The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-09-08

raine neutral State like Luxemburp ar
Belgium. extending from the former conn
try to Switzerland, and so separating France
and Prussia by.a group.of neutral States !:
but i confess 1t appears to me that neutral.
ity of the existing small States is already so
difficult to protect. and is ut every moment
capable Of so many and such dangerous
complications, that / do not think it would
be worth while to make more neutral
States, and with them new duties and dan.
gers. = .
" Secondly. We might annex Alsace and
Lorraine, and hold them as conquered ter
ritory. But am sure that this would not
be looked on favvrably by the majority of
my German fellow.countrymen. We are
ali most anxious to complete our unity, but
we do not want any people among US who
are unwilling members Of the German na-
tion. That the Alsacians would be most
disloyal subjects of the King of Prussia, in
spite of the great majority of them speak,
| ing the German language and being otfIeu-
| tonic origin, there can be no doubt.
"Thsrdly. There remains to ,is then as
| third course to take Metz and Strasbourg,
and to keep them. This is aohat aoe shall
do. Strasbourg particularly is absolutely
needful for the protection of South Ger
many, which is at the mercy of French
army. So long as France possesses Stras-
bourg there is nothing to stop French in
| vading army. Now, it would be very unfair
if we were to leave our South German
brethren unprotected after they have fought
so bravely and well by our side in this cam
paign. Then, again, by holding Strasbourg
we could always prevent anv movement on
the Rhine. We should be able not only to
| march m army by the valley of the Main on
Paris. but to take French army marching
I0r Ha11 ~ an o,1I
| So we have besieged Strasbourg vigorously,
and when we have got the old German town
back again we shall make Gibraltar of it,"
"But allow me to suggest" said, d" that
the cession of Strasbourg is not a thing to
which France will be easily reconciled all
| the more because it is as you say |thc key
Of France on the East"
"My dear sir,' was the reply, "you have
been with us continually since our entry
into France. / have heard you constantly
talking French. Now, have you not clearly
seen that it would be difficult for the French
to be more angry with US for our victories
over them than they already are? No, not
| if we were encamped i'll the Bois de Bou-
logne itself. And just because they are and
| will be for many year to come very sore
against us, we must take care not to leave
| in their hands the means of doing us mis-
chief.
When you meet drunken man in the
streets what do you do if he is mischevous?
| Call policeman, don't you? Well, StIasA
bourg and Metz will have to he our police
men, and good stout ones, too"
| &" 1t is curious,'' Remarked, chow much
the French do hate the Prussians, and what
stories they tell and believe about you. I
have lived a great deal in Paris, and know
there are told there rs facts some fables
which are all but Incredible"
| Yes" answered Count Bismarck, "we
have taken the place of the English thirty,
nay twenty, years ago. But as they have
| come to forget their hatred Of 'pertidious
Albon,' so they will have to find some day
or other that there is some good in us,
| Also, it seems as il the French nation stood
in constant need Of bugbear to vent their
wrath upon. For the moment, we are the
bughears.'
! I ventured then to say 81 see that the
people are in a great fright in England lest
your Excellency should cast a covctous eye
upon Holland"
N"Yes, 1 am aware that is an English
idea," replied the Count "but, like
other English ideas, it is not accepted out
of the country Of its birth. We want
nothing in Germany that is not German,
and Holland certainly is not German
| Already Posen is looked upon with no
| friendly eye by many of my countrymen
us non-Teutonic province. There is no
there is of the French taking Belgium"
/ Now, fancied [ saw quiet twinkle OF
| satisfaction in Count Bismarek's eye us he
added the above last word; and perhaps
may rs we'll let it be the last word OF my
| report.