The New York herald., 1870-09-21
The Foreiga Press tho Collapse Of tho
French Empire.

| nMVTcs
| BY our latest mails from Europe we receive
the first opinions Of the British and Conti-
mental press with reference to the surrender
at Sedan and the general collapse of the Ma
pOleonic system. The London Times, whose
opinion is still cited as most important,
although in actual news the press of New
York has left it far behind during the remark
ably rapid progress of the existing war, uses
highly 6gurative language in the first gllsh of
Its astonishment. Under date of September
it says 1.-THE volcano has burst! The sur
render of the Emperor and the capitulation of
MacMahon's army could not stand alone.
Such tidings would make the earth open, and
the earth has opened at Paris" $50 soon as
the intelligence Of the Emperor's captivity was
published the empire was at an end" Farther
on, after sketching the facts of the movement
In the French capital and the uprising of the
republic, it adds:-'It must, by this time, be
evident, even In France, that, under the present
conditions of the fight, France Is overmatched.
The fault may be attributed to the bad man
agement Of the army both during the war and
before it, and not to any inherent inequality in
the military powers Of the two nations; and it
is quite unnecessary aud would be even inde-
fensible to continue the war simply to show
that Frenchmen are among the best soldiers Of
the world"
On the keynote thus sounded the o Other lead
ng journals Of the United Kingdom sing much
the same strain. A continuance of so fright
fully bloody conflict is deprecated for the
sake of common humanity and progress, and
King William is most earnestly recommended
to let we'll enough alone and not to push the
French people to the alternative Of general
appeal to the radical revolution. Here and
there the tory papers cannot help showing
their teeth at the republic, and all the old stale
sneers and SANDERS of class of writer's who
are nothing if not servile and reactionary are
dished up again in the same sauce antique.
1t is the liberal Irish press that gives
the young republic of France the
warmest, heartiest. most whOle-souled
welcome, and we remark, not without some
glimmerings of an early political conjunction
of fortunate planets in still another republi-
can sky, that mention of ''the banner Of
stars" occurs more than once in their eulogies
upon the Gallo tri-color. No bad accom-
paniment for the hours that precede the re-
arising of the "Sunburst" and the ''Oriaamme,"
and those who comprehend the word ''repub-
lio' on white banner borne through the
streets Of London on Monday evening last will
not mistake the symbols. ~.
The Dutch and Belgian press, dated to the
7th instant, have Come in, and their articles
are full Of patriotic emotion at the possible
imminence Of danger in the direction Of Prus-
sia. The NSeusoe RotterdamscAe C0urant,
well conducted, long established and highly
influential business organ of the great COM
mercial centre Of Rotterdam, unites with its
able contemporary, the Algemeen Handels-
blad Of Amsterdam, in expressing the proud
determination of the Netherlands to defend
their independence as their fathers of the old
Dutch republic defended it In other
days, aud at the same time in offer
ing the most earnest prayers for the
cessation of the war, the relief of the
sorely tried French people and the peaceful
maintenance of the new form of government
in France. These are kind and cheering
words from sturdy people, who have fine
navy yet and one hundred thousand as brave
troops under arms as ever fought for right and
liberty. The Belgian papers are more
reserved, the ministerial journals Of Brussels
confning themselves to graphic letters and
to coincidence for the slaughter on both
sides. The Independence Beige frankly
espouses the cause of the provisional govern
ment, and says of those who compose it,
''They are most honorable and intelligent men,
each and all distinguished by an immense
majority of votes cast in their favor by the
capital and by the most enlightened centres of
France" They are the men, too, "who, for
ten, nay, for fifteen years, combated the
faults, all the excesses and all the sinister
resolves of the imperial government.
In France the journals of the Northern
departments speak pityingly Of the fallen
empire, but with enthusiasm of the republic.
There appears to be, indeed, no dissenting
voice on the latter point. AS for Paris we
might fill columns with the warm utterances Of
it's press on every phase of the situation. The
papers recently dynastic give the new govern
ment clever welcome. The France, the
Patrie and the Constitutional rally to it with
out reserve. The Debats huns and haws and
mumbles in its sleep just as it always
does after repast on any unaccustomed
dish. The Peuple Franeais and LIE Public
fearful msnomers, as the reader will perceive,
since they we're the watchdogs of "the Right
or majority in the late Chambers-snarl
viciously at the new regime, and the Figaro
has actually been mobbed for its foolhardy dia-
tribes. The Steele, the Opinion Natsonade,
the Gaulois and the Lt6ertf, and, Of course,
the Journal OFciel, are all Of one mind on
the matter. This criterion, indeed, may be