19 December 1877

J'y Suis, J'y Reste

'Here I am and here I'll stay' were legendary words of Field Marshal MacMahon during the siege of Sebastopol in 1855. Later on, when MacMahon was president of France (1873-1879) this brilliant general turned out to be a mediocre politician. His famous quote was echoed during many political crises. In December 1877 he violated the Constitution and clashed with the Chamber of Deputies on matters of ministerial responsibility. Because MacMahon was of Irish descent, the British satirical magazine Punch had a tender spot for him. In this cartoon a French maiden had to support the Field Marshall: 'I am no longer, but I'll stay.'

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