The New York herald., 1870-12-17
sTRAsBOuRG. s

TRASBOUIG.
=. -
Consequences or the Wmr-An Emigrant Ex-
odns from Franee-Ihe Population of AIsuce
and Lorraine--Asatian HevoIution--inter-
national Cor,parson with Gerniauy--Can
Prussia Really COuso!ida!ee
SrRAsBoURG. Dec. /. 1870.
Thirty thousand families, 1t is stated on reliable
authority, are prepared to emgrato from AIsace
andsLorraine in case the Prussans are determined
70 sever those provinces from France. ..Ncycr Will
the population submit TO Prussian rule" These
assertions and others OF an analogous character
have heard in cyers direction. prominent cti-
OF Alsace gave 1t as his opinion that Prussian
dominion can only be enforced by sheer terrorism.
Yes. added friend of the speaker the annexa-
tion Of our beautiful country would prove ruinous
10 ALL 1t woud tend 10 excite the horrors enacted in
Poland for series OF years; OF, rejoncd third gen.
tieman, they Will lnd that at least they have con-
Gaerea country whose people, governed by sense
or discomfort, viii be constant source of trouble-a
burden similar 10 what Ireland Is TO Great Britain
ALSACE.
Personal observations which have been able to
make seem fully to bear out The correctness OF these
assertions. Generally spca .ing, the population OF
Lorraine Is probably soIaN bar ukcwarm on the sub.
Jcct, but Aisace. whose Inhabitants are more
vigorous, express themselves with GOOD
deal OF determination against annexation.
" Is complete dcluslon TO believe In
the existence OF German "partyn in those
two provinces. There is no German element
prevalent anywhere. Little or no German is spoken
In Lorraine, AMI the people OF Alsace essentially
French; above all the citizens OF Strasburg. Tney
take even more pride in the idea that they form part
and parcel OF La Bet,e France than Partisan does.
Their language, It cannot be denied savors strongly
OF German accent. Nevertheless, the Stras-
bourger feels belited Il you take him to be Ger
man. The proximity or the little duchy of Baden
end the constant intercourse with Its people make
II nec sssary for business purposes as wen as
social intercourse to keep up the Teutonic. The
language Of his heart however. Is and always has
been Fren.h.
In fact this Is often carried to an extent which
assumes an aspect OF the ludlcrous. The Alsa,lan
IN strongly imbued with love Tor hls country and
thai country is France lie is always conscious OF
being member OF 'id 0rdnde nation,
NATIONAL COMPARISON.
On tae other hand. when he compares the political
status VI his noighbors in Baden he is certainty not
La pircd with Thoughts OF empire. Indeed, what he
and learns Of their condition IL not calculated
u excite envy, still less a desIro to change
his allegiance from France to Germany Nor
do the inhabitants os Baden encourage him in
su,;h ideas. Quite the reverse. 1hc republican
every OCCASION and this point on which the IN
haDlantS 0f Alsace coincide with tner German
neighbours This is the nam plank when Is capable
oi sustaining the feelings vi fraternity between
chem. Remove " from the platform and you Will
mud that they are utter strangers to each other Ii
III can be proyed-and DON'T thtn< there il the
slightest doubt that II can-tnat The French hate the
Prusslans, you nnd II equally true that the people OF
Baden have an inherent dislike to annexation Of
Prussia.
have cultivated the acquaintance OF many sober
minded, substantial men, and they unanimously
oi opinion that Baden VIII go TO nlan Tor re pusii
can Institutions II they should obtain IN France.
The same feeling prevails throu .hout Rhenish
Bavaria. But OF course, under the present rule,
these feelings do not come TO The surface, The peo-
pie venture to speak these topics only Ia Wits
pef. while the press remains silent from u sense or
fear and under the domination OF police regulations.
know 1t to be fact that corrcspon cnts or foreign
papers even dogged when suspc cion arises
Of their holding intercourse with the editors
OF liberal papers Tne number OF letters which
Germany ends sreng to or the onun a
chat they have established cabinet nor conncc-
tion with the Prussian Post ofiicc. BE this as 1t
may, 1t stands TO reason that long as the war
lasts both Alsace and Lorraine must OF nee assity
submit TO martial law. Moreover, the Inhabitants
p0rary. This credulify makes them dOciie Tor the
time beng, IN the hope that ultimately they VIII
reap reward, and receive At the hands OF Prussia
more iensent treatment tnan they would II
a spirit of opposition were manifested. This fact
leaders. VINO contributed much towards forming
public opinion IN ordinary times have ceased 10
liarangue the provinces Their peroraiIons having
beon slenced they withdrew 10 hooks and corners
of obscure Gates The newspaper press In the In
vaded d1strcls has been placed on tho Shelf
Count Bismarck mas ordered editors from Berlin
TO take possession by requSitlOn oil the Offices and
printing establishments at Nancy and at Rheims.
The post oiicc, subject to certain restrictions
prompted by military considerations, ls the ser.
vice OF the public. But tel egraphic communications
are maintained for the use Of government only the
public not being admitted.
passenger on the cars between StraSbourg and
Nancy a few dafs ago lost his purse, containing
several hundred dollars. 10 avoid inconvenience
hc de5nea 10 Use the wIre but IL was only alters
good deal OF coaxiig, producing OF passports and
6undry eSplauatl0nS tndt he could prevail upon the
military COMMANDER III charge OF The depot grant
permission TO telegraph for his losS purse.
The same rule obtains with passenger or freight
tralc on the railroads. II Is almost Impossible TO
forward goods, unless destined for the use o. the
army, and passengers can only obtain tickets ter
Identification from tie military inlnandcr.
WAR REPRESSION AND IFS EFFgCr
LII appears tolerably clear, therefore, that the peO-
pic remain as 1t were under blockade. All means OF
earning an honest livelihood are cut oil, the imme-
diate consequence being bitter hatred. Resist
ance. OF course. IS utterly out of question But
what are the poor people 10 dor WHAT U future
have they before them The rich people will un-
doubedly leave the country. 80 Will the storekeep-
ers TWO or three people, engaged in business at
Nancy, declared frankly 10 me few days since that
they would sell out ana cmlgrate 10 America. They
were determined not to submit to Prussian rule.
rms was no idle tax nor was 1t an isolated case
TnOse VINO have lald aside a little money Will be
enabled 10 carry out their designs But how to deal
Wth the rural population - a problem diiicult 10
sUive. The fall season boon wet and cOll sick
cr0pS are lost their homes devastated. Starya.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES them. They are INTELLIGENT
doclle and good-natlred. II properly guide tney
Will make excellent colonIsts.
GERMANY