The New York herald., 1870-11-01
Late Astounding hsveMts in ErGDcs aaa Her
Present Oonditioa.


Late Astounding hvsMls ia Eraocs ana .Ises
| Present Uondisio.. f4
Poor France, How has the mighty fallen
There is no parallel in the history Of great
nations to the rapid fall and PROSTATE condition
Of France. But yesterday, comparatively
All the nations feared her military prowess
An alliance with her was eagerly sought
Proud England deemed herself happy and safe
while France was her friend and ally. In
turns both Russia and Austria, two Of the
most powerful empires In the world, were
Inundated by her arms. Yes, it is only few
years since the war OF the Crimea and that
famous Italian campaign which drove
tho Austrians from Italy. The military
glory of the 6rst republic and frst empire
seemed to have been revived. The verdict Of
the world was that France was still mighty
and brave nation. No nation was willing to
measure swords with her slngle-handed. Even
Prussia consented to the dlsmantling Of Lux
embourg but three or four years ago, at the
demand Of France, rather than risk war. She
yielded even to the imperious demands Of Ma
poleon In the matter Of the oandidature Of
Prince Hohenzollern for the Spanish throne
to avoid, Kpossible, war with France. Such
was the prestige Of French power up to the
present war, four months ago.
Look ct France now. What change! It
seems almost Incredible that such Power in
the heart Of Europe, with forty millions of
brave people, should be 80 transformed. II is
like miracle. We need not recapitulate the
events Of the war-the astounding sue
cess of the German hosts in one
great battle after another. They are familiar
to oil our readers. Little less than half a
million Of armed men ON the side of the
French have been put hors dc cons6at-nearly
the whole Of the regular army, the flower of
France-in the short space Of four months
Besides some of tue strongest fortresses in the
world have fallen before the enemy, and an
amount Of war materials, arms and guns
almost incredible has been surrendered.
run and desolated The conquering Germans
spread over the country wherever they will
and In every direction, like locusts and meet
with but feeble resistance. The vast French
navy, that was built up at an enormous
expense, ani considered second to none in
Europe, has done nothing. The proud capital
of France and of the civilized world, which
was fortified at every point in the
strongest manner, is shut off from the
rest of the world under the grip
of the Prussiaus. The late imperial govern
ment has abandoned France to her fate, and
the existing provisional government is fugi
tive from the capital and knows not where to
find resting place. The cry of agony arises
from every part Of the country. French pasri-
otism, so ardent and profound, cannot find q
rallying point in sufficient force to stop the
tide of conquest. 70 put the climax to all these
terrible misfortunes Bazaine has surrendered
an army Of hundred and fifty thousand men,
with the strongest fortress in France, to the
enemy.
The first question that naturally arises in
the mind is, how has the great French nation
been brought to such condition? Admitting
the superior preparations Of Prussia for the
war, the superior skill Of her generals, the
enormous forces she assembled and the advan-
| tage she has taken, more than the French, of
those modern agents Of progress, the rail
roads and telegraph, still these will not
account entirely for the overwhelming
and constant defeats Of the French
and the PROSTATE condition Of the
country The cause, in great measure, must
be found in the imperial government and the
demoralized state to which it had brought the
nation. The proclamation of the provisional
government, signed by MN. Cremieux, Glais-
Bizoin and Gambetta, on the surrender Of
Bazaine, which we published yesterday, ex-
presses in the most graphic manner the cause
principally Of these disasters. s'Frenchmen,"
they say. measure the depths Of the abyss
into which the empire has precipitated you.
For twenty years France submitted to this
corrupting power, which extinguished in her
the springs OF greatness and life. The army
of France, stripped Of its national character,
became, without knowing it, ON instrument of
tyranny and Of servitude, and it is swallowed
up, in spite Of the heroism Of the soldiers, by
tie treason Of her chiefs" The army had
been detached from the people and used as
an instrument to oppress them. From
the hour that Louis Napoleon usurped power
over France through the army to the day of bis
fall he maintained his authority by the bayonet
His government was the most skifully CEN
tralized one in Europe. 1t was perfect
machine, covering and controlling every
department and municipality. Any plf5iscste-
any vote he wanted-could be worked out by
this machine, under his direction. While he
fattered the vanity aud diverted the French
people by several foreign wars; while he
created an ephemeral prosperity in France,
through enormous expenditures Of money, and