The New York herald., 1870-12-19

says that the condition Of the city has not I'm
proved In any respect. Something has been done
TO complete ana improve the fortidcauons but the
Prussans nave pushed on their works still more
Tspd maa sre Tse too especially the fresh
inhabitants changed Tor the better; some are prey
to tne most profound encouragement, while others
gazing AT them with admiration. The writer thinks
q ceea,uqs y nsh ., time me S put stop to the pro-
who Think they can earn the character Of
svs sss4sss sns wna essf spesss sSars Ts
treason. HIS advice is that all who ACT thus should
De drafted at once into the regular army. Paris
equal TO the investing army In numbers but It is far
" Ts5sS %,s s:ssS sS
@ TONS fa q real there rae aTS n
and II 3d. are there provisions enonrh ia the civ 10
enable 1t to hold out TIL 1t Is reieseds II either
oI OF these questions must be answered IN
the negative, the writer earnestly lntreats the
authorities not TO continue the resistance until
Count Bismarck's prophecy Is fulfilled. II the
provinces leave PARIS TO her fate there IL
why she should sacrifice herself for them Though
she cannot alone change the course or the war, or
even continue her resistance with any hope OF sue
cess, she can sun inrct severe losses on the Ger
mans, who would therefore at present grant her
favorable terms. II hopeless defence be continued
untii all her resources are exhausted she VIII be
entirely al their mercy.
THE PRESENT FRENCH REPUBLIC.
The Poster Lloyd says:-"We do not believe
those are right who consider the events Of the last
few months a sufficient cause ior declaiming about
the moral decline OF the French nation the de-
generacy OF the Latin The people are, we be.
lieye, pretty nearly what they were eighty years
ago, but 1t seems as If the ideas which have the
power OF Influencing them had suffered a change.
The idea OF the republic OF to-day anu the idea of the
ran
ferent things. The republic in practice Q Is only
negative II signifies merely the absence OF sove-
reign While eighty years ago IT rich In positive
significance, and included everything great and uni.
versal which the age produced The republican form
OF government. in Its naked simplicity, hewevcr de-
suaDle " may appear 10 some, could never produce
such marvellous effects sn the minds of men were
calied iortn Dy the great French revolution. These
effects are TO be attributed less TO the political
poets OF the first republic than to the material
social IDEAS which IL embodied. Ii the first revolu-
tlon had done no more than de hrone the dynasty,
II 1t had not inscribed its banners the names oil
liberty and equality which then new Ideas and
Therefore possessed OF tenfod power 1t ould not
nave formed new era in the history OF the world.
~ would not nave lett any greater traces tnan
forciole change OF dynasty usually makes the
history OF country. Its greatness CONSISTS In the
TACT that lt overthrew not only throne, bua social
system which had existed for a thousand years. and
substituted lor an unjust Just form society. Its
arose from the fact that the best and important
IDEAS which 1t embodied We're not inseparauy con-
nected WIN any single form OF government, but
might be realized III monarchy as well US repub-
lie. And these IDEAS IN spite OF their immense sig
nincance, were expressed in short and simple SEN
tences whicn every citizen could understand and
remember. They were grand and simple, like the
Coperncan system let us say; and the latter
plesely Changed the views OF mankind al 10 the
structon of the universe the French revolutO In
trOduced new, popular and easily cOmpre hensible
theory or political and social life.
In tins TACT lay the secret OF its uncomfortable
power. 1t would be as great mistake TO expect the
same effects from the proclamation OF a republic
now as TO suppose that an exposition OF the move
mens OF the heavenly bodies In our days could pro-
duce the same excitement which the first discovery
OF the laws that regulate them did The
Ideas proclaimed by the frst revolution have become
the common property OF mankind, just as much as
the discoveries or COpernlcuS and Newton. Their
hrst proclamation rendered a second unnecessary.
The political and social improvements which w
now aim at differ from those OF earlier period IN
twq respects. Firstly, tney are reforms In detail,
system, but to develop IT, and, secondly, they cannot
be advocated by means or short and simple dogmas,
which appeal to the IMAGINATION Of the people. The
revolution. which scattered sher rich heard OF ideas
freely among the people, has exhausted her store
and can oier little that is new. 1t Is our task to
care for the plants which springing from the seed
she has Gown. The ideas OF our swn age appeal
rather to the intelligence than the Imagination OK
the people. Their influence Is not on that account
less wholesome aud lasting, but 1t is slower and
therefore less likely 10 produce great and sudden
displays oil enthusiasm among the masses.
In order to produce ouroursts OF popular passion
we VIII not say equal but In any respect similar to
those OF the first French republic the present leaders
would have 10 enter the field or socialism Tn re
alone can grand new systems be found; there alone
~ possible to proclaim dogmas to the people with
the air OF prophet The doctrines OF the revolution
were eternal truths **< It would be unjust 70 as
sert that the French nation had given dmirable
have been prompted by PATRIOTISM rather than their
repubcanism. They have shown the world that pa
trlotism can do much, but not everything
FRENCH sPEcULAT0R IN THE CAMP.
As parallel to the contractor for 200 900 uniforms
we met at Lille, says English writer, youngster
NJ only niU
who had disposed, for his principal, Of nearly O
hundred thousand army shirts to the French govern
ment at 81. 55c. eacn, and had made on part
thereof a bonus OF 4,000I.
WAR BOOKS AND BooKMAKERs
very hood OF political pamphlets relating to this
war, says correspondent in Lille. mandates the
bookstalls OF Brussels and Lille, they being pub
lished in these two cities chiefly Two or three are
worth review. The well known "L'Homme de Sc
dan," by Count dc la Guerronniere, already In It's
sixth edition, is now followed by "L'Hcmme dc
Metz" from the same pen, and by another
"LHomme de Metz,n by Albert Alexandra, "Dlrec-
teur du Journal la verlten Then there is "L'Acte
d'Accusation de Bazaine," by II. Nazet and
E. A. Spoil the same writer's who, in the
'Moselle Campaign'D. Another is entitled 'Na-
poleon H.; qu'aveZ-vOus lat de Ia France p,
deduction In favor or the former, from the facts
OF the present war. The "Reponsc dun Allemand
NJ. Victor Hugo" (anonym0us) seems hardly worth
while as far as the question turns Paris chiefly.
and tor the rest the author appears quite passion
ate an extremist as Hugo himself. LA Chouanne-
re en- 1907 and "Etudes Militaires by Jules Labbe
hints and arguments on the organization for the
guerilla war. DESCRIPTIONS des Fortifcations de
Paris,n by L. Vandevede, leaves one in doubt
whether tits simply good natured attempt to satisfy
legitimate curiosity or an attempt at warning
against the probable German plan Of attack. There
are yet others; but have, suppose, strained your
readers patience enough for day.
THE GERMAN HOSPITAL IN THE PALACE or YER.
SAILLES.
The North German Gazette gives an account OF
the military hospital at Versailles. The wounded
are placed in the picture galleries, the large win.
dows Of which opened so that the air Is kept
pure. Every patient has a bed, with one or two
mattresses, two blankets and clean sheets. The
body linen and sheets have often, from the nature
OF the wounds TO be changed daily, and in five
weeks 7,o48 articles have had to be washed,
without reckoaiHg a large number OF bandages,
and 366 mattresses. The Gauerte des Batai,les Is