New-York tribune., 1870-09-17
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
JUSTICE 10 GERMANY.


COURSE THE RIGHT ONE. .. ...tI
To ht Edit0r OT The TrtbUHe. ...
SIR: AS friend OF justice and progress, you
have up to this time, ably defended the cause of Ger
many. ] was, therefore, surprised to read in tdiy's
TRIBUNE editorial In which IL is urged That King WI
liam has for prolongng the struggle that GER
many has right 10 insist on reasonable guarantees
against another French stack hut has the right 10
make France her yassa subject her capita and her
provinces 10 the dOyasations mseparable from war"
AT the time you deny that this war was popular
and national the part Of France, and point to the
fact that there has been such spectacle was dis
played in this country during the prosecution Of the
war for the Union" The sudden transformation Of
France seems TO have a wonderful effect upon the public
mind on this side OF the Atlantic but am surprised that
your Judgment shoud he sufficiently Influenced by II TO
make you believe that Germany can secnre the giiaran-
tees on which, you admit she has right 10 insist in
any other way than bya continuance OF the military ope
rations Of her army.
Since France has assumed the style Of republic,
many who formerly favored Germany have shown an IN
cination TO change their position The word re-
public gives golden nts 10 everything that is French in
the eyes of certain people "C3l it Burgundy said
Boniface OF his ale "and 1t il worth guinea quart
The right Of the hohave Just assumed the functions
OF government in France TO call II Republic is about az
clear as that of Bonface to call his ale Burgundy Are
there men in possession Of their wits who knowing that
"VireP Emperor! ?! and furnished means. men and money
TO assist Napoleon in his sggrandzing schemes against
Germany yet believe that this unsteady, eyerchang
ing and frivolous people with its evil instincts, can III
nght-prestO be transformed into good republicans,
prepared to assume the grave responsibilities Of self
government and TO maintain this proud position Look
well at this France Is there not the strong antrepub-
Ican clerical party backed ignorant bgoted peas
antryi IA not bogeoisie is not also Paris with ts
shopkeepers demnopde and hdute DOEee, in favor OF
royalty with its spendo extravaganza and gay riyo-
ties, which attract TO that Mecca Of tourists
thousands OF foreigners ready to submit their purses and
persons to the Partisan sweating process In short are
not really the national idOsyncrases of the French peo
pe-for which individuals perhaps, are less responsible
than the national insttutions-antirepubican have
much faith in the stability OF this newborn repub
lie but nobody will rejoice than shall If future
prove my opinion to be erroneous The transition
We are informed "has been orderly and quiet" but we
must not forget how much ont OF the order OF Things
such orderly transformation with the French ITO
chu seemingly had prepared the way for this quiet reVo
luton, and TTOChu s IAN Orleanlst Palkao, stfong
Bonaparst, has power STILL and cannot resist the con
viction that the wemesnng men who at TINS moment
conduct the affairs OF France VIII DE unaDle 10 na,a
themselves. The last hope of the empire was desoyeG
at Sedan change necessary and fear that victor
Hugo Louis Blame etc, will be used as the frog was
used by the angler and that this republic may prove
thing devised 20 deceive the wOfu ana 10 @ h
designs of France on Germany from reDouhdng HAe 'ne
gun OF Hudibras .. - :, ~.
Rut w
Republic cannot save France from the
of this war The opinion gains ground that King William
pt d Ss he sfpet Republic
Is thought that King William wishes to see Napoleon
orders that the captive Emperor shall be treated az the
sovereign OF France Germany knows that by interier
herself nOnnteryentOn Is one OF the purposes tor
which she ia fighting: hut King William may consider
Jules Fayre Victor Hugo, Ledru-Roin unauthorized
to act in the matter for the French people But Germany
have the prize OF her victories, ana insist upon
| snta for behavior France.
France must not have the right TO force war upon
| her neighbors at pleasure coming OFF with the loss
and helping herself at will to other nations territory
when she succeeds How absurd it would be TO request
the Germans after their enormous sacrifice OF men and
ton merely beease the Empire after ali hope for success
had vanished gave way to the Republic 10 escape the
security there that France may not tomorrow after
another sudden transformation repeat the thngl
Of the Rhine as Il did savoy and Nice from poor helpless
Italy; and Germany does not demand too much II it asks
| nces Elsass and Lothrngen. Let me bring the case
nearer home to Americans suppose the Conederates, in
the American war; should after the surrender Of Lee,
have asked Of the North to be satisfied with their aeknOw
edgment Of defeat but begged s not to interfere with
their Government, and by all means TO leave Slay-
cry untouched would not Americans have smiled at
absurd request This country could not be so unmnd
fu OF its duties to the future and the result has been
satsfactoy since the 'exed question OF & state s9yef
Slavery the apple dscord removed and the country
venture to say, advanced no less than century pot
cay. The neutral Powers ought certainly TO support
! Germany in her Just demands
The phantom of PangerInanism has more than once
frightened Europe and even our English cousins seem
alarmed although they ought to know that Germany is
The only continental Power upon which they can lean in
| case Of danger Just as an English statesman was in.
duced by the events Of 1886 TO make the mpotic and
untrue assertion that England no longer European
but Asatic Power an English Journal is alarmed
new Power on such a scale as this-a Power able in
month to lay the greatest state Of Europe lows mat
nary evidence of its pacific magnanimity" The we'll
known pacific, nonaggressve character OF the Germans
ought allay all and be sufcient guarantee
for the future peace Of Europe. Germany will also be
magnanimous in order TO enable France to her
eduanmity and her generosity but do not think
that the loss or me German provinces IL sueh huna-
On render impossible for France to think OF her
allowed to escape punishment for making a wantonly
aggressive war on a neighborng state This war on the
France ever since has shown the sptefulness OF
wounded snake We have heard what French statesmen
have written and said have heard OF the great act
y in French camps and the experiments with improved
firearms to be tested against the neede-gun; We
have seen how question in itself unimportant was
aggravated by a personal insult to King William, and
forged into pretext for and have seen the
short ali that wanted to make this one Of the most
popular France has ever undertaken s-success
Not Oe seG y against a e4e se ySr Sr1 SS
Blanc, Ledru Ron. It is true that the French
sny Was more or es oS6 not SeR nave these
siyeness Does anybody expect from them anything
like the spectacle which was displayed during the war
for the Union in this country. where people fully
alive the fact that eternal vigilance is the price Of lib
erty and where the participation OF the i'll the
Fair-mnded will that Germany is fully iusti
fed In her acts far. Should King William, however,
attempt interference in the domestic affairs OF France
and should he the conclusion OF this war fail
comprehend the necessities OF his tme and pursue
course foreign the political instincts OF the German
people. then let raise voices against him, and
from this side OF the Atlantic let universal Vac a6
thunder against him but not till then.
Ner- York, Sept II, 1870 ]. c. OSCAR.
PLEA FOR THE VANQUISHED.