The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-11

/ CupitulntOm OIL Motz-1ts luterv10W
with Our Special Correspondent ut
| Cassel.
| We publish elsewhere In this mornings
issue one of the most important statements that
have yet been made concerning the great. de-
cisive events Of the existing war in Europe
| II is the full report of an interview between
our special correspondent at Cassel and Mar
shall Bazaine, commander of the late French
Army of the Meuses recently forced to capitu-
late to part Of the combined armies of Ger
many at Metz, under the leadership of Prince
Frederick Charles Of Prussia.
Following Immediately upon the CONVERSE
ton of the HERALDs special correspondent
with the ex-Emperor Napoleon III. at Viii
helmshohe, it is an additional striking proof
of the readiness, nay, the eagerness, Of the
historic men of our time to avail themselves
of the vast audience which our untiring enter
prise secures to them In th cir endeavor to set
themselves right with the opinion of mankind.
Moreover, the particulars of this conference
will be read with great interest by all who
have wondered why SO distinguished soldier
as Bazaine should have surrendered an
army of l73, 600 well drilled French troops,
along with one Of the strongest fortified
places in Europe, without having made one
last desperate effort to extricate himself by q
general engagement The question has been
vehemently discussed pro and CON on both
sides of the Atlantic and with varying conclu-
sions, but the HERALD Of this morning is at
length enabled to give the true version of the
case directly from the lips of the highest and
best informed authority.
Our correspondent found the main hotel at
Cassel occupied by Marshal Bazaine and many
of the officers of his army who had surrendered
with him, and he was affably received by the
landlord, who proceeded to give him abundant
details concerning them. He very graphic
ally describes the scene in the long dining
hall, where groups Of French prisoners
of distinction were seated apart, as their pre-
objections and political opinions dictated.
The deplorable dissensions now prevailing
throughout France are, unhappily, seen to
divide these unfortunate men, even in the
presence Of their captors, some of the officers
to associate with them. Marshal Bazaine
appears before us, the stern, precise con-
scientious yet courteous militoire, jealous of
his honor yet disdainful of what he deems to
be the unjust assaults Of such men as Gam
beta, who, as he says with a sheer, ''has
never smelt gunpowder." The description
of his personal appearance is to the
life, and his clear, decisive replies
10 our correspondents inquiries are tho
roughly characteristic and leave no doubt
as to his policy both before and after his sur
render. The salient and most important point
claim the republic ne Metz;; but statdiously
concealed 1t from his troops, MGth cljngs
steadfastly to the authority Of the Emperor
and the Imperial constitutions, and acltnow-
ledges no other as get in France that he at
first proposed to capitulate to Prince Frederick
Charles, on condition that he should be allow ed
to protect the reassembling of the Repre-
sentative Body AMI the re-establishment Of
authority in France; that during the siege at
Metz he considered Paris to be under mob rule,
and that, in fine, he very distinctly held the
attitude charged against him by Gambetta aud
his colleagues in the provisional government at
Tours. The Marshafs own estimate of his
losses from the 10Th of August mp to the day
Of his surrendcr-viz, October 26-is as fol-
lows :-Twenty-four generals, 2,140 commits
stoned officers and AZ, 239 men-at-arms, with
but 10000 classed as effective fighting
men at the close, surrounded by hostile
force of 200, 600. He did not capitulate until
all the cavalry horses had been butchered and
eaten. his other stores completely exhausted
and the suffering of his troops and Of the
townspeople alike had become extreme.
The war picture that we have thus given is
one Of the most impressive in the remarkable
collection furnished to our columns by ths
most eventfu and terrible conflict 1t fixes
before the gaze Of the world, in bold relief
Ne martial figure of the stern soldier Of Metz,
and transmits to posterity his own account of
his tremendous struggle and his overwhelming
misfortune.
CREswELL having failed 10 make Maryland
republican, even with the heavy negro vote,