The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-08-23
Mediation and Terms of Settlement

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AS it becomes more and more apparent
that France is pOwcrless to retrieve her
fortunes in the present struggle, tho qucs-
tion of mediation by other powers rises
more and moro into notice. 1t seems
probable that all the great powers will
soon unite in asking suspension OF hos
tilitics, till an effort can be made to arrange
settlement that will be accepted by the
parties to the war. IfParis Is TO be saved
from siege, from the anarchy apprchcnded
in such an event, and from the possible
ilcspoilment and spoliatiOn OF storm and
capture, this interference must not bc too
long delayed, for the news this morning
indicates that the great army of Prince
FREDERICK WILLIAM, with an open road
before it, is moving directly on the
Capital, that it is but q few days
march distant, and that no formidable
resistance con. be offered outside tho de-
fences of the city. In the interests not
only of humanity but Of art, science and
civilization, it is to be hoped the French
capital may be spared from actual assault.
A city like Paris belongs not alone to the
people whose home or whose metropolis
it is, but the enlightened and refined
of all countries haVe an interest In
seeing 1t protected from destruction or In
jury by assault from without or anarchy
within. If the ultimate issue Of the war
is 10 depend on the possession of Paris
il the French authorities refuse to CNpitu-
late and no peace can be arranged short
of III assault, Of course neither will hesi-
tate 10 sacrifice on tho one hand or dc.
stroy on the other. But VIC hope to see
tho war end without throwing bombs or
hot shot into Paris.
Tho war will not end, however, till
those who inauguratcd it have had
enough. NAPOLEON was the aggreSsor.
1t was he who sought the war, who seized
an insufficient pretcxt to make 1t, who
made haste to declare it lest Prussia
should have time to prepare, and who
hurried to the Rhine with his armies
to invade Germany and march to
Berlin, where ho expected to dictate a
peace that should give him at least Hll the
PruSsian provinces south Of the Rhine
Never was mortal man more mistaken
more deceived, moro disappointed and
worse beaten than NAPOLEON He found
the Germans as ready as he--far moro so
with an army larger and better. lie
was dreadtully defeated and the whole
campaign lost in the first general engage
mcnt. Instead Of his crossing tho Rhine
his enemy crossed it. Instead Of advanc
ing to Berlin he has been driven back tc
Paris; instead Of South Germany declaring
for him as hc expected, Shc furnished
great armies 10 Prussia and helped defeat
him in the first engagement. Instead o.
dividing and distracting Germany he has
united her. The German march upor
Paris has been even more irresistible
and magnificent than NAroEEoN cvcl
dreamed his would be upon Berlin. As
he expected to take possession OF and
govern the Rhine provinces. which never
belonged to France but were slczed Out
Of sheer despoIlmcnt, WILLIAM takes pos
session Of and appoints governors for AL
sacc and Lorraine, Of which Germany wa
dcspoilcd n little moro than two hundred
years ago, morCtnan half Of whose people
now speak tho German language, and
which together arc more German thar
French. If Prussia claims this territory
as ono condition Of peace, how can France
object? Had she been successful she In
: tended to demand tho provinces Of tht
. Rhine, and how much more, who knows
The proposition to form Alsaco ant
Lorraine into o State, independent oreIthe
power, as suggested by England, wOul,