The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-21 00:00:00

A DURABLE PEACE.

The. Indepcndance Beige publishes the third of the series
of artioles on " A Durable Peace " which have attracted so
much attention. It states that the former articles have
called forth a great number of letters, some of them ex-
pressing full concurrence in the leading principle upheld
by the Independanee, that there should be no an-
vexation against the wish of the people, and
among these correspondents some -were Germans.
Others, all of whom were German, attacked the
Itidependance furiously while a third party courteously
butpositively opposed its views. The latter were also all
Germans. The writer, in reply to these varied communi-
zations, remarks that when telling France the truth at the
outset of the war, he was constantly denounced, and now
Germany is no more willing to hear plain speaking. Ger-
many, thanks to the deposition of the aggressive Emperor;
is now responsible for the war. She has obtained from
France the only lawful satisfaction she could hope for.
We never asserted, says the Independanee, that Germany
has nothing to
.do but to withdraw her troops
from France, and. that a change in the French
Government would be sufficient compensation for
the war. ,France, though now Republican, cannot free her
self altogether from responsibility for the acts of that empire
from which she suffered but at the same time applauded.
She must not, indeed, be held responsible for the present
war, for at the moment it broke out she wished for
nothing but peace, though she allowed herself to be
drawn into the war. The Emperor was really the author,
though he has endeavoured to divert the judgment of
posterity from his own head by laying the blame on public
opinion. A. material reparation :for the past is not
enough. Guarantees for the future are necessary for
Germany, and Europe is interested in seeing that she.
obtains them. Peace, durable and fertile peace, not peace
rendered uneasy and sterile by fresh threats of war, such
is. the peace that. Germany desires. . What are its coin
ditions ? According, to certain German journals, and to
some of the letters which we have received, the condition
sine quit no of the safety of Germany is the irreparable.
weakening of France. Instead of a strong Prance, able
to play her part in Europe, they wish for a powerless
nation, a France which is no longer France. If• this is
the object, we may ask if it will be realised by the return
of Alsace and Lorraine into German territory. The loss
of. those two rich provinces would no doubt inflict
a blow .on France, but would it be a blow from
which she could never recover? France, without these
provinces, would still be a great nation, with more than
thirty millions of inhabitants, and great resources. After
Jena Prussia was weaker than France would be after the
annexation of Alsace and Lorraine ; but this weakness.
which the First Empire thought incurable, did not pre-
vent 1813-1815, nor 1866 nor 1870. To carry out the
arguments of the German press, it would not be enough
to .annex to Germany two provinces which have
ceased to be German. The dismemberment of France
would not suffice ; she must be annihilated, perhaps
even annexed to the German empirci. Who knows, indeed,
whether as a precaution she ought not to be depopulated ?
We need scarcely add that such brutality is quite incom-
patible with the genius of a nation as civilized as Ger-
many, and as justly proud of its civilisation. But if it is
so impossible that such a nation should entertain such
ideas, why should the German press reproach us and
reproach all Belgium with jealousy of Germany, because
we oppose a tendency which seems to us false and fatal, such
reproaches, praying only an excessive susceptibility, are
most unjust. We recognise the right of Germany to a
full reparation for the sacrifices she has made in defence of
her independence, and to solid guarantees against warlike
ambition in France, but we cannot consider as otherwise
than fatal to the victor himself a peace which would;
impose on France as a debt of honour, the obligation to
take her revenge, and would be the prelude to a new war.
The interest of Frances of Germany, and of the world at
large is in the oblivion of factitious hatreds excited by'
a' allen regime; it is in a sincere reconciliation and friend-
ship between the two contending peoples. Only on these
conditions can we put faith in the stability of peace, and
Germany, powerful in the struggle, will not be the last
to.congratulate herself on having shewn herself just and
truly great in her victory.