New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-25

ANY government that would be speedily
proclaimed the legally recognized anthor1ty
Of France. Liberty and unity tho King Of
Pr,rsaiA promised q tho certain results OF
the war. Well, tho German troops have
been yictosious, and liberty is suppressed
in tho most brutal manner. And whT be-
cause the annexation question b disagree
BILE. Even Saxony has had to succomb to
tho Prussian pressure and suspend IN the
most Illegal manner the right Of public
meetings for the purpose Of silenc!ng any
opposition to the continuance OF the war.
peculiar sign of the strength dey0aved IN
this war is the arbitrary arrest of all who
venture to express an opinion against an
notation; and since it is forbidden elsewhere
to discuss the question. will here state the
reasons against it.
Tho President: The question before the
house is the loan. e.li
Mr. Bebel: According to the royal speech,
the loan is wanted to carry the annexation
policy into effect. We can not speak OF the
enc without considering the other. Tho
annexation will be useless as strategic
guarantee against invasion. Tho possession
of Aisace, Strasburg and Metz did not
enable the French to stop the German in
vaders from marching beyond. AS little
will the possession of these places enable
the Germans % prevent French army
from entering Germany at some future time:
The royal speech states that the feeling Of
relation and revenge in France will never
die out. With such prospect before us,
wisdom dictates that we should he lenient
in the hour of success, and that we should
not wantOnly irritate the feelin 60 Of people
to whom the aYnpllati0n "nOble" Is given
in the royal spSech. We ought to leave
to France what has belonged to her
for centuries, the more so rs the population
of Alsace and Lorraine has not the remOtest
inclination to be incorporated under the
domination Of the house Of HOhenzOllern.
The voice of the people ought to be the sole
guide in the alteration of frontiers. Ii the
right of conquest il to decide. then we shall
have to submit when others get strong
enough to impose their conditions upon US.
will he no end Of tho war. The sole Occu-
patton and aim of nations would be eternal
war We would return to barbarian. Off
cial patriotism is cheap commodity. The
last royal speech tells the French people
that it is the fault of the obstinate govern
ment that their country Is subjected to the
horrors of war. The King might have
bestowed thought ON the Germans
who are ruined by the war as well Is
the French. who long as much for peace
AZ the French, and are tired of
voice in the matter, have to sacrifice every
thing. When consider that there are four
thousand newspapers constantly preaching
sacrifices, and the patriotism that IL Wanted,
besides the press in the towns, councils and
other bourgeois gatherings, land compare
them with the official return Of subscrip-
tions to the first loan, must say with
Goethe, "Much row and little WOOL" OF
l9O,OOO. 900 thslers only $500 has been sub
us,sn
scribed in q few days 80, OOO,O 900 francs.
How should we fare if instead Of success We
had met with reversess Those who are
lo,idest in their protestation Of patriotism
with Us lie in wait for Il higher percentage.
IA general uprOar and repeated cries OF
Turn the fellow QUIT
The President: You are Nbeling your own
people. [Great confusion and ringing Of
the bell
Mr.. Bebel: hope the state Of war is not
vet established here. 1 have been misun-
derstood. alluded to the capitalists whose
subscriptions to the loans are contrary to
their professions Of patriotism. But l shall
trouble you no more. l shall conclude by
declaring that the loan must be refused,
and the federal chancellor requested to
conclude peace with the French nation
without annexation.
Liebknecht. another labor representative,
said in the debate Tho war now carried on
is not against France but against the re-
public. The defensive war on our part was
ended in five weeks. France offered us
peace. A free France would be the best
guarantee of peace for us. We should not
have such beggariy German union then
as we have now, which is only corrupted
edition of the old board.
The President: You exceed the limits of
debate. You must express your thoughts
in a form that is honorable to refined as
sembly. (Applause.l
Liebknecht: During the time Of tie
lowest degradation of the Empire there was
more liberty of speech than here. The OPP
position was frequently interrupted, but
not treated like lot of school Ghildren-in
a manner which reduces the dignity of this
assembly to the level Of a class.
The President: call you to order.
Liebnecht: Public opinion will be on my
side at home and abroad. Loud cries of
"In France."] Aye, even in France! The
watch ON the Rhine has clipped to the rear
of Paris. We have no defensive war. Ma
poleon is called brother by the King of Prus-
STA, and Is feasted while German soldiers
people. (TumultuOus uprOar. Who are
our brOtherss 1t is more honorable to be
the brother of a French workman than the
rogue at WiIhelMshohe Roar Of laughter.
The man who, as it were by command, was
announced as a monster by four thousand
newspapers, is to be restored. Are you go
ing to massacre the whole French nation
Oh moi You only refuse to recognize the
republic. But the French will have nothing
but republic, and French republic with
out standing army would be the death
blow to despotism here. To prevent that
the war was continued. To continue the
war, war of determination, the new loan
is required. The annexation of Alsace and
Lorraine will be a constant source Of quar-
rel. Instead Of securing peace it Will bring
war and military dictatorship.