The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-11-11
Failure Of the Armistice.

talur6 VI tu6 drullStlCo'
Perhaps no one thing better shows the
chaotic condition Of France than the fail
ure to conclude an armisticc. Conditions
which Prussia refused three weeks ago
for basis of temporary cessation OF
hostilities were readily granted ON this
second application. and IL appears that
the French multiplex governments had 1t
all their own way. except so Ear rs being
allowed to revictual Paris, On whom
fails the responsibility Of failure Of an
mmisticc during which peace would
have been probable' Certainly not upon
Prussia. Save Paris, there is no impor-
tant military point in France which is
not held by King William. and, rs we
have before remarked In these columns.
the presence of Pr,issian troops before
Paris seems to be due to the simple fact
that they are unable TO find any authority
capable Of making treaty. There Is n
government at Lyons, Paris. Tours, and
Marseilles, and If they could not agree
upon an armistice to enable the people to
hold their elections, which government Is
going TO make peace
What any reasonable man expects Prus'
sia to do except To quit the conquered
fields and retire across the Rhine and al
low France to dictate the terms Of treaty.
has not been made apparent. But such
u course would be the reversal Of all the
laws of common sense. Of nations, and OF
WAR, from the time when Cain killed
Abel. Such course is an utter impossi-
bility. As events have proved and bid
fair TO continue, the downfall Of the dyn-
asty was the sevcrest blow France has re
ceived. For ii VAS government, its au-
thority was recognized. and II was capa-
bic OF restoring peace. But its fall left
France in the hands Of n mob with the
greatest responsibility combined with the
least authority and independence. and In
such n condition, with victorious enemy
ON her soil and her regular army cap
tured. no worse form Of government could
have been organized for France, versatile,
emotional and unstable rs the national
characteristics arc and always have been.
than n chaotic republican.
II has been said in certain quarters that
free governments could no longer sympa-
thize with Prussia, and our Washington
correspondent hints the same thing to-day,
and states that since the declaration Of n
Republic, the feeling in that quarter has
changed. We SEQ no intelligent reason
for such u change. The men who rule
France to-day are not men chosen by the
people. Gen. Trochu, the Governor. Is
the relict of the dynasty. while the other
officers have not been indicated by the
popular will. To be sure, these are slight
objections were they all, since all govern
mcnts brought about by violence must at
first be irregularly administered. But
while this newly formed Republic. owing
to the ficklcness of its subjects and the
absence of any national endorsement,
gives no evidence Of perinanency. our
sympathies should go out towards II in its
lust measures. Prussia declared she did
not make war upon the French people,
and the remark was true when the declar-
alton was made; but since then a new
condition Of things has come to pass.
The Republic, the French people. the
governing interregnum, or whatever the
authority may be called, has adopted
Napoleon's war. they have become tho
bolligercnt instead Of his dynasty. and
therefore we have no right to claim for
them immunities which we did not claim
for the author Of the war. II Is rs idle to
quote against King William his declara-
ton ut the commencement OF the war. rs
for the rebels to quote President Lincoln's
declaration mt the commencement OF ours,
that nc did not war against the slave in
stitutions Of the South. lie told the
truth. He did not Mt that time. and had
the rebels then lain down their arms they
would have preserved their institutions.
With ten for n dividend "nd two for n
divisor your quotient is one thing; but
change your dividend to thirteen and
your quotient is decidedly something
else.
Let us give manly sympathy to France
to-day. not alone because she names a
Republic. but because she can neither
hold on nor let 90, and because OF her
deep misfortunes. To longer hold out is
almost certain destruction. and yet there
is not u public man in all France whose
life would be worth centimc. II no
should recommend peace on the only
terms on which it can be obtained, not
withstandins every Gallo statesman may
think exactly rs he does. An irrcsponsi-
Lie populace governs, and they insanely
declare that the war must so ON.
r..F F.-.
Id. rrt IT. .k.o-n