The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-10-20

From the Boston Advertiser.I

points and some extracts rom remat kAbbe
letter written BY the author Strass to his lel-
low-worker in the same field, NJ. Earnst
Renan. Herr Strass spoke Of the war from
the pstriotic German point of view, and now
NJ. Renan replies, giving the French view
of the struggle. The letier is very long,
and only the concluding portions has fallen
under our observation. He makes one good
point in answer to Strass's claim of Alsace
for Germany because it was once German and
beCause the inhabitants speak the German
language. Several fine provinces where the
German language is spoken" says NJ. Re-
nan, do not belong TO France, and it u to
their advantage that they do not. SlavOnic
districts form . part of Prussia. These ano-
males serve very materially to advance
civilization. The union Of Alsace to France,
for instance; Is something that has contribu-
ted most largely to the propagation Of Ger
manism; it is through Alsace the ideas, the
methods and the books of Germany have
comet to us. 1t il certain that if the question
were submitted to the people Of Alsace,
they would declare BY an immense majority
to remain part of France" NJ. Renan
then inquiries if it would be worthy of Ger
many to tear away from France . province
which would be rebelliOus and irrecOncilable
to its new relation.
In the close of his letter NJ. Renan ad-
vances and Celebrates an idea which Is the
dream Of many Of the best thinkers Of Eu-
rope, the formation Of a grand federation
the United States of Europe. Peace cannot,
he thinks, he concluded directly between
France and Germany. 1t must be the work
Of all Europe. "You speak with good rea-
son, he remarks, 'of guarantees against the
revival of ambitious and unhealthy projects;
but what guarantee can be worth As much a.
that of Europe, cOnsecrating anew the actual
frontiers and placing the han upon any one
who NAV dream Of altering boundaries fixed
by ancient treaties? ANY other solution
leaves the door open to endless vengeances.
Let Europe do this, and she will have plant
ed forever the seed Of the most fertile insti-
tutiOn-a sort of Congress Of the United
States of Europe, judging the nations sub
ject to their joint authority, and correcting
the principle of nationalities by the princi-
pie If federation" We cannot follow NJ.
Roman through the elaboration Of this idea,
but we cannot refrain from translating one
more extract, the conclusion of the letter,
which, although long. will amply repay
per,,sal, rs among the most beautiful passages
ever penned by the illustriOus author: ="
"Ah, dear master. well did Jesus found
the kingdom of God, a world superior to
hate and jealousy and pride, where the most
highly esteemed Is not, as in these sad times
Of ours, he who works the most evil, he who
wounds, kills, insults, he who is the greatest
liar, the most disloyal, the most ill-bred, the
most defiant, the most pertidious, the most
fertile in bad expedients and devilish
al. nd To,
don; he who has no consideration for others,
who surprises his adversary, and who tricks
his enemy always; but, he is most gentle,
most modest. the furthcst removed from
selfassurance, boasting and hard-hearted-
ness, he who yields to every one, he who re-
CARDS his own interest last. War is a tissue
of sins, q state contrary to nature, in which
that il encouraged rs a fine action which,
under any other circumstances, one would
be warned TO shun as vice or crime, in
which it is duty to rejoice over the msfor-
tunes of Others, in which he who returns
good for evil, practices the precepts OF the
gospel concerning pardon of injury and de
sire Of humility, would he abused and blame
worthy. rat which liz passport to the
Walhalla excludes from the kingdom Of God.
Have you noticed that neither in the eight
Beatitudes, nor in the sermon on the Mount,
neither in the Gospels nor in primitive
Christian literature, is there a word that
places military valOr among the virtues
which will gain the kingdom Of heaven?
"Let Us insist upon these grea. lessons Of
peace which escape men who are the puppets
Of their own pride and ambition, impelled
BY their unphilosophical forgetfulness of
death. No one has the right to be uninter-
ested in the misfortunes of his country; but
thephilosopher as we'll as the Christian has al
ways motives Of life. The Kingdom Of God
knows neither cOn4uerors nor vanqulshed.
In the pleasures Of the heart, the mind, and
the imagination, the conquered enjoys
more than the victor if he he more highly
elevated morally and intellectually. Have
not your great Goethe, your noble Fichte,
taught us how one NAV lead noble and
happy life in spite Of the
abasement of their country? One fact, To
gives me great satisfaction.
Last year, n, the elections for the Corps Leg
islatif, offered myself to the suffrage Of the
electors. was not chosen, but my Placards |
are still to he seen on the walls Of the villages
Of Seine-et-Marne, bearing the inscription:
No revolution, no war. 4 war would lie ~
deplOrable rs a revolution To have an
conscience in these times Of ours,
one ought To be able to say that one had not |
persistently avoided public life, and a. well |
that one had not sought it too Pertina-