New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-09-15


the Rhine, was the natural boundary Of Ger
many "The nights of Wasgau" Cn the Vos-
ges chain), he said are the ThermOpyla OF
Germany and how important this natural
boundary of Germany il for her preservation
and security may be inferred from the remark
able words of the Emperor Charles ": " II
"Venna and StrasbOurg were at the same time
Gin danger from an enemy, and could save
"but one of them, would sacrifice Vienna TO
"secure Strasbourg."
OF all the countries of Germany, Prussia
has been the one the most exposed to war
on the part of France as sudden and uDex-
pected "A this one has been, and has conse-
ouently been compelled, especially since the
downfall of Napoleon l., to keep herself in
state of armed preparation. She has been
compelled to convert her whole male popula-
ton into an army, and for half century 10
maintain system by which every man might
be disciplined and ready, in her defense, to act
as a soldier at a moments warning.
That she was wise in 80 doing, the com
mencement of this causeless war has shown.
| True, it has proved disastrous to the people
who began it. They have not realized what
they anticipated-the certain conquest and an
nexation of a part of Prussia. They have been
met not by Prussia alone, but by the uprising
| against them of all Germany; and now, when
their armies, instead of crossing the German
| frontier, are hurled back upon their own SOIL,
| their leading captains outgeneraled, the En-
| peror a prisoner, and victorious army en- route
| for Paris, they depose the Emperor, to whose
| audacious and autOcratic rule they had sub
r. md a
| public. Ii it to be expected that the COnfed-
Grated German States having forty millions
of people, after the enormous sacrifices which
| they have made to counterfeit and defeat the
ambitious designs of France, will withdraw
their armies and return to Germany without
any security for the future, because Napoleon
| is no longer in power and the French people
have taken the initiatOry steps to establish
Repubcf The Germans know, by bitter ex-
| perence of two centuries, that France-repub-
lcan or monarchical-will again repeat, If she
can, what she has done three times already; and
every man in the German ranks feels that
now that they have conquered the armies OF
this incessant disturber of the peace of Europe
by an united effort and with vlgor and
CELEBRITY almost without parallel in the history
of the wOrld-their work will be unfinished and
their enormous outlay and sacrifice OF life
will be attended by no positive results until
they have restored to Germany that natural
physical boundary of which she was origin
ally deprived by the aggressions of the
French When Germany was distracted
and divided by religious wars two CEN
turtles ago, France seized that opportunity
to invade Germany and possess herself OF
| 4. ,N,,kna fhn nfr
raj physical barrier between the two nations
BY this acquisition she secured the means OF
perpetually annoying Germany, and of dis
turbing and dividing it with view to the
ultimate subjugation of the Germans, and of
making herself the mistress of Europe. She
has attempted this under Louis XIV, Napo-
leon |. and Napoleon I'LL, and has been sue
cessful in part when Germany was weakened
by it's division into separate, jealous, and
often hostile States but now that the
German people, from sense OF their common
danger. have become united into a cOnfed-
Grated and compact nationality, 1t Is no longer
possible for France to carry out this long
cherished scheme Of conquest; and, now that
Germany has it in her power, she would be
unmindful of her own interest and insensible
70 the advantage of her present position If
she did not, restore the former phy slcdi pouhu-
ary between herself and France, which is the
best security for the national integrity OF
each country. With what show OF justice,
we may ask, can the United States OF its peo-
ple say to the people of Germany, "You
should not do this ~ With about as much
Justice as the people of England declared that
we ought to let the Confederate States form
separate government because they-that Is,
| their governing class-desired it.