Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-09-08
The surrender of the French.

soarcelv five weeks have passed since
portion of Napoleon's army marched lh'o
German territory, taking possession Oh
saarbrpok held by small force OF Prus-
sians. and by this act inaugurated war
which had been declared two weeks before
b., tho Emneror Of the French. In actual
time this is a short duration, but when
the events that have taken place are con-
s;dered long period has been measured.
No one can help seeing that since ac-
events, both political and military, have
contributed to make up immense success
for Germany. Thus far Germany has won
at nearly every point, and Napoleon has
as constantly lost, until the main body of
his army has surrendered and he is him
self a prisoner of war. In the same de-
gree it will not take another week of
such success to destroy the French EN-
pire, by the destruction of the military
power, through which alone it has been
maintained. Then will come the ques-
ton of the reconstruction of France, ac-
oompanied, as we trust, by the question
of the reconstruction Of all the nationali-
ties which constitute Europe.
What has been the result of this brief
campaign. 1t has been the invasion of
France by Germany instead of the in
vasion of Germany by the Napoleonic
army. This unexpected turning of the
tables has demoralized the French soldiers
so that in series of battles they have in
nearly every instance been defeated, or
pushed back as on the waves of an ire
sistable flood tide from one line of defence
to another the cohesion and unity of
their army destroyed one of their most
distinguished and most trusted leaders
Marshal Mcmahon compelled to surren-
der; and all the waste, destructiveness,
Generalization, and misery of actual war
fare are suffered by the people of the
French Provinces and cities making the
theatre of war.
By this struggle the unity of Germany
has been accomplished. 1t could not have
been supposed by Napoleon, at least it
was not supposed by the world at large,
that South Germany, recently at war
with Prussia, would unite with North !
Germany in the contest. Nor was it
supposed that the leadership of Prussia
could be maintained without serious, per-
haps fatal endorsement from Hanover,
whose independence had recently been
destroyed and Frankfort unwillingly |
joined to Prussia. All such anticipa. |
tion4 Of trouble to Prussia have been dis
sipated, and Hanover and Frankfort, no
less than Bavaria, Wurtemburg and
Baden, ~ Prussia itself, help to make an
united Germany.
The War is probably at an end. It has
come much earlier than the most aarguine
could have expected. II is said that by
strategic movements MacMahon could
have annihilated the Crown Prince, but
events have proved that it was far eesicr
projected th,n accomplished. The lead
err declare that new French army will |
be put in the field. We are inclined,
however, to the opinion that there will be
no serious measures of defense adopted,
only so far IA 70 make the best terms OF
peace. In all this, however, we must
await coming events, for none can tell
what form the explosive elements of which
French society is composed may take.
Bat OF one thing all feel quite certain,
and that is, that the Napoleonic dynasty
is at an end.