The New York herald., 1870-09-08

The news from Europe which we puDlisf
this morning, though not indicating very
clearly or definitely the course which events
there are about to take, still contains elements
Of very important character. The Prussian
army is marching upon Paris. and nothing
appears to be done, either through military or
diplomatic means, to check the advance. The
ing to oppose determined resistance to the
enemy. General Trochu appears to be the
leader on whom the hopes of the country rest,
and he has already had some difficulty with
the newly constituted authorities, but for so far
has been able to carry his point. General
Vinoys corps Of thirty thousand men is
reported to have escaped the Prussians and
reached Paris In safety. Strasbourg and Metz
still hold out against the Prussians, but the
usual predictions Of their immediate surrender
are INDUCED in.
So much for the military side of the ques-
ton. As to the diplomatic side there is even
still less to be said. If Jules Favre, the Presi
dent Of the new provisional government, has
sought an interview with the King of Prussia.
as was announced yesterday, we have not
at the present moment, any information as to
what took place. We are informed, however,
in our London special dispatches, that the
English government, In conjunction with
other neutral Powers, is about to make
an earnest appeal to Prussia to conclude
peace ON the basis of the following PROPOSE
| tions:-
French territory TO be held nvlolate.
2-France TO pay to Germany the expenses Of the
war.
ga general disarmament OF France.
| 4-The destruction OF all the forts In Alsace and
| Lorraine.
| Our correspondent intimates that these terms
| are acceptable to the French republic; but no
| such opinion can bs predicated of the King of
Prussia and his great councillor, Count Bis
marck. On the contrary, we are informed that
Prussia repels the idea of Intervention on the
part of outside Powers, and will be satisfied
with nothing less than the annexation of the
provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. She pro-
poses, evidently, to dictate her own terms after
she has gained possession of the capital, and is
not inclined to listen to any overtures of peace
and reconciliation until Paris Is in her hands.
But if we are to place reliance in the judgment
and skill of General Trochu that event is not 80
close at hand; for he asserts confidently that
Paris is safe. Meantime the recognition of the
provisional republican government of France
by our own government is about to be made,
President Grant having already, as we are
informed, issued an order to that effect, and
having gone on to Washington last night to
forward immediate official action on the
subject.
These are all the important elements of the |
news received up to late hour last night. We |
pass over without comment the unfavorable |
opinion volunteered by the Duke de Grammont,
now refugee In London, as TO the new pro-
visional government of France, and the medley |
of statements telegraphed from Paris on the |
same subject Enough to say that the repub-
lie has been proclaimed in France, that that
proclamation has been solemnly and seriously
endorsed by the whole French people, and that
a republican form of government there is now
an accomplished fact.
The great question of the hour is, will the
King of Prussia accept propositions of peace
on behalf of the French republic, or will he
persist in his resolution of marching upon and
investing Paris and subjecting that splendid
capital to all the horrors of siege? We think
that, for the sake Of the peace of Europe, he
ought to be satisfied with the wonderful sue
cess he has already obtained, and ought to
accept the offer for disbanding the French
army-which is the best guarantee of peace
that can be given-and withdraw his victorious
armies from the soil Of France History would
accord to him and his people more glory for
that generous and magnanimous policy than
even for the marvellous military skill by
which their campaign was conducted.
But if the King of Prussia should refuse to
listen to peace overtures and insist on dictat-
ing terms from the Tuileries he may find that
the war has only really begun, and that his
own crown and dynasty, as we'll as those of
all the potentates of Europe, are endangered
by its continuance. The French people are
not going to let their capital fall into the hands
of the enemy without the most desperate
efforts to save it. Paris is prepared to stand
a siege. Her Notifications are strong enough
to hold In check for an indefinite period all the
armies that Prussia can hurl against them.
The very name of republic has talismanic
influence, and the example of France may
communicate itself to Germany, Italy, Spain
and, perhaps, to Great Britain, until, the
people rising everywhere and proclaiming
their right to self government, all thrones may
share the fate of Napoleon's. -
The King Of Prussia must recognize that the
original cause Of war has disappeared with the
fall of the Emperor aud that the establishment
of republic in France has changed the whole
aspect of the question At first the
sympathies of the people of the United