The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-12-22
C1AAEa ITMBEA,c, Sc,
Thursday Morning !, December %. 1870.


greatness as military power. At the
outbreak OF. the present war, the French
soldiery were regarded as models of-dis-
cipline. aud, in point of numbers. were
ih exteae of any Of the other armies Of
the'oontinen'. They we're commanded
by, officers who had won honors from the
summit of the Malakoff, and on whom
sfslI rested, the glow of brilliant achieve
ments ID! Africa and Italy. There could
hs.no doubt Of their ability to lead. and
the rank and file were full of that elan
which is the vitality Of all military organ
izatiopa, With, the Same spirit aud
ooufage their fathers displayed at Jena,
they followed the eagles of the Second
Empire to the Saar. A half century
had not lessened the muscular power of
Frenchmen. The men of eighteen hun
dred and seventy, were, iu all essential
respects, the equals of those whom the
First Napoleon led so successfully, against
as brave an enemy, as that William, of
rich in resources when the gauge of bat
tie was thrown down to the Hohenzol-
lern, and fertile science was perfecting
its arms with skill that promised splen-
did results. The unexpected co-opera-
ton of the South German States with
Prussia gave the latter numerical
supremacy at the outset, but France was
capable Of doubling her field force in
months time, and could thereby have
turned the scale Of numbers in her own
favor. Why this, was not done; why de-
feat and disaster followed each other so
rapidly, can be hscribed only to one
cause, the petty iealousies and narrow
ambitions of Frenohnlen. It is q noto-
rious fact, that prior to the calamity of
Sedan. Napoleon's attention wus divided
between his enemies in Paris and those
in the field. Soon after his leaving the
court for the camp, the foes of his
dynasty 'busied themselves in spreading
dissensions among the mercurial popula-
tion :of,thA capital. All sorts of rumors,
inimicaE ito the true interests of the
country, were: circulated by men, who.
claiming. to .love. France better than
themselves, won over. the people to their
revolutionary designs at once. Tue
forces in the field were not reinforced,
the different departments failed to CO.
operate with the regency of the Empress,
discord prevailed in the councils of the
nation, and, as might have been ex-
pected, disaster and disgrace in the field
followed. Under the regime established
subsequent to Eugenie's fight, when, to
use favorite expression of the Left"
the nation was freed from the trammels
of hated rule, matters did not improve
much. The most violent opponents of the
deposod Emperor were invited to come
forward and save the country from the
horrors of further invasion. Kochefort
and men of this kind were placed in re-
sponsible positions. They were given
an opportunity to rule France-an
opportunity for which they had been
clamoring ever since that memorable I'd
of December. 1851. They found all
France willing to give them fair trial
Men and money came from all quarters;
even women leaped to arms, and the
whole country was thrilled with enthusi.
asm never before equaled, even in enthu-
siastc France. Instead of bending every
energy for the defence of the country,
personal jealousies grew up between the
heads Of departments, and the powers of
the Government became paralyzed, be-
cause there was nc comfy between those
charged with the administration Of pub
lie affairs. Napoleon's failure can be
attributed to no other cause, and Gam
beta and his compcers have had no
better luck. The misfortuncs Of France,
therefore, have been the result of inter
nal discord, and not because the people
are less bravo than their adYersaries.
ENOUGH OF Ir.-Wo hope Congress,
for decency's and the Treasury's sake,
will quit its discussions of the amnesty
question. It is evident that no result