The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-08-12
The Struggle In france.

Our telegraph dispatches have been
sufficiently complete TO convey TO our
readers a pretty clear conception Of
the progress Of events in France. now
the seat of war. The severe battles
on Friday and Saturday of last week,
in which the Crown Prince of Prus-
sia defeated the right wing of the
French army under Gen. McMahon,
and Gen. Steinmetz, commanding the
Prussian center. overwhelmed and
almost entirely destroyed the French
corps commanded by Gen. Froissard
seem to have almost revolutionized
the French Empire, if they do notyet
result in the overthrow Of the Napo-
leonic dynasty. With a thought
lessness peculiar to the French
people, they underestimated the pow
er and resources of their antago-
mist as well as Prussia's readiness for
the struggle. Deluded by glowing
descriptions of the destructiveness of
the C7tassepot rifles and the naittrdiI-
le1se artillery, they concluded that
flesh and blood would not be able to
stand up against them. and, conse-
quently, that war would be nothing
more for French army than a grand
promenade to Berlin, by which ad-
ditional halos of military glory would
encirele the eagles of lie Grand Ma
tone. So deluded, the populace of
Paris received the declaration of
war with shouts, songs and process
sions. The boulevards and cafes
were crowded, and full play given to
all those Indictments so potential in
stirring up French passion and en-
thusiasm. Such thing as repulse or
defeat never found a lodging place in
their minds for an instant. It would
have Jared hardly with any doubling
Thomas to have insinuated the posi-.
bility, much less the probability, that
the war would be waged on the soil of
France.
The Emperor Napoleon seems to
have shared in the general insanity.
Upon no other principle can we ac-
count for the hesitation and dilatori-
ness Of his movements, once he had
resolved upon war. The people ex-
pected him to be true to the Napole.
onic tactics, and that his armies would
march promptly and rapidly for Der.
lin. Prussia, though she had beer
preparing for an emergency of the
kind for years, was. evidently sur.
prised at the suddenness Of the declar-
alton of var. and would have been
taken at disadvantage had Napo-
leon been as prompt to attack,
as he was to declare war. But a
strange fatality has characterized his
movements from the very day that
war was declared until the presen,
time. Instead Of pushing his army
rapidly to the front and promptly in
Yading the Rhenisn Provinces. b,
has delayed and dilly dallyed unit
the Prussians had ample time to re-
cover from their surprise, call out ant
concentrate their armies and assum,
the offensive. No man ought to b,
more familiar with the character O
the French soldier than Napoleon
Quick, vivacious, gallant, and dash
ing in assault, they are altogether
lacking in the staying qualities
necessary for a logged, stubborn,
and tenacious resistance, qualities
characteristic of more northern
nations. This popularity alone
ought to have decided the
Emperor as to his plan of camraigD
and we can only account for his
suicidal policy by The supposition that
be thought the Prussians would not