The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-29 00:00:00

THE CRY FOR PEACE.

A gentleman signing himself "A Muscular Peace
Maker," writsa in The Tones :
There Is hardly any man in this country who Is not anxious
for peace; but I doubt if any one has yet gone the right way
about it Neutrals, if they wieh to exercise any authority,
should not snowmen senUmentto run away with their reason.
Mediation, arbitration most be grounded on Jostles, and the
les. a Judge is swayed by his heart, the more be will find
people willing to trust his head. Uwe whit to takes rational
view of the present war we have only to look upon it as a
game, be it of skill or chance. Lf the game is played out one
of the parties must be declared to be the loser, and be must
be made to pay his stakes. The first step in the way of peace
would be to bring France to acknowledge herself beaten, and
although none of us can have the least doubt of it, nothing,
we may be sure, could bring the French to admit their de.
feat.

Supposing, however, this ant almoet insurmountable
obetacle to be overcome—supposing France to be willing to
allow the Neutrals to treat for her, what term, could we. as
Neutrals, deem equitable and reasonable? Some people
propose pecuniary indemnity and a cession of Strasburg but
ia there one Frenchman in all France who would coment to
part with an inch of territory or • stone of a national
fortress? If M. Arleo-Dufour thinks such terms acceptable
let him loudly declare it That might at leant afford • Kinn
foot of ground for a basis of negotiation. But I feel con-
ildent the French will require • great deal more beating
before they meet Bismarck even that little part of the way.
There romans, then, the pecuniary indemnity, which
haa been laid at any sum between £40,000,000 and
£400,000,000. The French, we are told, are willing to pay
the German. the expense, of the war. lint Germany has
had to bear indirect as weU as direct mita and her actual
disbursements hardly represent one-half of the real menace.
the nation ha, had to undergo to repel aggression. iii,
Idle, I believe, to discua with whom the quarrel truly ori-
ginated, or, even allowing that the attack really came from
France, to mettle the queetion whether manly the Emperor'.
Government or the whole nation la to be held reepon-
sible. Had even the challenge proceeded from Ger-
many the home would be the same. The game is
played out ; the lomr mint pay the etakes. That
Germany may receive fall damages it la net-emery
that the !should have compensation not only for every
penny the war has cost, but also the low. inflicted on her
whole private and public economy. I am not lure that
Franca should not be at the charge of all the widows and
orphans of the slain, but there la no doubt the should have
to bear the burden of all the mlsery the canoed by the ex-
pulsion of Inoffensive Germans from her territory. In pant
of fact, Germany ought to be entitled to withdraw from the
contest not one farthing poorer than she would have been
If 'ilia never had drawn her sword. Thla exceeds the rule,
generally observed in adiadging war expeneee I know, but in
other wan the winner obtains hi, oompelantion In terri-
torial or other advantage. Bat here Germany is expected to
gain nothing at all Nothing more Ptak therefore, than
that she should be exempt from all Imo
Now, is France willing to pay all the enormous debt she
ham Incurred? IS Is suggested that part of the Indemnity
might be forthcoming in the shape of some of the French
colonies, or part of the French Ironclad fleet But, supposing
the Germans would set a proper value on each things, are
we sure that such suggestions meet the wishes of the French?
his, the proposal of the cesalogi of a colony or of a angle
man-of-war ever proceeded from • Frenchman t Would M.
Arlbs-Dutour, for one, back such a proposal I We lay down
terms such,, Milt OTII owa fancy We dithoune IpOEl QOM
a. If we had the power to Impose or to enforee them upon
France, and then, taking France's emulsion to oar view.
as • matter of course, we turn savagely upon the ether party,
and call Bismarck a monster and a brute because he follow@
op his advantage precisely an the French would do If they
had won two-thirds ef Germany, and were now besieging
_

Te'r all, Bismarck, 11:101111tIN and brute an hie enemies
make him, tell as in unmistakable language what he wane.
Have MIL Fano or Gambette, or any other member of the
Government, has France or Paris done a. much I Not one
inch of on territory, not one stone of any at oar fortremes,
and even, It has been added, not one franc outof our purses,
will the French give to rid their country of the Germans.
Indeed, thus are many who will not let the Germans go at
any price—who cry out that the frontier should be closed,
and every invader should be made to manure with his dead
body 9e marred soil of France.

TO conclude, I think it is unfair to blame Germany for her
unwillingness to grant peace to Frenoe till at least we are
sure that Frank, would accept pesos, until we have reason
to expect that she will consent to any terms, and until we
know something about the said • enna