The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-01 00:00:00

filE SUN, LONDON; TUESDNI, NOVEMBER 1, tB7o.

the; Ministers at Tours declare in .a circular
that the parsons who have been parties
to such an infamous bargain must be declared
beyond the pale of the law. Whether BAZAINE has
accomplished all that lay in his power may be open
to question, but there can be no difficulty in stigma-
tising the circular of the Government as imprudent
and unjust. At the time when it was written the
Republican Ministers could not have .known the con-
dition of the French force within and around
Metz. By declaring the French leaders " beyond
the pale of the law," they were, therefore,
giving judgment before trial. They were encouraging
that explosion of popular rage which will be
only far too violent without the concurrence
of responsible statesmen. As a means of
throwing further discredit on the fallen dynasty,
this odium upon n leading servant of the Empire
will be, doubtless, highly effectual, but it can serve
no useful purpose. On the other hand, it is true
that BAZAINIt has laid himself open to cen-
sure. A soldier, to be free from sus-
, picion, should not meddle in politics ; but
BAzAINR set at defiance this well-established
principle. It is notorious that he negotiated with
the German leaders, and that, too, in opposition to
the Republican Ministry. He employed his military
power ifor political objects, though it was obvious
to every impartial observer that no peace arrangement
he could make would be of the slightest avail. The
Ministry which contr 31 the administration of France
would not be likely to listen to any dictum from him ;
and he could hardly expect to be allowed to take
his army out of Metz for the purpose of bringing to
reason the obstinate men at Tours and Paris. Of
right to negotiate there was not a shadow in
his favour. If a self-elected Republican Government
possess no proper authority, a self-elected military
dictator is still more objectionable, It mry be that
the Marshal's motives were disinterested, though his
previous career has not been exactly in savour
of such a supposition; but, disinterested
or not, his intrigue was utterly useless,
and obviously calculated to heal a passionately
excited people to the conclusion that BazAttas
political objects had nut been without weight in
determining his surrender.
The conduct of the defence can hardly bo appre-
ciated with the information at our command. The
Germans of course maintain that the surrender was
inevitable, and the Times en Tones this view.
But the reasons alleged are certainly far
from satisfactory. According to the 'l'lmM,
the fate of Metz was decided at the beginning,
when BAZAINE was locked up after the battle of
Gravelotte. If, it argues, he could not secure his
retreat then, he could not hope to do so afterwards.
This is simply preposterous. Vionville and Gravel
lotte were pitched battles fought by the German
army concentrated against its opponents. After
the investment commenced the German lines
were spread all round the city in a large circle, cut
in two places by the river Moselle. To break with
an overwhelming force one link in this chain was an
enterprise very different from winning Grave-
lotte. All great Generals would have made
the attempt, and some would have suc-
ceeded. However well intranched the lines of
circumvallation might be, a leader of the capacity of
LEE, MonEAU, or the Archduke CHARLES, not to
speak of the two greater men of the century, would
have found a way through them. BAzAINE'S
sorties displayed no originality of plan, nor
were they after the end of AuguSt made
in very great force. He deserves praise
for the excellent discipline ho maintained in an army
beleaguered under such cruel conlitions. His tactical
arrangements at Gravelotte were of a very high
order. But the greater qualities of a General are not
traceable in his movements throughout this cam-
paign. Practice and theory are alike against the
presumption that at least 100,000 good troops, backed
by a large fortress and surrounded by no hopeless
superiority of numbers, could not escape being made
prisoners en masse.

Yet, between the opinion that BASAINE failed
to exhibit any great military skill, and the
conclusion that he treasonably gave up the fortress
to further political ends, there is a gulf which the
Government at Tours are much too precipitate in
crossing. The animated narrative of the surrender,
for which we are indebted to the Daily News, gives
some strange particulars respecting BAZAINIeS con-
duct. It states that his treason is believed
in by some of the most influential inhabitants
of Metz. But neither the influential nor any other
section of the inhabitants would be likely to preserve
coolness of judgment at such a crisis. It is impos-
sible, without more convincing proof, to believe that
the Marshal would so studiously have worked
to secure a measure of infamy which
rarely falls to the most perfect of great
scoundrels. The supposition that he was ever a
great general is, however, effectually disposed of.
It is not easy to see how a commander, with the
splendid resources which he wielded, could have
well accomplished less than he has done during the
seventy days of his imprisonment.

TOPICS OF THE D.Y.

march's diplomatic skill. For four years he has set
the Treaty of Prague and the wishes of the North
Scldeswigers at nought. But now that he contem-
plates annexing Alsace and Lorraine it is necessary
to do something to reassure Europe as to German
respect for the nationality pri•iciplo. lie gives up
Danish Schleswig in order that he may the more
rea lily take a portion of France.