The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-24
Tho War I'm France and the Prospects
OF the Republic.

the century if, after the armies of imperial
France were vanquished, the forces of the
republic should prove victorious. Though
the present affords but little from which we
can at this moment look forward to the future
and see in the distance promising prospect
for the French cause, yet in that little there is
something left to expect. There are those
who saw in the defeats of the Union armies
at the commencement of our late civil war a
divided country and ruined republic. Even
monarchs and statesmen and men Of profound
learning looked upon the Southern rebellion
as the means by which the dissolution of the
United States was to be accomplished. In
Washington, If the aims of the Southern
leaders were understood, it is quite plain that
the means by which they were to be COM
passed were not properly estimated. This
may also prove to be the case in France at
| the present stage Of the war.
According to the avowal of King William
himself he entered upon this war, which is
now desolating q portion of France and
bringing grief and misery to many a German
| household, against Napoleon, and not with a
view to infllct injury upon the French people.
Sedan gave him the man he sought to punish,
and Metz surrendered to him the last of the
armies of the empire. Up to this stage the
King kept his word, and the valor Of his we'll
disciplined armies, directed by that skill which
was lacking on the side of the French won for
him the victories he desired. Here he might
have rested. This was the time to make peace
if peace then was his desire. But no. Paris
must be taken, and the capture Of the capital
was intended to serve as the grand climax Of
one Of the most extraordinary campaigns in
the worlds history.
France, however, had not fallen with the
her Regent and the heir apparent fugitves in
foreign land, and her generals and the armies
they commanded prisoners in the hands Of the
conqueror, a new life seemed to have been i'm
parted to the country with the proclamation Of
the republic. The legions Of Germany, instead
of finding in their opponents the soldiers Of
whose achievements they had heard and expert
enced so much, found republican France ar
rayed against them The contest had resolved
itself into struggle for liberty on one side
and conquest on the other. The capture of
Paris was believed to be task easy of accom-
plishment. A few weeks at the most, it was
thought, were all that was necessary to gain
for King William the prize he sought
How grievously the German commander has
erred he may at the present time feel, but
that he has done SO we fear he would be IN
willing to admit. During the very first stages
Of the late civil war in this country, we well
recolect the cry of "On to Richmond"
McCellan's disastrous campaign on the PENN
the American people to be easily blotted from
the memory. The capture Of Richmond
seemed much more easy than the taking Of
Paris. None of the formidable Notifications
surrounded the Confederate capital which
eflectually guard Paris from attack from
without. Yet Richmond was not taken until
the resources of the rebellion were completely
exhausted. Sherman's march to the sea,
marching and fighting as he traversed the
enemy's country, living off his opponent away
from his base Of supplies and entirely severed
from communication with the North, was
an accomplishment the effect of which
can only be measured by its danger. The
operations from Fortress Monroe, Charleston,
Beaufort and Savannah on the east, Mobile
and New Orleans on the south, Nashville and
those on the Mississippi in the east, effectually
brought the rebellion to close. The rebels
were completely hemmed in and had to sue
cumb.
Regarding the situation in France at
the present time, we cannot avoid the
belief that the war is not 80 nearly ended
as many consider. A portion of France
only has been overrun by the Ger
mans. Troops are pouring into Cherbourg.
At Bordeaux numbers OF men are gathering
and being drilled preparatory to entering the
army. Throughout the South Of France many
camps of instruction are established, and the
men so enrolled, now raw recruits, will in a
short time be in condition for operations in the
field. Here is another evidence Of the mistake
Of the German leaders in not sending an army
into the country at time when the organiza-
ton Of the republican forces was not SO far
advanced as it is now. All the French ports
are still open. Not single vessel Of the navy
of France has yet fallen into the enemy's
hands. The armies of the republic are still in
the field and daily increasing in number, and
exist in every department throughout the
nation. On the other hand, the bulk Of the
German army is outside the walls of Paris,
unable to do anything but wait until the city
surrenders by starvation. Prince Frederick
Charles army, instead of pushing right into
the heart Of France Immediately after
the capture Of Metz and dispensing the camps
then being formed, as Sherman pushed
through the South, had to fly to the relief OF