DEPOSING A DICTATOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6195, 24 March 1888, Page 2

DEPOSING A DICTATOR.

An inglorious ending toa not glorioa! career eeemß to be the direotion into which General Bonlanger's destiny is shaping itself. His enemies always said that he was a theatrical general. His friends confessed that many of the things he did were worthy of the taunt. A courier of oheap porralarity, his enemies said, and hifl friendß confessed that st times, especially in the writing of general orders for the officers of the Army, this was too true. "He is incapable of speaking the truth," said the former, to which the discreet among his supporters opposed a svlence. and' the indiscreet said that when it was for the public good, " Boulanger knew, how to lie, 1 * as in the case of the "Princes, for example, when the General's solemn denial waa shown by his own letter to have been a deliberate falsehood. On that occasion he denied that he had written, the. letter, and persisted in speaking of the printed version as spurious, until the Due d'Aumale published a photograph, after which nothingmore was heard, except thatcurious justification about the occasional necessity for lying. *•-* Indiscreet," say his enemies ; "yea," reply the . other Bide, "he was foolish enough to eend a challenge to SI, Ferry, and idiotic enough to pretend that the unmasking of the criminals of the "Wilson, Limousin, and Caffarel episodes was aimed at him. From that hour his case was hopeless. He was lightly punished on that occasion because he was thought to be much beloved of the populace. But the populace not caring much about him, the very firat opportunity has been taken of tumbling- him out of his high place. The man who tiie other day was, in the estimation of Europe, almost Dictator of Franoe and probable ruler of Europe, stands on the brink of the gulf of thb retired list of the French amy.