The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-09-08

| A Paris dispatch of Wednesday says.-The
| French engineers are destroying the tunnels on
the railroads running east out of Paris. The
Pruss:an advance is said to be near scissors
marching rapidly toward Paris.
| Trains are arriving hourly with artillery,
| cavalry aud infantry from the trout. The roll
| ing stock of the eastern roads are now mostly
| concentrated here or sent west to Harve and
| else where.
| The vdettes of the Prussians have been re-
| ported beyond Valenciepnes.
Immense defensive exertiOns are still being
made The army continues to retire before the
| Prussian advance. There seems to be but one
| patriotic sentiment among the people, the de-
| fence of the nation Organization is quietly
| proceeding There is no dissent from the me-
| cessity of a republic anywhere.
The reports is confirmed that the Orleans
Princes are on their way to Paris. and it is
| rumored that the Republican ministry are de-
| termined to arrest them on their arrival.
A rumor is in circulation that difficulty ex-
| listed between Sen. Trochu and the ministers
but the latter gave way and harmony was re-
stored in the Republican councils. The differ
ence arose on the question of arming all classes
| OF the population. Gen. Trochu stood firm ia
his opposition to armipg the people contendiDg
| that the proposition was premature and impOli-
| tic. In the face of the grand crisis, the minis
| tiers gave way with the reservation that at a
more opportune moment the subject should be
| more fully discussed and acted upon.
General Venoy in command of the remnants
| OF the French force in the field reached Paris
| Tuesday evening, by the northern railway with
13 trains of artillery, II of cavalry and IA in
| fantry. He was received with the most enthu-
siastic demonstrations on tie part of the citiz-
| ELS, and was at once assigned to au important
| command in the defence of Paris
The London Times has several bitter articles
| on the absence and apathy of the Queen and
Princes who are deer stalking while Europe is
| shaken to its foundation, the ministry with
| their herculean efforts have succeeded in re-
| straining Greece from hurting her vast energies
| into. the contest. This sums up the conduct of
England at the supreme crisis of Europe.
| The cities of the South German States, in
Guiding Carlsruhe. Mayence, Stuttgardt and
Munich have petitioned for annex arion to
| North Germany.
| The Russian government is about to propose
Congress of the great powers. Prussia will
| certainly decline.
Every French town yet heard from accepts
the Republic joyfully.
| The bombardm9nt of Montmedy has ceased.
| 1t is believed the beseging Prussians have
| been withdrawn.
A Paris letter of Monday, Sept. 5, says:>A
| story is current whiC h would account for the
difference between the pader and the effective
force of the army, and which, to certain ex-
tent, explains why the Emperor rushed into
war, although he knew he was unprepared.-
| Of late years his civil list has not been large
enough to provide for the lavish expense of his
court.
This largesse to his adherents and secret SER
1I Il required to keep up the love
o or oo nonnds s sfspRg his subjects. About q,
yearly from the Minister n was handed
over to him. The larceny wSs~.ancealad NV
stores, figuring on acc 'unts, which hai~ pe---
been bought, and money which was paid into
the military treasury by those drawn for con-
scription to enable the government to buy sub
stitutes.. Regiments nomnally 1000 strong
only had the effective force of 1900 The mon
ey for substitutes and supposed yearly cost o
substitutes was appropriated to the civil list
When the Emperor was obliged a few months
ago, to yield to the cry for parliamentary gov
eminent, he knew that the next Leglslatif AS
sembly would contain so many constitutional
ity, the frauds would be brought to light. Hi
only chance, therefore, was to wage war.
Official reports show that 80 French general
: are prisoners of war in the bands of Prussia.
; A committee of citizens of Nice are now OF
their way to Florence with object of asking o
the Italian government tie reunion of the dis
membered provinces of the territory of Italy.
terrific assault has been made upon thu
Notifications of Montmedy. The beseger
, opened hot fire of artillery upon the city, AM
assaulted the works with the bayonet. TIT
garrison successfully resisted the attack, ant
repulsed the Prussians totally.
The havoc among the aSsailants was dread
full. The Prussans have withdrawn from tn
neighborhood, and the French remain at Mont
medy. The Prnssian artillery fire was ferc
and effective. The shells from their guns tel
within the city, setting fire to the houses. Hal
of the city of Montmedy was destroyed by tn
coDfagration that ensued.
The distress among the inhabitants is great
The flames have been checked and the fire ex
tnguished. The bombardment continued du
ring the assault and ceased after the repulse
, the Germans.