The New York herald., 1870-12-20


worthy of their inheritance. and, no matter
hs~ many worn on, SMILES or stale proverbs.
e'ans~d In their application by excessive use,
may be brought TO bear TO prove that the city
of Fsris-ths bead and the heart Of France
ought, could. woald and should surrender, the
rrofnin~nt, living, unmistakable fact stands out
before us that she has not surrendered. and
that The period for that somewhat interesting
conclusion seems 70 be just as uncertain now
No ever. Bui the other day the bombardment
was ~ sren which would reduce the palaces.
ths meaamenfs. the churches, the superb
earsvasssries and the exquisite private dwell
inrs ~ that wondrous city to ashes; bu. II has
net opened yes, and we hear that 1t IL post
poned fas The sake Of several contingencies
not draned 80 clearly as TO be fully under
sssea beyond the lines Of the besicying forces.
N is pretty fairly admitted. however, that
Ceuns Bismarck has. from irst TO last, favored
tbs slow, sure and steady plan Of starving
she French capital. taking good care,
meaawhie. o. shut II In on every
side beyond TIE faintess possibility o;
q sacrea@fui sortie or Of a relief assault from
outside. conss Melske, however, has advo-
Gated an early and hearty bombardment, and
In this be has heen seconded by General Hin
dersia. who lately lost a son at Ia Bourget, in
tront 0f Paris. The counsel OF the latter au.
th0rity has evidently prevailed for the mo-
mcnt. AZ he has advised the postponemcnt Of
sufficient store of ammunition and missiles on
the ground as that every fort defending Paris
can be salated with two thousand heavy she'll
per diem until II falls. week or two ago Il
was believed that matters were in such shape
that all this could be done but upon close
investigation and comparison Of notes 1t is
confessed from the German headquarters at
Versailles that inclemen, weather, heavy roads,
the lack OF horses, deficient rations and the
great hourly growing murmur Of the people at
bone. overburdcned with grief for the dead
and dying. and with labor and outlay for the
wounded and disabled, whom they have TO
tend and assist, require the postponement of
the grand assault. Paris cannot be made the
Christmas box nor even yet the New Years
gift Of King William 20 Germany for this pre-
sent holiday season and II not now, when, IL
ever? tfs, ...s.''s.1--ae..
Meanwhile Paris, capital OF France, and 50
long centre of the elegance, eailantry and in
telligence of the modern European world
Paris, erst the seat of the Emperor Julian;
the favored Of ST. Genevieve the city of the
Merovngan and Carlovingian kings; the resi-
dence OF the Capets and the Bourbons and the
''Lamp of the Continent" as it was often styled
in the history Of past ages Paris, the ''foyer"
and beacon light Of the great revolutions the
pride of the Nspoleons; Paris, besieged and
captured again and again since the fourth Gen.
tury, and now once more beeaguered 10y an
irrnpton of the vanguard Of the East rushing
back upon the West-has Paris done aught to
maintain her pre-eminence, redeem her ancient
renown. meet the expectations and justify the
confidence of the French people and of all who
sympathize with them, and DO indeed, or think
they do, fully comprehend them2
BY the comparison of statistics furnished in
the letters of our own correspondents and Of the
English and German press we discover that
the city of Paris republican and cosmopolitan
as she is, has, since September /, or within
less than four months lapse Of time, assembled,
drilled, disciplined, equipped ofIiccred, pro-
vided and set in actual working array an army
or armies of nearly four hundred and fifty
thousand men; she has, either by adaptation,
purchase or manufacture, supplied them
with the newest and most approved
aud formidable weapons; she has
cast over six hundred rifled cannon of the
largest calibre, among which are some just
mounted on Fort St. Valerien, which sweep
radius of eight thousand metres, with shot and
shell as heavy as those discharged by the
famous American ''Swamp Angel" at the siege
of Charleston; she has made her own lint, her
own percussion caps, her own bullets and her
own bandages, and she yet rivets the attention
of King William, Count Bismarck, Count
Moltke, the Gar, the Pope and the Queen OF
England upon the chances and changes Of her
destiny.
Say what men will-carp rail, find fault
and detract as much as they may-Paris was
never more truly the soul of France than at
this moment. The eyes of the '.grande
nation" turn toward her with the love and
alteration felt by the most earnest vstary for
the shrine of his patron saint; the effort and
the aim of all French military operations is to
relieve her; the corner stone of the new Ger
man empire viii have been found only when
she shall have been captured and occupied by
the Teutonic hosts.
Bat this is not yet, and it may never be.
The wonderful year, whose last fortnight is
rapidly rolling away into the chant and incense
Of the holidays of the Nativity, has seen many
works of interposing Providence, many unan-
ticipated changes in the destinies Of men and
nations. France, by this time, through her
suffering and her tears NAV have exniatad