The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-03-11 00:00:00

THE FUTURE OF FRANCE.

The Journal des WWIS which reappeared on
Friday, March 3, after its temporary suspemion
during the German occupation, contains an article by
M. John Lemoine, in which he says: -
"Stretched upon her bed of sickness during long day sat d
tedious nights, Iftlitee, with fevered eyes, with burning
cheeks, has awaited the verdict of there who are styled
men of art. They have spoken ; they have prescribed am-
putation and copious bleeding. Such it in we are now
undergoing. The country's blood Is It roving and issuing
from every pore. We seem hardly to crineirehend, to
feel, or to be aware of it. We are like sufferers who are
made unconscious by chloroform. But when, we shall
awake from this feverish slumber, when we feel about
for our hand, our arm, and lind them gone, what an
awakening! Aud yet we must arouse ourselves; the
weary pilgrimage of life and labour must be resumed.
The present generation will not reap the fruits; they have
witneced too much not to be for ever diehearterred, and
they can nay to Fortune, • Nous 710118 CotinaidsOur trop pour
nous trooper encwe' But the future does not belong to us
If we were to yield to selfish and personal sentiments, we
should bequeath t, the generation+ which will succeed no
the watchword of • Vengeance.' Cdon the bed of anguish
to which mutilated France is now condemned we should
have to pronounce but three words—' Silence, petterice—
the third word we have no right to pronounce. We More
cot a right to dispose of the blood and lives of those
wh will come after us. Our sole duty is to render them
capable of thiekieg and acting for themseivere and to theln
selves alone will bet.. g the right of one day thcidif:g
whether they will seek vengeance for the blood of their
fathers. It is enough for 111 to leave them a dismembered
ant ccippled country, and a debt which will be a he ivy
burden to their children's children. And who know,:
Who c en tell whether the bitterly ranoorous feelings which
now till even grave end rail .cling minds will survive a few
yeses? See what a spectacle Paris presents. As if in ex-
treme irony, ati unclou,ed sun shone upon the violation of
our great city. With huts slight vitiation of the I ulgUage
of the Lstin historian, we may say, 'Piernsiderieto ifluetrens
ad pespetrandum facinus Dit doclere' Within tile city every
men spathe is clesed—the Areas are empty Park fora few
hours Is a desert. But the desire for seeing and nonvlng
about is too strong, and all Paris rushes forth as the inhab-
itants of an anthill. When we look to-day upon the quays,
the boulevards, and the great public thorough! area we recall
the Beglish legend of Led, G idles, In which the feudal lord,
upon the intercession of his countess, consented to withdraw
a tax upon his citizens provided she would ride naked through
the town. She, after a struggle, antlered her pity to over-
come bee modest, nod rvuteuLel 1,0 ut4ke the •aPrif lee, tut
sent a herald through the town beseeching all persons to kesp
within doors and root to look Into the streetr, a behest that
was obeyed by all save one deep!Caqe creature, whore eyes, •
the legend says, were blinded before the object el his
wicked curiosisy came within view ; and the tax was
abolished. On! you Parietals who cannot reslst et her the
sun or curiosity, who mu to gazo at the pointed end
glittering helmets of your conquerors as though you had
only hut a stage battle, think over this legend. R. moind
youreelvea Lhnt it is to ransom one of your fortresses, to
purchase pethe for all France, that your city undergoes this
extreme humiliation. Say to yourselves that It is its bdy
which is outreged and bleeding nakedness is borne upon
aso Idler's saddle to be exhibited to your gaze. Open
not your eyes, aid may those who yield to impious
temptation be smitten with blindness, and may their eyes
be dried up in their sockets. But etas ! We very muoh
fear that our jthpulation is ahem e the esme, with all Its
boleti and all its goer, qualities a population essentially
feminine in its character, capable of the utmost heroism and
of the utmost weakness passing from the extreme of
resistance to the extreme of India erence and able to die or
to surrender with equal facility. We read et this moment
the despatch addressed by the Emperor of Germany to the
King ef Bavaria, In which, after the usual expression of
thankfulness to Providence, he says, Thus closes a glorious
but sanguinary war, which was forced upon us by a frivolity
quite unparalleled.' Let Us ponder over this hard say fog;
let us no longer I. a frivolous people."