The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-07 00:00:00

,THE RUMOURED PROPOSAL OF AN ARMISTICE.

The Telegraph declares the statement of the _lade-
pendance Beige that Earl Granville had proposed an
armistice between the belligerents to be altogether
groundless. I.ths, it maintains,. sufficiently disposed
of by the amionncement that Mr. Gladstone is still
at WaMier. His arrival in • town bac,
been more than once postponed, as there is
no absolute necessity for his exchanging the
sea air which has proved very beneficial to his
health„ for the - official atmosphere of London,
espeCially as he is able to consult his host and col-
league, Earl Granville, at any moment, and the means
of communication between Downing-street and the
residence of the Lord Warden are " direct and
instantaneous." These two considerations, however,
somewhat neutralise thoeffect of thepractical contra 7
diction to the armistice which the. Telegraph, finds in
Mit. Gladstone's stay at Walmer, since 'the proposal
might be agreed upon between, the Prime Minister
and the Foreign , Secretary at leisure, and any
further communications which might be necessary
could be carried on.by telegraph.

THri: CONDITION' OF PARIS FOR DEFENCE.

The Times considers the condition of Paris for
defence, and says that the ,capitulation of Mac-
Mahon's army leaves nothing to oppose the march of
the whole Prussian army. Therefore the present
question is, whether Paris is likely to hold out long
enough to exhaust the Germans and gain better
times for France. Paris has the same advantage as
Ma,yence in covering the junction of two rivers, the
Seine and the Marne, so that the exterior force must
be separated into three parts to watch the garrison.
Besides enceinte and forts, there are positions, such
as Belleville, Montmartre and the plains of. St Denis
that could be fortified. A great difference exists be-
tween real forts, built with care, intended for the de-
fence of a city and positions defended by earthworks
hastily thrown up, such as those at Wissemburg and
Woerth. The hasty lines can always be turned if
the enemy is in superior force. If it were certain
that Paris was provisioned, that the guns and the
rampaits were rifled and well provided with ammu-
nition, and the citizens were to be trusted, there
would be a prospect of the city holding out for a long
time. The real danger consists in the political rather
than the military situation, but as it is the situation
is doubtful. It may, be asked for what all the Pari-
sians are about to suffer the horrors of a siege. There
is no Emperor, no King, no liberty even yet, and
certainly no fraternity. There is an Orleanist Go-
vernor, a Republican populace, and a middle class in
mortal terror lest their property should be taken_
from them. Among these discordant elements who
is there capable of defending. Paris ? Imperalism
has succeeded in dividing and commanding all other
parties. The Emperor is gone, and the division
alone remains. No man can count upon , any thing
that France may or may not do. As far as can be
seen, her only chance lies in the mercy of the
conqueror or the intervention of the neutral
Powers.

MR. SPURGRON ON THE WAR.

If there is one part of London in which horror at
the war, without sympathy fir either belligerent,
may be said to express the prevalent feeling, it must
be round the Surrey Tabernacle. Mr.
Spurgeon since the opening of the war has exhibited
unusual concern about it, and has seized opportuhities,
other even than those aflbrded by his Tabernacle, of
allowing the public to . know his opinions. His
last 'attempt at picturing his views possesses
more then the ordinary amount of argument, and
vivid imagery. So persuasive is gr. S;►urgeou's
language that the Peace Zociety. have tiought it
worthy of adoption in the interests of their vocation.
Mr. Spurgeon's expressions find vent in a letter ad-
dressed to the two leaders of the Rhine war, and
the following are the more forcible of his observa-
tions :

" Did either of you ever think of what war means
Did you ever see a man's head smashed, or his bowels
ripped open? Why, if you are made of flesh and blood,
the sight of one poor wounded man, with the blood oozing
out of him, will make you' feel sick. I don't like to drown
a kitten ; I can't bear even to see a rat die, or any animal
in pain. But a man ! Where are your hearts if
you can think of broken legs, splintered bones,
heads smashed in, brains blown out, bowels
torn, hearts gushing with gore, ditches full of
blood 'and heaps of limbs and carcases of Mangled men ?
Do not deceive yourselves, you'are no better than the cut-
throats whom your own laws condemn ; better ! why you
are worse, for your murders are so many. Think, I pray
you, for your poor peciple will have to think
whether von do or no. Is there so little want in the world
that you must go trampling on the harvest with your
horses and your men ? is there so little sorrow that
you must make widows by the thousand ? You fight for
(dory, do you? I am a plain-talking Englislfman, and I
tell you the English for glory is damnation, and it will be
your lot, 0 kings, if you go on cutting and.hacking your
fellow men. .Stop this war if you can, at once and turn
to some better business than killing men. Before the
deep curses of widows and orphans fall on you from the
throne of God, put up your 'butcher knives and patent
men-killers, and repent."

If Mr. Spurgeon's sermons on the war are as eleetri-
fyirig as his letters to sovereigns,-the effect upon the
ambitious young men of Surrey will be, in. a short
time, very serious. At all events, the occupation afir
the recruiting sergeants will be totally unnecessary,
and the texts about valour and honour often making
a. small man famous in a bold warfare, upon which
the sergeants found their persuasive argunients, will
no longer be thought worthy of being listened to.