The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-19

This allegation having been denied, he asked
permission for the Inhabitants to leave the
llclted al armistice Of twenty-four hours,
which was granted, on condition that within
an hour the Governor of Strasbourg should
offer terms OF negotiation. This the Governor
would not consent to do, aud the lombard
ment was resumed. NJ. Keller read the follow.
Ing passages from letter he had received in
the morning:
1--WE shall soon be here nothing but heap
of ruins: For, eight days now, we have been
every day. A fourth part OF the city Is already
burnt. The point aimed at Is the cathedral,
which Is also burnt. The whole OF the roof is
destroyed The platform has no. longer any
balustrade, and the splrG Is seriously damaged.
The new temple and the library are only q
heap OF asheS. Even the hospital has not
been respec~d; a part is burnt. do not
ed. The population is reduced to hiding away
In the sewers OF the city. What here declare
Is the slmple uneXaggerated truth. The Bish-
op endeavored to obtain a cessation of the
bombardment. He repaired alone to head
quarters, The answer was that there was no
time to besiege the city in form, and that they
would force 1t to surrender from terror. The
Bishop then asked leave tor the women and s
children to quit This request was refused.
Strasbourg has no casemates for the popula-
ton, hence the city must surrender to prevent
the whole of the inhabitants from butchery.
Not cannon hasyet been fired against the
ramparts. The Prussians know we have no
garrison for sallies."
The honorable deputy was several times IN
terrupted by loud shouts of indignation, and
cries OF "It is atrocIous This Is odious This
is abominable !" M. Keller continued !: 'Thus,
gentlemen, you see that 1t is against the popu-
iation that this bombardment is directed;
against women and children who do not know
where to seek refuge, while the men are on
the ramparts and extinguishing the fire.
denouuce these facts and hold them up to the
execration Of civilized Europe. I have to add
another monstrosity, greater still, perhaps. 1t
is that the enemy employs French peasants to
construct the batteries and trenches around
Strasbourg, and thus our own citizens are
struck down by French buliets-citizens who
could not obtain guns to make war with our
soldiers. This act on the part of the Prus-
slams Is one especially denounce to the indig-
nation of Europe. Well, do you know what
was the reply of the population after the step
taken by the Bishop? Men, women, chill
dren, all declared that they refused to sur
render, and would rather be buried alive under
the ruins of the city. ] demand a unanimous
vote of the Chambers that the heroic popula-
tlon of Strasbourg has deserved well OF the
country, and that never-Asten to what I
say-never shall that city cease to be French"
Amid burst Of acclanlation, which was seVe-
ral times renewed, the entire house rose, and
NJ. Schneider declared NJ Keller's proposition
then made another statement 10 the effect that
rowing bands OF BadoIs peasants and regular
soldiers were securing the department OF the
Lower Rhine, and the borders Of that OF the
Upper Rhine, laying every village, hamlet and
town under contribution, and that the 'Badois
peasants who were thus pillaging the popula-
tions had not even guns or uniforms, but were
merely armed with swords.
II. Keller insisted energetically upon the
culpable course Of the government In not arm
Ing the populations OF Alsace and Lorraine,
and the other departments exposed to these
irruptiens, and the House was vlsibly moved
in fapor Of proposition which submitted
for the immediate appointment OF 8 COM
mission to hear the explanations OF the gov
ernment upon the position Of the Department
of the Upper Rhine, ard that. in conjunction
and md duly invested IN With nif IF powers, it should
forthwith visit the Departments Of the Upper
and the Lower Rhine, and, while encouraging
the people to rise against the invaders, should
seek the means OF alleviating their
mIseries. The propositlon-the final con.
slderatioR Of which was taken up In the even.
ing sitting-was not adopted, the vote oi
urgency upon 1t having been rejected. The
Minister OF War declared that the government
had the matter already under care, and that
these repeated attempts to appoint commits.
sIons of this nature were 80 many proofs Of
the desire Of their origlnators to excite dis
trust Of the government, which, however,
would continue to do its duty irrespective Of
these attacks. The minister also announced
he could affirm, upon the authority OF the
Prussians themselves, that since their entry
Into France they had lost at least 900 men
In the different battles which have been deliv-
cred; and that the daily cost to Prussia Of the
war amounted to $780, 600 thalers or IL, 500, 900
francs.