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

THE PRISONERS OF STE. PELAGIE.

At four on Sunday a band of 500 citizens presented
themselves before the gates of the prison of Ste. Pelagie,
which contained the politicaal prisoners. They demanded
that the gates should be opened. The Governor refused.
The gates were soon beaten in with hatchets and crow-
bars, and the crowd pressed into the prison itself. At the
central wicket the turnkey, rather than open it, handed
the keys over to the people, who lost no time in- making
use of, them. They traversed the-politioal side of the pri-
son, and got hold of the book ooritaining the names of the
prisoners. Among them were Rochefort. Clement,
Vermorel, Fonvielle, and a crowd of others. These were
called over name by name, and the gaoler was ordered to
release them, which he did.

I COUNT BISMARCK'S TERMS OF PEACE.
The Pall Mall Gazette's special correspondent writes :
CLERMONT-EN-ARGONNE, Monday, August 29.
Yesterdey evening, just after I had posted my letter to
you; I had half an holies conversation with Count Bismarck,
and, as his Excellency was well aware that he was
talking to your correspondent, and that " anything
he said might be taken down in writing, and used against
him," as they say in the police courts, I have no hesitation
in• sending you the substance of his remarks
about the conditions' of peace to be dernandei of
France. "We might," said the Federal Chancellor, "form
Alsace and Loraine into an independent neutral
State stretching from Luxemburg to Switzerland,
and so protecting the whole of our western
frontier against France. But who is to guarantee
the neutrality of such a State ? Then, too, the
people would be always wanting to return
to France, to which they have so long belonged. As to
we ourselves annexing Alsace and Lorraine, I do not see
the use, far less the probability, of our doing so. We
should have a discontented people to - govern,
and, besides, mere increase of territory has
no attractions for Germany. But we must
have securities against an attack from France. So
long as she possesses Strasburg the whole of South
Germany is at her mercy ; we have no fortress
till you get to Ulna. Strasburg, therefore, and
probably, we shall take and hold permanently if our
arms are ultimately victorious. Striisburg shall be our
Gibraltar. You say that the French will hate us fear-
fully for taking their two best- fortresses, and will per-
petually be seeking to revenge themselves. I grant it ;
bat it is
,certain that they are already so enraged
against us that they will endeavour to revenge them-
selves in every possible way. The best thing we can,
therefore, do in the interests of peace is to take the power
of doing mischief out of their hands. The Germans
insist on that. You say you hope we shall not meddle
with Holland. My dear sir, we do not dream of it ; the
Dutch are not Germans, and German unity is what'
we want. I assure yOu no German dreams of
trying to annex Holland." 'Count' Bismarck then spoke
very . strongly against the francs-tireurs, and pointing
to an article from Figaro, translated in the Pall Mall
Gazette,
.which he held in his hand, said that on their own
sheaving the francs-tireurs were assassins, and could in
nowise be considered as forming part of the regular
French army.
I ought to state that I in no way sought to " inter-
view " the Lord Chancellor. He had expressed a wish to
see the Pall Mall Gazette, English newspapers being•rare
articles here, and on going to call for them I was asked to
step in and smoke a cigar with the great Minister.