New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-09-02
WAR TOPICS.

OF course no one will pretend TO doubt for
a moment the assertion which comes to Us
from Paris that Austria promised Minister
Olivier to make war on Prussia simultaneously
with France, if subsidized. The mere state
ment of Nj. Emile Olivier is enough to satisfy
all but the most perverse and skeptical. These
will probably be convinced as soon as it is
established that Bismarck, not Benedict,
made the proposal to dismember Belgium. 1t
is so natural to conceive the deep and pene-
trating Olivier inveigling the shallow Bis
marck and the stupid Won Beust into making
all sorts of compromising proposals, that it is
positive insult to him to wholly doubt his
story. We propose, therefore, to accept az
true-Or likely to be tTue-that part of it which
says that Olivier promised the subsidy, but
when called upon to pay it in advance re-
fused, with the disdainful air of premeditated
swindler who never intended to pay.
The military incapacity of Napoleon iii. is
so fully established that the story that he had
ordered MacMahon to detach 10000 troops for
the protection of Louis and" of course, the
inevitable al" may be actually credited by
some readers. OF course it is a weak London
invention. without purpose, except to compli-
sense in disobeying the fictitious order.
Napoleon need not despair of his safety.
Preparations have been made to receive him
in Belgium, where he will be invited, in case
he should step across the border, to take off
his sword and intrust it to the keeping of a
Belgian guard. Besides, one other avenue of
escape lies open to him to the northwest.
1t will not be cOnsOling to him to know, how
ever, that this latter route has a terminus at
Ham,
Edmond About early experiences the sad
fate of the first bringer of unwelcOme news
His accounts of the battles in the Vosges con-
tanned severe criticisms on the Incdpdbles,
from the Emperor to the barbarous ZOuaves
and Turcos, and, as might have been expected,
they met with severe condemnation by the
Imperial organs of Paris. NJ. About has been
chiefly noted, heretofore, for his laudatiOns of
the Emperor; it is to his credit, therefore,
that he no sooner beholds for himself the
great incapacity of the man than he pioclaims
it. In both praise and denunciation he seems
to have been equally honest but the Paris
Pays speaks of his ingratitude, and demands
that he shall lay aside the ribbon of the
Legion of Honor which ne wears. Better,
indeed, that he throw it away than that he
should lay aside his integrity. About has
made more reputation by his accounts of the
war than any other French writer. 1t will
detract nothing from his fame that he has
been honest and truthful in statements
wherein honesty and truthfulness were often
sive to those for whom he wrote. That he has
not hesitated thus to write proves not only
his truth but his courage.
No Frenchman is more attached to his
country than Edmond About. -Four years ago
he was cOnspicuously in the confidence of Ma
poleon Ill, whom he never resolutely opposed.
Words of anguish, however now escape him
which are sincere, and express the feelings of
numbers who, dazzled by the splendors Of I'm
perialism, forgot the penalties 1t entails. He
gives these lines from his journal
Poor France She granted all, and pardoned all, 70
man who said to her at nrst, The Empire Is pace y
who said " her afterward " The Empire IL glory and
victory the revision OF shameful treaties the rectnca-
ton OF frontiers, for principle war Tor interest war
Tor luck-but war always successful ana the prestige OF
France believed all she wac told; she believed In her
masters star as abe believed In the dsnterestedness
Of Mony the austerty Of Troplong the genius OF Rou
her and the liberalism Of olivier. What an awakeningl
To-day the Empire means defeat by the incaRAcy OF
s chiefs panic Of the Generals, Invasion with all Its
following OF grief and misery the Prussan soldier tramp
ing triumphsnty three four Departments AFTER
q csmpAign Of eight daysl
1t was an almost universal opinion two
months ago that the Frenchman was a better
soldier than the Gcrman-bettes not merely in