THE FRENCH PRESIDENT.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 955, 28 March 1872, Page 2

THE FRENCH PRESIDENT.

A speech from M. Thiers is now an event. To condemn him to silenctf would be to kill him. It is said that rarely does a Parliamentary orator win votes by his eloquence, but M. Thiers captures them en masse. He has a wheedling manner for plucking a majority out of an irresolute Assembly. lie has no outbursts of eloquence where sound might do the duty of sense ; he is very Small in stature, and no one ever accused him of possessing stentorian lungs; but his gestures, the clear, penetrating stylo of his arguments, addressed alike to the reason, prejudices, pride, and humour of his hearers, bear down resistance, though conveyed in a childish treble. He never improvises a speech ; he prepares his discourses like pages of his histories'.

t understands his aim, aud be it ;lit or wrong, marches to it. He has ought out tho means, hence there 110 difficulty or ambiguity of expresjii. For nearly half a century he sfilled,the public eye. There is no Jcar of Brayipm on his part; lie bows lexpediency, but cherishes his permil views the more. His private j is without a stain, his public charter without reproach. lie is a triot to the back-bone, and never radea liia patriotism ; he is plucky, ■lie has fought his duel; he is rich,

jtliout ostentation : has no ambition r titles —his desire is to be king long, not of, men. Such a character is consequently immense weight, and i political heresies are pardoned, for iloves much France.