Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-09-07
tgatohman Sc journal,
The End of the War.

The End OF the war.
One oftho most remarkable and gigantic wars
Of ancient or modern times reached its prao-
teal close on Friday oflast week, after the short
campaign Of one month The Prussian forces at
the date of our last issue had cffectually en-.
closed Bazaine, with his army, within the for
ti6cations Of Metz Mcmahon was then re.
treating Northwards and vainly hoping to re.
leivo Bazaine from his position, and also with
hold the Grown Prince from marching on
Paris. He succeeded in the latter attempt,
and failed in the former. The armies Of the
Crown Prince and Of Frederick Charles fol-
lowed him to Mezeires and Montmedy, after
a battle extending several days and over
great reaches Of territory, they gave him the
comp de grace on the % inst. and compelled
his capiulaton and the surrender Of the En-
peror Napoleon with all his forces. 1t is i'm.
possible to say whether Paris will now stand
seiee, after the defeat Of the armies Of
France in the field but We should suppose
that the purpose of King William having
been accomplished in the overthrow Of the
Napoleonic dynasty, and the French having
been thoroughly defeated there could be no
object in protractng the war on his part and
none in continuing further disasters on the
part of the French. We can see no reason
on either side for the continuance of strug-
gle which would be obectless on the side Of
the Germans and suicidal on the part of the
French. Thus in the short interval Of sim
gle month, the military power Of one of the
strongest and most ambitious of nations has
has been efTectually humbled and broken.
The splendid armies of the empire have been
dissolved, scattered like chaff before the wind
and the Prussian battle has been only q
march and victory. Won Moltke's saying
that if " Napoleon did not cross the Rhine
before the end Of July he would never ever
see that river" has proved true and the occu
pant of the Tulleries, who went forth six
weeks ago at the head of legions that haC
never suffered defeat, now surrenders t.
his imperial foe, aud accepts terms and hi
future residence from the grace of him a
whom he had hurled his defiant declaration o
war. In vain has the valor Of the old Guart
of the Empire sought to stem the resistles
advance of the German armies. They wer,
no more to them than the Austrian legion'
at Sadowa, They suffered all that mel
could suffer, and achieved all that men coult
achieve in their position but they could moi
stand against the superior efficiency Of thei
foes The military system of Prussia ha
demonstrated it's marvellous effectiveness.
people educated to the art Of war are NOR,
powerful than the enlisted armies Of an en-
pire. The Prussian mode Of military educa
ton is as superior as its models of genera
culture. The Germans have proved the in
comparable efficiency, in purposes of war AM
Of peace, Of their system of universal educa
ton. Hencolorth, whether the other nation
of Europe are willing or not Germany lead
the van of European civilization and dictate
f to the nations Of the Continent If the re
suit of the war should be German unity, as
most likely, there is not another nation il
Europe that would would dare to provok
the hostility of Prussia She will renal
the arbiter of Europe, certainly until tn,
black eagles of the Gear shall have reached
their full maturity. She will be for year
without superior and without rival.
1t is true this war has been attended will
an immense sacrifice of human life, and ha
cost untold suilerings both to the yictors an,
the vanquished. And yet war is not an uu
mitgated evil 1t often redeems nation
from their barbarism or scourges them 70
their eaemnacy and corruption. A sever
: and terrible war is better than sensual an
enervating peace. 1t is not the worst thin
for man to lose his life 1t were far bette
than to lose his honor. So it is not the wors
thing when nation loses its princes and noble
and warriors in the fray and strife of mer
1t is better than to 60 into luxury and sybai
itism. We do not look upon this war as a
unmixed evil. For years, it is true, the Empel
or had given something like order and stabilit
to the shifting elements of the French nation
: He had established an autocracy and under h
hand quiet and peace reigned. But it was tn
quiet and peace Of authorityond not Of libert,
. 1t was the order of the restrictive hand an
not of the consenting will. He had plante
the germs, not Of national freedom but {
an imperial regime, and the recent ple5isc'
tum was the towering of the Napoleoni
/ dynasty aud not the contamination Of pOpula
] liberty lie worked for himself and not 70
France. His aim was to strengthen his ow
! throne and see son of his succeeding to III
imperial people, and not to lay broad an
= deep the foundations of liberal institution
: He has met the fate of NIL self.seekers an
J workers for their own ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
: he had built up French liberty and orde
y France would have built him up But /
: lost France and lost his own dynasty also b
Z his selfish ambition. lie will now return
his original obscurity and will have no OF
70 to reflect on but himself, as the author of HI
own disgrace and miseries His throne fal
because it was based upon nothing. He hO
= no prestige either of princely blood or roy
d actions. His hand has been upon the throat
= France ever since he inaugurated his Empi
u in the innocent blood Of the citizens of Pari
, and there is not nation in Europe that wi
Il not be more at rest since he has surrenderc
e his sword to King William.
l. We shall watch with great interest Il
> course of future events. The difficult al
r delicate work of Prussia remains to be don
q 1t is easy to cut knots with the sword, b.
j. how to gather up the severed strands al