The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-01
THE REPUBLIC AND BAzAINE.

THE REPUBLIC AND BAZAINE.
From the NJ y. World.
Whatever may be thought by the rest of
the world of the surrender of Marshal Bazaine |
at Metz, the French Government at Tours at
least have made up their minds on the sub |
ject. In stirring proclamation to the
French people they denounce the act as an
act of treason to the State, and Marshal Ba-
zaine himself as an accompice of the 'Man
of Sedan"
1t is impossible to deny that there are
many things in the accounts which have
already reached us of this amazing incident
of the war to warrant the belief that these ter
rible charges may be only too we'll founded
in truth. There is nothing, unfortunately,
ia the past career of Marshal Bazaine, aud
especially in his Mexican experience Cto which
the Government at Tours bitterly allude), to
render even such accusations as NJ Gambetta
and his colleagues level at him antecedently
improbable. All the best correspondents
from the scene agree in the statement that
the Germans were ''amazed" at the actual
capitulation. The fearful story which came
to us with strong cdCeGt recently from our
correspondent at Ostend, of a massacre of
unarmed people at the gates of Metz, seems
to have been, as our correspondent led us to
hope it might prove to be, part of what looks
now like systematic attempt of the impe-
rialists in Belgium and England to represent
the position of the army at Metz as more
hopeless than it really was
But without entering fully to-day into the
question of Marshal Bazaine's guilt or inno-
cence, we may unreservedly commend to the
admiration of our readers the fearless, reso-
Lutte, and masculine tone of the proclamation
in which the Government at Tours announce
this great catastrophe to the people of the
| republic. 1t extenuates nothing of the extent
| of the disaster, and comedies nothing. How
far the high and unconquered tone of the
Government is justified by the state of the
military organization with which republican
| France is preparing to meet her victorious
| foes, we shall know in a few weeks at farthest.
Meanwhile no freeman in any country can
refuse his most cordial sympathies to the
spirit with which these leaders of a people
striving to be free, and to establish freedom,
1lse to the shock of calamities really almost
unparalleled in the history of mankind. The
Tribune, which is nothing if not worshipper
of success, does the World the honor to say
that we ought to publish this journal at
Tours. We do not decline the compliment.
The city of Tours to-day contains the only
republican government in Europe, out of
Switzerland-ag government struggling against
overwhelming military force to maintain
those principles of republican autonomy
which are the only assurance of American
power and progress, and as we believe, the
only hope of European emancipation and
peace.
If the World but maintain these principles
as resolutely in the fair weather of America
as the Government of Tours pro claims them
in the storm sweeping now over Frauce, it
will probably fare but i'll with the Tribune
and its party, but it will assuredly fare we'll
with the Democracy and with the Union.
THE METHODIST BOOK CONCERN.
From the N. Y. World.
Without wishing to appear as partisans in
a1ncfn nol hIal 80 xf k1n
nature of domestic dispute in this, that
secular journals have nothing to do with it
until it comes before public tribunal-we
are quite sure that we express the general
feeling in owning surprise at the disposition
which has been made of the case of DIR. Lana
han. The only offence of that gentleman
seems, to secular apprehension, to have been
his honesty and his courage in exposing what
he believed to be serious and systematic in
juries done to the Methodist Church by its
agents in the Methodist Book Concern.
Whether his belief was we'll or i'll founded
does not at all affect the merits of the case. A
very considerable portion of the Methodist
Church, and nearly the whole newspaper
reading community outside the limits of that
Church, believe upon the evidence adduoed to
Justify it that it was.
The official committee of the Church hold,
upon what evidence does not appear, that it
was not. But so long as 1T is not charged
(and we are not aware that it has been
charged) that the motive of DR.. Lanahan in
expressing it was malicious, he is certainly
entitled to praise and protection rather than
retirement and disgrace from the Church
whose interests he tried to subserve. 1t was
, his clear duty to disclose what he knew of
unwise or criminal mismanagement. But for
such disclosure he has been arraigned for
trial before the same body which appears as
, his prosecutors. Obviously such a body,
however we'll intentioned, will be apt to make
, good its own charges upon much sighter evil
| dence than would satisfy an impartial tribu-
nal That the complainant should also be
, the Judge is such an infraction of justice as
, no civil court will admit, although we
find it admitted in ecclesiastical courts.
The Judgment, or rather the prejudgment,
of such a body will not convince disinte-
rested observers of the valid ty of its grounds.
! 1t is pity that the slander suit now or lately
, pending against DIR. Lanahan should not be
I brought to trial. In that case the Methodist
Church and the public would be satisfe l both
of the impartiality and the competency OF the
, Court appointed TO try it, and OF the fairness
; | of the law of evidence which guided it.
: Courts martial and courts ecclesiastical COM
monty execute their sentences, it is true.
But neither commonly does anything towards
convincing people that its sentence is Just
9 one And such a moral conviction is what Is
: needed for the yindication of the Methodist
! Book Concern against the charges of DIR.
) Lanahan. 1t would certainly obtain it if DIR.
Lanahan were beaten in trial before civil
court of Justice. 1t is very doubtful if it will
( obtain it, whether he is beaten or not, In q