The New York herald., 1870-12-17

last hope OF France. No doubt they VIII doeat tne
Army OF the Loire. Not because they defeated
MacMahon and Bazaine, but because they have per-
fectly appointed, thoroughly disciplined, veteran
army, whose movements are directed by greas
srategist and because 1t Is not within the limits OF
possibility that generals OF only ordinary capacity
can resist all this with new troops. Although there
can be no reasonable dsuet that the Army OF the
before Paris loses It's last hope, and Paris must
lose s last hope before 1t Will surrender and not
t all this mas been done can the terms OF peace be
defined The end, therefore, La slill remote. and
contingent upon many chances.
make peace till they have taken Paris SO It Is equally
Impossible Tor any party that may speak on behalf
OF France TO force the terms OF peace in view Of the
great dtfculty or the question OF Alsace and LOr-
raine. Napoleon, the Count de Paris and the revo-
lutonary government are In perfect accord on this
can cede these s provinces" Tse revousionsry gov
ernment has committed itself to the ridiculous ex.
travagance Of the declaration that 1t win not yield
an inch OF French territory. Napoleon turns
away appalled, ct this first necessary step
abate a lot OF her pretenslon and none authorized
to speak on behalf Of France viii for moment con-
side her terms. What can be the lssuef Some
BODY must give In. Practical common sense must
take t1e place OF sentimental extravaganza. France,
having ner own poisoned challce commended to her
Ups must M quair II. AS she would have taken pro-
The only Frencnman have heard discuss this
sunect without his head IN che clouds Is old Bazaine
who 1t need scarcely be said Is not the incapable
that many men seem to suppose. "In oil wars
says the old soldier there IS conquering side and
one to fail to recognize fact so simple. Yet we
have only to recognize this fact to make our duty
clear we are beaten. Had we been the victOrs,
who doubts but we would have taken the provinces
OF Rhenish PrussiaP But as the fortune Of war Is
given"
II any one competent to speak for France had the
~ 70 Dase nus acuSn on on 80 pain piece
But the fact Ia that while all parties roth at the
mouth with patriotism there Is no real patriot. All
M
viii not cede the provinces because 1t would make
sucn vlainous record" There Is no Curtius to
Tor the good OF his country.
It Is odd TO notice how, here In Frankfort, the
tion Of the booksellers. All the windows are filled
with ancient pamphlets, histories and descriptions
OF the provinces and with al necessary MATERIAL In
deed. for getting at the truth OF point which
much stress Is laid--namey, whether France really
wronged Germany out Of his territory, and whether,
II these provinces 60 back to what Mr. Carlyle calls
their Teutonic master, IL win simply be the resora
tion Of stolen children. Certainly the Prussan au-
thorties care nothing for this does practically
matter how the truth stands; but the subject has
certain interest 1t will not be untimey to give the
| result OF some examination of the old documents
made 10 while away the time OF waiting the mill.
| tary authorities
The substantial result Is very curious touching
StrasbourR, and especially the charge that 1t was
stolen. The treaties OF Munster twestphalia)
Nimeguen and Ryswick give the whole title. by the
ror the empire and the house OF Austria possession
ana the right OF sovereignty In all possessions OF
Alsace-vlz the country Of Fenette Beliort, bile,
Thann, Altkrch ana Eisenheim. This was not in
pursuance OF conquest The Archduke Ferdinand
Charles, who owned territories hereditary, had
never warred against France France paid three
millions OF lire mine million francs) and assumed
twO-thirds OF the debt owing by the Chambers OF
| Elsenheim. By the same treaty France obtained In
! additlsn to the territories named in Upper Asace
| the 'landgraviate of Upper and Lower AsaceD and
the prefecture of Hagenan." including the Imperial
| cities, The nominal sovereignty In these was q
possession OF the house or Austria, independently OF
gahR vnnr
France obtained sovereign rights over the city OF
Strasosurg by paragraph 16 OF the treaty OF Rys-
Wick; also over the dependencies OF the city the
| right bank Of the Rhlne-namely Barre, Wasse-
b0une and Marlenheim This resulted from an
exchange against the cities of Fribourg, Brisach
and Kehl, which the preceding treaty OF Westphala
had placed under the sovereignty OF France. One
possession was bartered against another; that
France came by StrasbOurg as honestly as the
United States came by Alaska.