The New York herald., 1870-09-24

the concessions proposed by Jules Favre ir
behalf of the French republic there no longer
appears to us an impassable barrier to further
negotiations without further bloodshed. From
the government organ at Berlin we have the
| substance of two official notes from Coun,
Bismarck, which, in embodying the ullimatun
of Prussia, furnish definite basis for peace
negotiations, aud sufficiently reasonable, we
think, to justify the opinion of an early set
tlcment.
In the first of these notes to the representa-
tives at Berlin of the neutral Powers Count
Bismarck urges the necessity for better and
more material guarantees of peace on the
part Of France, and particularly in reference
to the States Of South Germany-Baden, Ba-
varia and Wurtemburg-t have heretofore
existed. Hence the need on the part Of Ger
many Of possessing those fortresses, Stras-
bourg, Metz, Toul, and others Of the prov
inces Of Alsace and Lorraine which otherwise
will be perpetual menace to Germany. In
his second note the Prussian Prime Minister
repudiates every idea Of German Intervention
in the reorganization of the government of
France, but says ''f Strasbourg and Metz re-
main in French hands the offensive Of France
overpowers the defensive Of Germany" that
''these material guarantees alone will give
peace, while France, retaining these places,
will consider the peace a truce as enabling her
to choose her own time for renewal of nos
tilities, and that Germany only asks the pas
sive strength to resist such attacks"
This is the ultimatum of Prussia; aud i. is
not unreasonable, considering the shallow pre-
text upon which Napoleon entered into this
war and the popularity iu France of the Ma
old imperial Rhine frontier, aud con-
sidering the astonishing successes and the
strong temptation to the Germans to ap-
proprlate at least the province of Alsace as
indemnity for the pas. and security for the
future" Indeed, so strongly implant d in
the German mind is the idea and the desire OF
an absolute possession Of both banks of the
Rhine, from Switzerland down, that it is pro-
bable even Count Bismarck may be overruled
upon this important question of territory.
What the Nile is to tho Egyptians, what the
Jordan was AID is to the Jews, what the
Ganges is to the Hindoos, is "Father
Rhine, the free, the German Rhine" to the
Germans. 1t is their sacred river, and the
French occupation of that portion of the left
bank Of this sacred river between Basle and
the little tributary which passes by Weissen-
burg has been and is regarded by the South
Germans as French usurpation of German
soil.
Count Bismarck, however, proposes, in be-
half of peace, to restore this territory, now
held by the German armies, to France con-
cession, under the circumstances, not only re-
markably generous, but delicate and difficult to
put into execution. And what is Jules Favre, as
the representative of France, willing to risk
for peace9 According to report in the Lon
don Times he has admitted to Count Bismarck
his readiness to enter into treaty requiring
from France an indemnity for the cost Of the
war to Germany (say to the extent of thou
sand millions of dolIars), with the surrender of
part of the French feet, and the dismantling
Gas Luxembourg has been dism antled) of the
fortresses of Metz, Strasbourg and other mill
tary positions of an offensive character to the
South German States. These propositions in
behalf of France are also liberal, and Uis-d-
gis with the ultimatum of Prussia they indi-
cate near approach of the high contracting
parties to treaty of peace.
The declaration Of Count Bismarck that
Prussia repudiates every idea of Intervention
in the reorganization of the government Of
France is, however, the most encouraging fact
of all that have been developed in behalf Of
peace It relieves France and it relieves the
neutral Powers of all apprehensions Of res
toration of the Orleanists or the Regency in
Paris through Prussiau Intervention. It
leaves France free to elect her own govern
ment and free from misgivings Of another
Holy Alliance, provided always that this war
is not continued till enlarged into a general
continental struggle. The agitation among
the extreme republican elements of France,
Spain, Italy, and even of Germany, however,
admonish the King of Prussia that peace is
his true policy, and tho losses and sufferings
which this war has brought upon France and
the French people ought to satisfy him that a
treaty of peace with her present progi-
sional government will be duly ratified and
honored by the regular government which will
follow, including such material guarantees as
Favre and his colleagues may feel authorized
to grant.
g.. - IL
the ''reds" of Paris and of Lyons and other
large cities Of France to the fact that
the new republic cannot safely under
take to prosecute the war to the expul-
sion Of the enemy across the Rhine, it will
be necessary on the part Of King Will
liam to push the Investment Of Paris to a
capitulstion. Nor does it appear from the
latest reports of the progress of the invest
ment that Paris, with Its two millions of con-