The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-11 00:00:00

M. GAMBETTA'S PROCLAMATION.

The Telegraph is of opinion that the two classes of
readers for whom the eloquent passages of M. Gambetta's
proclamation are intended, will both be less impressed
than they would have been if it had been written with
a single eye to fact, and inspired by those senti-
ments which are higher and better than heroic despera-
tion. Count von Bismarck, pondering over an early
copy of it, will be inclined to disbelieve certain portions
of the document when he reads that the Paris forts
have prevented the King's army from getting
A single gun into position ! The rpening of many
hundreds of heavy pieces will, i% is much .to be
feared, soon and cruelly give the lie to the
assertion. Possibly, the passapt was designed to
encourage the provinces : and the dig. ire to give a favour-
able gloss to transactions affecting the national fortunes
may still be dominant among the official heads of the
French people. When the provincials are told that the
great army of " William " cannot even face the outlying
forts, and that Trochu has 560,000 men unler his command,
it will appear to the unsophisticaied nature strange that
Paris should not do something for hersk. What need of
Dens ex machind—of a Gambetta fronicloud-land—to call
out department upon department, when Paris had all
these enormous cannon, and twice as many
soldiers as her assailants ! The Telegraph doubts
whether France will be made !` sublimely united
and consecutively active " by the rhetorical and
descriptive composition of the Minister. Englishmen
would demand, that, with such forces, Paris should give
the invader battle. Frenchmen, however, may recognise
that the phraseology of the proclamation has a
twofold object, and may ask no more of the capital
than to hold out till they can arrive. At all events, the
manifesto is a defiance, not a preface to peace. It is a
cry for a national uprising to expel a detested foe,
and the keynote is struck with a clearness which
indicates settled purpose to face and dare the very
worst.

The Standard, in discussing M. Gambetta's proclama-
tion, remarks that M. Gambetta's assurances with re-
gard to the strength and spirit of Paris are of the
utmost importance if they are absolutely true. So far
as they deal with the subject upon which he can
speak with knowledge, they ought doubtless to
be received with confidence. But, unfortunately, a
very small part of his announcements are covered in this
way, and there was an uncomfortable suspicion forcing
itself upon the reader that a good many of the facts
which we ought on this account to take as facts are only
assertions, introduced to belabour the fallen Government.
For instance, M. Gambetta prefaces the statement
that there are now 400,000 armed National Guards,
100,000 Mobiles, and 60,000 regular troops, by the asser-
tion that the Revolution found Paris without cannon and
without arms. If this statement, intended partly for the
glorification of M. Gambetta and his colleagues, and
partly for the abuse of the Empire, were true, it would
really amount, so far as that intent goes, 4-4) very little.
But it is not true, so far as the earlier )rtion of it is
concerned, except in a vete quibbling sem:- indeed. It is
not the Republic which has armed Paris, it was General
Palikao and his colleagues. The fruit of the exertions
they made is the power of which M. Gambetta boasts as
his own produce. Well, the story as to the authorship of
the defences of Paris being so incorrect, can we trust
to the statement of the forces the city now possesses?
We will strain a paint nod do so. The men are in Paris,
their spirit is exe.01.,,t , tlte National Guard drills from
morning to night, ti. lris:; cast cannon, projectiles,
and cartridges-- 111 X of course, being stored

in enormous, !!

31innted quantities—are

being manu fse . •• • i y. Everybody is
at his post. . will go with M.
Gambetta. But liaL: to believe that the
artillery of the f(; • , . in..y be, is " marvellous ;"
if that had been • c :1 all the Prussian care to
keep Prussian log:;•, ',xi), we should have heard of
its exploits. We mu L no, too, to attach much impor-
tance to the Parisimi genius of street fighting. That
might do wonders ag.tinst a weak Sovereign—against any
enemy not provided with artillery.; but if once the struggle
assumes that form Paris will be destroyed. The Prussian
artillery will dispose of the barricades and the defenders
behind them.

The Cologne Gazette of Saturday treats the whole
story of the death of the Duke of Nassau as a myth.

WORKAIEN'S INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, AGRI-

CULTURAL, HALL, ISLINGTON. - The number of visi-
tors, exclusive of season ticket holders, exhibitors and
others, on the Bth inst. was 4,740.
CRYSTAL PALACE.—A cha 11 gathering of four
thousandialdult singers will take . . :e to-morrow evening-,
under ia•l-‘, conductorship of Mr 4;j4,1-. M. Martin. The
Progra me wdl consist enti tl'A - of national war
songsjp.-inclu ling the "Mar. 10, 'Elise," " The Ger-
maPAlrFather'!-,nil," &c. These 101 be sung in unison
by Ec 4,C )0 voices, concluding with Harmonised Chorus,
a` ''ml
by a band of 100 performers. Mr. Vernon
" Sound. an alarm," and " Come if you
Rigby will 5 • 5
dare "---
• Thc, neer being ghted up for the
termi f a:so the Palace .
t will commence ache ight o clock, and
:':"Lc' at - Great Fountains will play, and other
be provided for the afternoon,

occasion.