The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-16
How he War May DO ENDED and Peace
MniuealncA.

war In Europe Is to be ended and peac,
secured, statesmen, governments and thu
public are much exercised. With all thu
| apparent difficulties there Is q certain way O.
accomplishing this desirable object-that Is
for the people Of Germany TO rise In theiI
might and demand peace, TO hold out the
hand of fellowship and good will to the people
of France. There is no cause for enmity. nc
cause for war, between the people of the two
countries. They are on both sides equally the
victims Of ambitious dynasties and schemino
political chiefs. They are led to the slaughter
of frightful wars with as little concern az
butchers take their cattle to the abattoir,
simply from the rivalries and aggrandizing
schemes Of kings, cmperors and INSCRIPTIONS
ministers. The blood runs cold In our veins
and we shudder with horror at the heoatombs
Of slain and countless umbers Of mutilated
men, the flower Of the land, in this terrible
war between Prussia and France. 1t Is
enough to make angels weep to see the desola-
ton of this war, the hundreds Of thousands OF
people made homeless, the fair fields turned
lutO WAOoIucoS, tu0 WI NO " ~AvAssS~s-S~
destroyed, and all the other enormities that
are the result, and all this for what? To
crafty the dynastic ambition and pride of q
few rulers. It has ever been thus, and there
might have been some reason for it in the Dark
Ages, when the mass of mankind were vir-
tually slaves and nations were crystallizing
into homogeneous or national shape under the
lead of aspiring chiefs but in this enlightened
age it is monstrous that such state Of things
should exist.
When Napoleon first declared war against
Prussia, or, rather, against Germany, without
cause and merely to strengthen his dynasty
and power, our sympathies and the sympa-
thy of the world generally was with the
Germans. 1t was natural and proper for
them to desire national union. 1t was con-
sistent with the tendencies and civilization OF
the age that people Of the same race and
speaking the same language should be united in
one grand federative nationality Their safety
and future demanded that. Napoleon making
war on them to prevent this object was out
rageous and inimical to the spirit and pro-
gress of the times. The French people had
really little or nothing to do with the war.
or course they rallied to their flag and became
warlike in spirit when the issue was brought
upon them. Patriotism-their country, right
or wrong-was then the strongest sentiment.
The war, however, was made by Napoleon
for his own ambitious purposes, and the en-
thusiasm exhibited by his Cabinet and the
members of the Legislature was only that of
his tools-the truculent Bonaparte faction.
The true representatives Of the people-the
men who are now in power Professionally
were opposed to the war. The republican
sentiment of France was opposed to 1t, and
we have no doubt that if fair vote of the
people could have been taken on the question
there would have been no war. But with the
fall of Napoleon and flight of the Regency all
has been changed. The very men who OPP
posed the war are now forced to fight it out,
and those who made it are out of the arena.
1t is no longer an aggressive and ambitious
Emperor fighting for his own ends and aggran-
dizement, but the republic and people of
France, struggling for the life of the nation.
Prussia, yes, Germany, has become the ag-
gressor, and an implacable prosecutor. With
this change the sentiment of America and
of liberal-minded people everywhere has
changed. Our sympathies and the sympa-
thies of mankind generally are now with re-
publican France.
Our correspondent, who had an interview
with Garibaldi, reports the old chief to have
said why will not the noble American
repubic-the glory and admiration Of free
peoples-send material aid to the young and
struggling republic of France? Italy, France
and Spain anxiously await one determined
word from America to cast off their detested
chains" The young and struggling republic
did promptly receive the moral aid Of the
United States government, and 1t has the best
wishes of both our government and people.
Nor has France failed to receive such material
aid as can be lawfully given; but 1t ought not
to be expected, nor would 1t be well for this
country to embroil itself with European affairs.
We can do more, indeed, for the progress Of
liberty and republican ideas by abstaining
from direct Intervention and through our moral
influence. His appeal should be made to the
people of Germany. They are, as was said
before, as much the victims Of this dynastic
war on the part Of Prussia as the French. Let
the people Of Germany throw off the yoke Of
the Prussian monarchy and their petty princes
and aristocracies, and the war might soon be
ended Republican Germany and republican
| France would have no cause for war. Each
would keep within the limits Of their race and
proper nationality. There would be no motive
or desire for the territorial aggrandizement o
one at the expense of the other. Each would
develop its own national peculiarities o
civilization, and both would march together