The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-09-15
FEELING IN PRUSSIA.

FEELING IN PRUSSIA.
The policy of Prussia seems to have
been to let affairs take their course, and
while unwilling to assume any responsible
ity for the candidacy of Prince HohenEol-
lern, still to avoid giving any satisfactory
guarantees to France on the subject.
n 4
WITHDRAWAL OF PRINCE HoHRNZoLLERN.
Prince Leopold, perceiving that his pre-
tensions were about being the cause of a
terrible war, voluntarily declined being
longer a candidate for the Spanish throne.
This was not sufficient, however, to satisfy
The French government and people, and
Napoleon insisted that Prussia formally
disavow the candidature, which the King
of Prussia refused to do. On the l4th
of July the French Ambassador, Count
Benedetti, demanded an audience of the
King of Prussia, to exact that the Prince
of Hohenzollern's remuneration be made
perpetual, and that the royal veto be ap-
piled to any fresh approach to the Prince
on the subject OF the Spanish throne. The
King declined to receive the Ambassador,
and answered him through an aid-de-camp
that he had no further communication to
make. Subsequent to this, Count Bene-
detti made persistent efforts to have per-
sonal interview with the King of Prussia,
and addressed him, either while promena-
ding or drinking the waters at Ems. King
William repulSed his advances, and, ac-
cOrdiug to French accounts, rebufFed him
in terms too gross for publication. On
the other hand, the German press denounce
in strong language Count Benedetti, charg-
ing him with "violating the rules of eti-
quette and good breeding, by addressing
the King of Prussia while on promenade
and endeavoring to force from him a dec
laration upon the question at issue"
COMPARATIVE POWER OF THE BELLIGER.
The military resources Of the contend
ing powers are about evenly matched, the
total strength of the army of the NORTH
German Confederation, amounting to 977,
262 men of all arms, Baden and Wurtem.
berg.
The French forces on a war footing
amount to 757,727 men exclusive of tn,
National Guard. At sea however, Franc,
has vastly the preponderanc, enablin!
her effectually to blockade all Prussian ant
German ports. Iu the event of prolong
ed war, this advantage would surely tel
greatly in her favor, and this was probabl
a leading cause in moulding the Prussial
policy.
MOVEMENTS OF THE HOSTILE ARMIES.
Simultaneous with the declaration O
war, the French under the command o
Marshal Mcmahon, advanced to the bank
of the Rhine and marched on Prussian tel
ritory, in the Southern extremity of tn
Rhine Province. The enthusiasm in Par
is and in the army on the declaration O
war, is said to have been great, and
seems to have been confidently believe
that the French army would at once eros
the Rhine, and carry the war into Germa
ny, if not to the walls of Berlin. Tn
French however, who, as after event
showed, were in comparatively small force
delayed and spent the time in strategi
movements. They seem to have under
rated the strength and failed to penetrat
the strategy of their powerful enemy. d
the contrary, the policy of the Prussia
generals was, evidently, to throw over
whelming masses in the field, and, by con
centrating all their forces, crush all oppc
sition and bring the war to an early end
So far, it must be allowed that they hav
succeeded to a considerable extent. The
have doubtless suffered enormous losses i
killed and wounded, but they have game
the prestige of victory, they have force
the French steadily back, seriously threat
ened Paris, and overrun large porto
of French territory At the present wri
ing they are straining all their powers
crush the French army under Mcmahon o
the Belgian frontier, and succeeding /
this would no doubt envelop and destro
thai of Bazaine around Metz. Shoul
they however, fail in this attempt and
, vigorous concentration of French force
arrest their onward career, the boldness {
their movements may prove their ruiz
To retreat would be difficult ifnot impo.
sible, and though successful in this, th
war would be indefinitely prolonged, an
the German Confederation, exhausted b
its gigantic efforts, would gladly forego a
} hopes of Alsace and Lorraine, if it did nj
yield the west bank of the Rhine as til
price of peace.