*DROUYN DE LHUYS, EDWARD, a French statesman and diplomatist, was born at Paris, on the 19th of November 1805. His father's condition secured him a sound education, and afterwards enabled him, at' an early age, to enter with advantage upon his political life. In 1831 he became attachd to the French ambassador at Madrid, the. Count de Rayneval, who discovered his talents, and soon gave him his entire confidence. Although only io his twenty-sixth year, he at once acquired, and has since retained, that credit and authority as a diplomatist which have since rendered his name so popular. Ile went to the Hague in 1833 as chargd-d'affaires, and mainly con ducted the diplomatic relations at the critical juncture of the transition when the union of Belgium and Holland was dissolved, and two king doms established. The crisis was most difficult, and the maintenance of a good understanding very precarious; but the discretion and conciliatory manners of the chargilel'affaires prevented a rupture. King Leopold was much gratified ; and Prince Talleyrand, who had watched the progress of the conference, pointed him out to the Fra.nch government u a young diplomatiet of the greatest promise. From 1831 to ]S12 Id. Drouyn de Ishuys was assiduously engaged in office as a painstaking subaltern, and passed through that long course of training which in France is the prevailing system, nud which has produced so many efficient administrators. He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1942.
Even at that time he foresaw a great political change, and longed to remove, or at least mitigate, the evil by timely preparation and amendments. He therefore expostulated with Guizot, who resisted all change, and formed a phalanx of moderate constitutional members, as a barrier between the two coutendiug parties. He recorded his vote
in 1845 against Ouizers policy, and was dismissed from office. Ile then joined the opposition morn openly, continued in their ranks until the revolution of February 1848, and was one of those deputies who signed the propositions or list of charges against the tniuisters, drawn up by Odilou Barrot.
After the accession of the president, Louis Napoleon, 9L Drouyn de Lhuys was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the first government formed by him. The election of a new chamber, in 1950, dissolved this government, and he was sent as ambassador to England. Short and interrupted as his residence was at the court of St: James, his conduct in the affair of the Greek Pacifico, joined to his general discretion and good temper, gained him general esteem. After three eucecesive appoiutrueuts to the French Foreign Office, he addressed, in 1852, those public letters to the several foreign courts which announced the establishment of the French emp11-e, the style and language of which were thought worthy of the occasion. In 1854 his credit was still enhanced by the issue of an exposition of the views of France relative to the war with Russia. But in the con ferences at Vienna, in April 1955, he was considered to hold opinions too favourable to Austria ; he was therefore superseded, and Count Walawski appointed to his office. This laborious and upright man subsequently became one of the vice-presidents of the senate.