New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-08-07

ing the centenary OF its existence always furnishes
the vanguard Of the infantry at every review OF the
army and every military pageant. The corps of
CADETS goes by the name of the Premier Battalion
of France" In DAYS gone bv the corps like most
other regiments. was headed by a gigantic Moor or
negro in the role either of drum major or as bearer
or complicated instrument of bells cynlbas cres-
cents and horsetails which has still been retained
by the regiments Of the guard OF OF the Con-
tinental armies of Europe Years and years ago
these dusky human ornaments were done away
with in the French army, and their place at the
head Of the battalion of St. Cyr was taken by the
senior cadet and most brilliant scholar of the AGA
DENY. who, of course received the nickname OF
lie Negre"-that is to say the Nigger'-from his
comrades
On one occasion old Marshal MacMahon. while
President Of the French Republic visited St. Cyr.
whence he himself had graduated and on the senior
pupil being presented TO him. he patted him on the
shoulder, and exclaimed. "Ahi So you are the
Niger. Well, that's right Continue"-1neaning.
of course, that he should continue TO work hard.
and TO retain his place the head of the school.
Persons ignorant of St Cyr ethics and Of the name
given to the head pupil of the academy assumed
that the pupil addressed by the President really
negro. and that the gallant old marshal who was
not much of an orator, had been embarrassed on
being brought face 10 face with the dusky cadet
that he had found other words than TO urge
him to continue being negro" This Became one
of the most popular stories circulated, both in
France and abroad. to illustrate the alleged lack
Of intelligence on the part Of MacMahon and is still
current to-day
Few people have been more rnisjudEed than Mac.
Mahon. of the most gallant and high principled
officers of the French army. SCARED with wounds
from head TO foot, who had won his baton Of
marshal on the field of battle, who clever
enough TO administer the great dependency of Al
geria better than has ever been governed either
before since. who spent half his private
in maintaining the dignity of his Office President
OF the French Republic and resigned the chief
nagstracy because the Cabinet and parliamentary
majority wished to compel him to give his sigma
ture TO some measure which he considered dis
loyal and detrimental to the interests of all his old
fellow officers of the army. His eldest sol
der like himself, and in active command of a
regiment Of infantry. is married to Princess Mar
guerite of Orleans, daughter of the Duo de Char
tres. and sister of Princess Waldemar of Dem
mark
Let me add that during its hundred years Of
istence St Cyr has furnished to the French army
some 80 600 officers including 500 generals and five
narshals the latter being Canrobert. Forey, Bara-
guey-d' TIilliers, Pelisser. Due de Malakof and
MacMahon. Due de Magenta The first Governor
Of 81. Cyr was Prince Louis Bonaparte, younger
brother Of the great Emperor Napoleon, and pu-
tative father of Napoleon III. The place first
founded girls school by Nine. de Maintenon.
the morganatic wife of Louis XIV, and during the
great Revolution was used a convaescent home
for the wounded Quite a number of foreigners
have received Their education there, including
about half a dozen Americans. Of whom the
Irish-C alifornian Harden Hickey, after marrying
Miss F1agler. of New York. died soi-disant SOW
eregn of the reptile infested island of Trinidad, off
the coast Of Brazil.
MARQUIsE DE FONTENOY.