Year: 1877




President of the French Republic was
Yesterday carried to his grave through the
streets of Paris 1t was funeral worthy
the first citizen of free country In It's
simplicity in the fact that it did not de-
generate into vulgar show, gathered no
effect from q tawdry exhibition of the funeral
trappings commonly deemed due to great
place, but derived it's dignity from the evil
dent recognition that the man mourned was
one of the few who had gained great place
in the hearts of the people by unselfsh de-
votion to the cause of his country. By the
tribute of O nation rendered at such mo-
ment-one not qualified by differences OF
opinion on political issues or by other di-
vergences of view--a tribute that does honor
to great services sincerely performed under
the impulse Of motives of pure patriotism,
and that generously disregnrds all mean
reasons for suppressing its expressions, the
people proved their superiority to their
rulers


But one event occurred to disturb the
decorous spirit Of the occasion. This did
not arise from any irritation the government
may have felt over the treatment of its
proposal to honor the dead statesman with
state funeral, nor from any source sup
posed to be animated by hostile views to-
wards NJ. Thers it came from the Church,
whose misfortune it is to be put before
the world on occasions that concentrate
the attention OF many nations in the un-
pleasant guise Of a power more animated
by arrogance and pride than by gentle
Christian spirit. 1t is to be regretted
that the Church, as represented by
the Archbishop of Paris should have
assumed militant attitude toward the ex-
President of the Republic just as all other
elements of the social fabric had judged
that the exhibition OF a hostile spirit even
where it was felt were better suppressed
out of Difference to the common sentiment
Of sympathy. Mgr. Guibert was NOM
mated to the post Of Archbishop Of
Paris by M. Thiers, then the national Ex-
ecutive. In any occasion such a nomina-
ton, honestly made, would, we presume,
be great honor; but the circumstances on
this occasion made it an honor of unusual
significance. Mgr. Darboy had a few
months before been murdered by the
Communards as one Of the "hostages"
seized as guarantees against what might be
done by the government His fate revived
the memory of another Archbishop of Paris
who had been killed on barricade People
discussed the peculiarly perilous and sacred
character Of this Office, and, in the general
opinion, Mgr Darboy and his predecessor
were so gloritied as martyrs to Christianity
that it was not known where prelate could
be found fit to succeed to the position. In
such state of opinion it was pre-eminent
honor to Mgr Guibert to be noininuted for
the place 1t put him in the position of one
regarded as the foremost man in the Gallican
Church for his moral superiority and per-
| sonal qualities. And now this man puts an OBJ
stacle in the way of the popular expressions
| in honor Of the ex-President; endeavors to
belittle ''the mighty space of those large
honors" by piece of ecclesiastical routine
The fact that N. Thiers had nominated
Guibert to be Archbishop of Paris would be
no reason why the Archbishop should con-
cede any favor to the funeral Of Theirs if
this were to be done ut the expense of any
principle of Church discipline. But the
refusal to permit the use of the Madeleine
rests on no such ground as that. 1t is an
annoying and dangerous exercise of au-
thority that prevents the use of public
edifice for public purpose through a mar
row spirit of ecclesiastical intolerance.


The orations at the grave touched upon
Tho oraot carvicoc Of the 1ofunct RI h;c
country, and by the reference to his exam
pie in regard to repubicanism seemed to
glance at the probable effect of his death.
Opinions are yet divided as to the effect
this death will have upon the chances Of the
republican party if not upon the fate of the
Republic and it is but natural in the first
hour of the loss that the great majority
should regard its most obvious influence in
the removal Of capable and experienced
| adviser, and an adherent who gives to his
| party that strength which flows from the
possession of man whom the country is
willing to trust, with whatever party he is
associated, and who, therefore, carries his
party, as it were, on his shoulders.
| But it is, after all, the republican
principle in which the country had faith,


and not any personal sagacity, save MS this


was devoted to the cause of that principle.


1t was the recognition of this fact that made
Thiers republican !; for he had the wisdom
to see that in this century the only true
craftsmanship is to know what is the will of
the nation and to give it effect. In his
early lite he was no clearer on this point
than the others. They We're all doctrin-
aires. One believed in the Legitimate mon
archy another in the constitutional monar-
chy, another in the Empire, another in
the Republic and these differences were
held for reasons no more substantial than
those between schools Of philosophy or