The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-08-22
The Conditions of Peace.


by the French to cut through the Prus.
sian lines and escape; but it was defeated.
This defeat, following upon the heels of
constant succession of crushing disasters,
must be taken as substantially deciding the
war France has no other army that can be
opposed to the victorious Prussians. 1t is
true that some two hundred thousand men
have been assembled Mt Chalons, the majority
of whom are militia without experience In
war but it IL manifest that this force can
not attempt to oppose the progress OF the
Crown Prince of Prussia. AT the head of
force of three army corps, he has steadily
pressed forward in the direction of Paris,
| while the united armies under his father
have been engaged around tho walls of
Metz Of course this miscellaneous French
| army at Chhlons must now at once retreat 90
| Paris, and what is most probable is a contest
| of sreed between it and the Prussians under
the Crown Prince But before battle can
| be fought in front Of Paris or before the for.
tiiications Of that city can be subjected to in.
vestmont, we shall probably hear of propo
| siions for peace from the new Government
of France, whatever that may be, and of the
| opening of negotiations with tho conqueror
What then win be the terms Oh which he
will consent TO end the war and iaarch home
again?
| Our able contemporary, the Stats ZcitRng
and we speak Of its ability with no inten-
ton to pay it q merely commonplace cOmpli-
ment--has constantly insisted of lato that
the Prussian Government must claim rs an
indemnity for the cost and losses which the
war has imposed upon it the cession by
France of the ancient provinces of Alsace
- Lorraine; md this is also the gen.
orol opiplon o. the journals of Eng
land. These two pr w" 4'i IL
the six departments of Upper ."u I"'"oi
Rhine, of vosges, Mour.he, Moselle, and
Meuse in tho French Empire. Tley have
belonged to France now for upward of two
centuries. Their united population is some
| thing like two millions and half Of people,
one half of whom are of German origin aad
speak German At the same time, these
| people, German as we'll us French, are repre-.
scented as being ardently attached to France
and hostile to Germany and we are told
that any attempt on tho part of Prussia to
establish her government over them must
result in latent civil war, which VIII cost
Prussia far moro than any advantage that
she may derive from their possession.
This consideration is certainly not with
out weight; but the history Of Europe if
full Of example which show that pro
vinces detached from one country and
annexed to another, whether by the or
erations of war or Of diplomacy, alwaYi
in time amalgamate themselves with theil
new nationality and gradually acquire q
Jealous patriotism toward a goycmm'n
which ct the beginning they dislike Orc oi
! the latest illustrations of this is the annexa
ton Of the province of Savoy to France
Nothing could well lave been more migrate
iul to the Sayoyards than TO be separated
from monarchy to which they had belong
ed from tho beginning of modern European
! history nevertheless the transfer was quiet
r " effected, and France has governed tn
! country thout difficulty ever since. Shout
Lorra. ne and Alsacc now be transferred from
France TO Prussia az an indemnity for tn
e charges Of the war, there is no reason TO m
e ticipate any serious difficulty in compictin.
! thei. INCORPORATION with the Prussan MOI
| archy OF course strong garris)ns VIII 70
i come time be necessary in all importan
/ places but to say that six French dcpar
3 ments will be able TO resist the authority {
k Prussia for an indefinite period when al
l. France he's not been able to resist it for sing
y month. san aEourlitv. If Prussia desires
q annex these two provinces there is no pow,
e TO forbid her having them; nor will IN
N power he likely to prevent her keepir
ID them; nor will there be anything unreason
A BILE in such purpose on her part. The wi
il, has been forced upon her without cause
IN the ambition of the French Emperor, and
at is not unreasonable that France, having fC
nc lowed and supported him in-his unjustiiiab
at enterI rise should be- ilHdn 10 bear tho g
~ prnec of a conflict for which she as well
lac is responsible.
he IL is also rumorcd about Furore that Pr
m STA will require the French to czpol the
ar. NApARTEs and raise the ORLEANS FAM
NJ. once more to the throne. That the BoH
as Parties will be dealt with NJ public n
as snnce is most probable; but it would
he worry njudicious for Prussia to dictate
ed France what form of government or wi
IN chief ruler she must adopt That questi
It, will doubtless be left, ostensibly Mt least
on the free choice of the French people but w
nd an Orleanist soldier like TROCHU comma
Ike ing in Paris, and with the military
uct ment exercising an extraordinary miluel
son throughout tho nation, it would not
his surprising if the grandson Of Lo
ate PHILIPPE should within very brief per
Dad be proclaimed King of the French in
rdi same capital whence twenty-five years {
had the Grnnd'othor fed before Republican
yOE olntion.
.rs. The most obvious consequences of
i'm. war are the termination of the BoNAPAl