The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-18
1892 AND 1870.
The Prussian Campaign Against France In
1S92-WH History Repeat ftseifs
A correspOndent writes as follows to the New

ihe SsH 1Sss"WiiI s" Hssory Repeaa i.seif insce IN
A correspondent writes as follows to the New
York Times:-
In 1899 Prussia invaded France At first her
armies achieved two signal victores-at Longwy
and Verdun. Subsequently the invaders were
repulsed, pursued into their own territory, and
severely punished. If the sons are worthy of
their sires, may not France again reverse the
triumphs of her ancient foe Il?
1t was in July, 1872, that the National Assem-
bly, declared France to be in danger, and called
upon her children to meet the emergency with
vigor equal to the great occasion. But Eng
land, Holland, and Sweden had not then entered
upon hostilities. Russia had dismissed the
French Ambassador from her capital: the armies
of Spain and Sardinia threatened France from
the Pyrenees to the Alps, and the armies of Aus
tria and Prussia, seconded by 5000 French royal
lists under the Prince of Conde, invaded France
by way of the Low Countries, Germany, and
Switzerland. Besides these external enemies
approaching from every side, France had to
contend with civil war in several of her own
departments. She had in arms only $4,000 men
in the south and 5000 in the north and east,
to oppose to more than 20O, GOO foes.
On the 22d of August the Prussians entered
Longwy, and Verdun fell September g. But
eighteen days later General Dumouriez defeated
the Duke of Brunswick at Valmy. Subsequently
the Prussans were repulsed from the ''detles de
pArgonne, sometimes called the "French
Thermopple" were compelled to retire
beyond the Rhine. In the meantime General
taken Worms and Mayence, and the armies of
the south had invaded Savoy and the country of
Nice.
On the 9th of November, the French, under
Dumouriez, defeated the Austrians at Jem-
mapes. On the 14th the same force captured
Brussels, and soon after added Malines, Ant
werp, Liege, and Namur to their triumphs
Thus in less than three months the young armies
of the Republic, called in derision by the Prus-
slams "rdrmee des GUocGts," had driven from
their soil all the forces coalesced against France
and had invaded the Low Countries, the Pala-
tinate, Savoy, and Nice.
After the battle of Valmy, while the allied
armies were still occupying French soil, the
Duke of Brunswick sought to open negotiations
for peace. But the National Assembly answered,
as the French people are answering now, ''We
will not negotiate with the enemy until he shall
have been repulsed from France" They made
good their words, animated by the spirit of
their fellow-countrymap, Beaurepaire, who,
commanding at Verdun short time previously,
when some of his own officers were urging
him to capitulate, replied; II have sworn not
to surrender while alive. Survive to your shame,
If you dare! AS for me, faithful to my oath,
die free to save my honor"
Such were the Frenchmen of 1892 Have their
sons degenerated in eighty years of civilization?
III not, why should they not carry on the parallel
TO the end OF the current chapter? Again, in
new war, the Prussians have begun with sue
cesses at Saarbruck and Weissenburg-the
Longwy and Verdun of the pending campaign.
Who shall say that the French nation, aroused
and stung by these reverses, will not turn upon
and rend the now triumphant invader, inflicting
upon him many another Valmy and Thermo-
pyla
Certainly the lesson of 1892 should at least
teach us to accept with caution the idea that
because Prussia has won a battle or two France
is to be overrun, humiliated, and disgraced.
| What evidence have we that her people have
| fallen so low that they can accept national
| degradation at the hands of only one of the
several powers against which they waged sue
as limited as now they are profuse, their poverty
| as great as Is now their wealth Possibly
| France, In the future-despite all her glory and
| power, and take rank with Portugal or Dem
| mark. But 1t is not probable that her people
win accept that fate without many struggle,
/ compared with which the battle of Haguenau
viii be only as the first droppings OF a summer
! shower.