Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-15
WARS DESOLATION.
Scenes of Suffering and Distress
Among the French Peasantry.

Scenes of Suffering and Distress
Among the French Peasantry.
If there be any savage bla in human
form who delights in war, l think even
his small remnant of heart might be
touched by the spectacle OF suffering and
distress which saddeDs us here on every
hand. The recent battle swept over sew
eral villages whose names are not to be
found on the ordinary map, besides those
towns that have the honor of having the
battles called after them. Villages and
towns dozen or so in number
have been emptied of their Inhabitants.
These miserable creatures fill the roads.
Here are old men tOtteriug with the
GecIepitude of age, young women and
little children; mothers hugging babes to
their breasts; stout lads leading a faYonte
pony or driving valuable COW, all carry
ing away in their flight before the internal
demon whatever they could snatch in
their exodus from their burning homes.
These wrotched beings, one would think,
might, if they were seen by the eyes of
the ''public mind, " find pity and COM
passion in those eyes. The crops, the
pastures, the dwellings of the peasants all
over the east of France have been laid
waste. The order has gone forth-cut
them down, why cumber they the ground
in the presence of this war ''for civiliza-
ton" In three days, the human edict,
let every stalk be removed from the thea
ter of the ''duel."
Here come a flock of eight-husband
and wife, two boys and four girls. Here
is another of eight, and here another of
seven, including an old woman of 20, step
ping forward, leaning on pole. She
will fall in her tracks presently, and so
viii that young, pale mother, who has
sunk exhausted into the doorway of a
shop. Her babe can cry no longer for
what is 10 longer 10 be had, and will 90
with mother and grandmother, or before
them, INTO the only country which is safe
from the wickedness of kings. Here
comes a little fellow with his hand fullOf
bullets They are p,aythings TO him, as
they are TO princes and rulers.
From $4,000 to SO, 600 people are
TUNED out Of house and home by the ext
gencics Of wounded honor. Three towns
are half in ashes. We can see the leis-
urely coil of smoke rising. from FOrbach
Shells have broken into 'fhe decent
church that tops the neighboring hills"
SOMETHING in our deepest heart shoulders
and yeIrns over the glorious cathedrals,
and prompts to their defense against the
barbRrous glory of arms. d. Protestapts will
pray ihst they may be spared-that at
Metz, soimpsssive and Yet impressive;
that at Strasburg, with its Incompatible
spire, aud solemn BaVe, and rayshing
organ, and extraordinary clock. '.. ...
Nothing could be more pitable and dis
trl ssTug than the present condition of the
peasantry Of this quarter. Behold what
dssOlaticn hath been wrought already
among The innocent and industrious War
has come with fire in one hand and fam
inc in the other He has laid waste the
beautiful valley of the Moselle and the
vineclal heights of Spickeren. Hillsides
@that last week were luxmiant in promise
of fruitful vines are covered with the
tangled ruins of the rip6niag vintage.
There shall be 10 fruit in tie vines thi
year, nor next, nor mex; the labsE of the OIL
i've shall fail, the fields shall yield ne meat,
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, I
and there shall be no herd in the stalls, q
because the rulers covet fields and take
them by violence for the filling of their
greed and revenge