Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-10-12
Miscellany.
From Harper's Weekly.
The Future Of France.

"'N 'iSi'iVJ' h0 10 INV Cooy W uieoo'ei
from the accounts exactly how great the
destruction is, but, if the intention of de-
fense Of the city has been serious, the
ravages of the neighborhood must have
been immense.
Paris is in peculiar Sense the pride of
France. Indeed, there was many a Pa
risian who secretly felt it to be the glory
of the world. In its perpetual carnival
it amused itself with nothing more than
satiricaI railing at Germany and the Ger
mans. There was especial zest in the Pa
risian laugh at the German soldier carca-
tured in lie General Boum, because it was
a German who served up the sneer. How
would an evening Of the "grandc duch.
esse," be relshed by the golden youth OF
Paris with the King Of Prussia occupying
Versailles as his headquarters? The
suddenness of the humiliation of Paris is
as astounding as its completeness.
And this dire humiliation of its capital
and all this unspeakable sorrow and loss
this total national decline, France owe,
chiefly to Louis Napoleon. His reign O
eighteen years seems now a kind Of Cir
cean revel. 1t appeared very splendid
and it was utterly demoraliaing and fatal
Paris has never been gayer, but all thu
while it has been truly portrayed in Cou
ture's terrible picture in the Luxembourg
the "Decadence of the Romans"
frenzed festivity is not happiness. Tn,
policy of the French empire was that o
the .baser days Of Rome, to amuse anc
excite the people, and blind by dazzlin,
them.
Paris, therefore was bcautfed. Th
new avenues, the new boulevards, wer
magnificent. But the tone of imperial so
cicty was deplorablc. The best French
men did not appear in public affairs. The.
who~did we're voices of warning andpro
test. Their attitude was that of the stat
utes of the old Romans in Couture's pic
ture. Nowhere in the world, except i
some American Democratic newspapers
did there seem to be any sincere admira
ton of Louis Napoleon or his empire. Blu
what mere paste its apparent diamond
were, how utterly hollow its pretcnse @
power or hold upon the people, the las
few weeks have shown.
That nobody sees this more plainly tha
Bismarck there can be no doubt. An
the report that he would only treat wit
a resuscated regency was therefore who
ly improbable. TO suppose that Bismarc
would refuse to treat with Jules Favr
because he could not be sure that Franc
was behind him and yet insist upon treat
ing with the name of Louis Napoleo
when he knew that France had, at least
spewed him out, however obscure every
thing else might be, was to accuse tn
most acute statesman Of modern Europ
of being deceived by a sophism which tn
mcrest doctrinaire would spurn.
Bur all the sorrow and loss and sham
which Louis Napoleon has brought upo
France will not be wholly in vain, nor
be altogether regretted, if they shall serv
to rouse the French people permanent
to the conviction that they can hereaftt
yield to any form Of personal power onl
at the peril of their very existence.
How terrible their fate under that syi
tenn has been they see but too vel
Ground to the earth by the old Bourbc
despotism, they were yet able to del
Europe, and to make their national nan
more illustrious than ever. But the Ion
succession of monarchial abuses since tho'
days has prostrated France hopelessl,
She will emerge from this contest MOI
huniliated than any great nation ev'
was in so short time. Whether, indeet
there is the necessary intelligence u
on the part of the people to confirm an
organize the republic is question to
decided only by experiment.
Louis Napoleon always retisted IL
earnest appeals of his Minister of Publ
Instruction, Duruy, to make education,
in Germany, compulsory and universal
and the French people are, therefore, vel
much less instructed than the German
and therefore, also, more helpless in IL
hands of the priests.
Should hostiities happily end within
short time, the reorganization of Franc
will be the most interesting problem
current political history. And if anythir
can serve to make the republic sure, it vi
be the remembrance of the character an
consequences of rule like that of Lou
! Napoleon. rlgga ls.