Year: 1875

letter TO friend, without the smallest idea that II
would be published and in that letter he merely
pressed his personal opinion that any form OF
ment was better than anarchy He adds that his dis
missal took him quite by surprise and n was
tainy a strong measure. Moreover, oojectiona-
bic because il to have inaugurated


NEW SYSTEM DENUScIATIoS,


which is not pleasant part of modern French politics.
Reasonable men will really wonder that anybody can be
found after public employments or even TO ac|
cept them under circumstances Of dire necessity
or in time of public trouble Indeed, reasonable men
do not run after them and If official appointment
were offered any French gentleman of good fortune
and good character he would assuredly smile at the
simplicity any Minister who could suppose that he
would accept it, Commissions in the public service are
not what they used to be under the old monarches,
when they opened the only road to distinction, and
presented certainty of competence and taf prospect
of wealth. An ambitious who served the Bourbon
kings the French emperors very well rewarded
He obtained, If he lucky high social rank, many
privileges his fellow countrymen, and often


great deal of money for very easy work. in any
he generally provided for during the term of his
natural life. But now the public service has become
closely watched slavery. Its rewards few,
mean and insecure 1t frequently terminates with
loss of character and ruin about middle ethat is to
say as soon as officer rises high enough to excite
jealouses he is hurled down without scrupe TO make
way for somebody else who will bid higher for his
place than he can do.


But sensible men do not form the majority of any
community; and a matter of fact the competition
for government appointments among thoughess people
is as keen as ever Therefore the French republicans
OF the Extreme Left, finding that they themselves
obtain few lucrative offices, and that while they
are all out of employment, the Bonapartists, the
Legtmsts and the Orleanists really divide the public
taxation among them have set to work denouncing the
placeholders by one; and they Indignantly ask
how it comes pass that France is not governed by
republicans after it has adopted the republican form of
administration Thus, whenever part of an old speech,
passage IN book written twenty years ago, de-
funct article in a newspaper be raked up against
any paceholder peremptory demand is made for his
dismissal


NJ Ducros, the Prefect of the Rhone has been very
fercely malreaed in this way then came the turn of
of the Bonaparts generals and the latest riot
has been made about


ADMIRAL La RoNcIERE LIE INQUIRY.


II his case could be looked at merely as that of
who unfairly denounced by jealous rivals he
would inspire good deal of sympathy. But the secret
history of leads the belief that he has slnned
quite much as he has been sinned against In the
first place the Admiral wanted to turn out NJ de Con-
taut-Biron the French Ambassador at Berlin, and
to set of dipomatizing with the Germans instead of
that professional envoy and 1t known that when his
efforts TO make himself Ambassador at NJ de Gontaut-
Bron's expense had failed he felt very the sub
ject 1t is said even by we'll informed persons that he
has been for some time past looking out for oppor
tunity to vent his spleen on Marshal MacMahons
government which refused him the embassy at Berlin
1t is said that he fell into the common
error of fancying himself Indispensable and that
ha cd IN eho tha Of he ata
what to offend clever and eloquent colleague.
People pooh his statement that the letter he
was not intended for publication and they say that his
arrogance has brought its natural punishment him.
He challenged the governments his challenge taken
up and he has been officially killed according 10 the
laws of combat If this is the real state Of the case
and it has strong color of truth about -Admiral de
la Roncere le Noury has got little more than he de-
served His antecedents must also be taken into ac-
count, and if tho republican party have treated him
harshy it clear that the Admras position COM
mander of the Mediterranean squadron gave them some
cause for alarm He springs from family which owes
everything to the Bonapartes and he himself obtanpe
rapid promotion under the Second Empire He is the
son of general of Napoleon L. and born at Turin
in 1913 He had to work his way through the slow
promotion of the French navy and might have
died obscure lieutenant but for the favor of
Napoleon Ill His advancement however under that
sovereign was noticeable. He commanded the French
man -of-war Roland during the Crimean in 1885,
and two years afterward he was selected TO lead a
scientific expedition to the Arctic Ocean, and placed at
the head Of the naval division off Newfoundland Then
he was taken out of his state cabin window up the
staircase of honor into diplomacy and after being


IyTRusTED WITH SEVERAL IMPORTANT MISSIONS


which gave him double pay and allowances, he was
restored active service in the navy with additional
honors and given the command of the Levant squad
ron In 1861, after having been promoted an
average twice year. he was raised to the rank Of
ADMIRAL and appointed chief of the staff the Minister
of Marine In 1866 he made Grand officer Of the
Legion of Honor, and early in the spring
of 1867 he commanded squadron sent to
watch the evacuation of Mexico by the French
On his return from this expedition he was
made vice admiral and the Franco
German war broke out he appointed to the COM
mand Of the transport service Thus, 1t will be
that the Second Empire gave HIM everything it had
give to a sailor; and he would be more or less than
human IL he did not feel deep sentiment Of gratitude
toward the Bonapartes Now, it IS known that the
Napoleons always desperate potters and the re-
publican party may have nationally felt some appre-
henson seeing the most powerful feet Of France in
command Of mperaIist officer His wise course If
he intended to keep such place. was obviously TO re-





convictions in the face Of the public at such time
was iniudcous, II not rash Wiser men than the lead
ers OF the French Left might have been
startled to see Bonapartst admiral holding one
Of the chief commands Of the navy while Bonapartlst
general is Governor OF Paris, another Bonapartist
general Governor OF Lyons and Bonapartis gem
erals ho.lng Of the strongest places the coun-
try for it plain and it is still to a certain degree
evident that If the Bonsparsts suddenly to pro-
claim their young Emperor neither the army nor the
navy would oppose mperaEst restoration and that
the Civil Service under such projects NJ. Ducros
would give it a very support


RESTORATION THE EMPIRE


in France would signify imminent disaster to NJ Gam
beta, NJ Louis Blanc, d. Theirs and their iolowings
well to the rich Orleans princes and the nobemen
who still adhere to the elder branch Of the Dourbons
1t is scarcely surprising, therefore, to find that they
watch the commands of the army and rovv and