarily at work watch
ing for every result OF the Prussian Chanel
lor's brutal and disinEenuous policy. and paving
the way for final DISTRIBUTING of it. The whole
uncomfortable business resolved itself into
kind of duel between Bismarck and the Due
DeCazes. the latter admirably assisted by Cen
eraI lie Flo Petersburg and Nj de CfOntaur-
Biron at Berlin Happily. the Car Alexander
was as the world well knows all the SD
of peace and thanks to his generous interven-
ton at the psychological moment Bismarck was
discounted. NJ Hanotaux follows every move
in the intricate game at once with delicacy and
4 statesman. but human nature viii have its
way. and the instructive feeling of the French
man comes again and again to the surface, rs
in his candid remark that Prince Bismarck was
the most fnsuppOrtable of victorS' He strives
to be just. and most courteously gives the PrUs-
cannot avoid certain note OF exultltiOn he .
exhibits the triumphs of the Due DeCazes. and
neither could this be grudged to him by any
disinterested reader.
NJ. Hanotaux has way of making such
reader feel that he is, above all things, fair
and truthful historian We value him IN that
capacity. but value him also for the merely
human sympathy with which he executes his
task The statesmen he passes in review.
Gambetta Louis Blanc. the Due de BrOglie the
Due D'Audinret-Pasquier. NJ WALTON. NJ Buff
fet. NJ. Favre and all the rest. are painted with