New-York tribune., 1870-11-16

| fails to generate.
| SYMPATHY FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
| We have received an occasional letter like
| the following from persons who imagine that
| all Republics by name are free and independ-
ent nations in fact:
| To the Editor Of The Tribune.
sR The willingness OF the Prussan King to treat Tor
the restoration Napoleon to tho throne OF France s
indicated by several circumstances Among these are
the passage Bourbah through the Prusssn lines
at Metz tho visit OF Gen. Boyer to Versailles, the sur
render OF Bazane after and the freedom OF travel
granted to the French Marsbals and Generals who are
German prisoners and yet are allowed to counsei win
each other and the Emperor The cause OF the faleh
| Emperor il becoming the cause OF Germany. III the
Emperor had the power he would probably make peace
Oh easier terms than the Republic isdsposed TO- DOUBT
less this view leads Bismarck to encourage Napoleonic
nrgues the sake Of conquest the pious and hoerai
! King william will throttle the young Republic.
For years THE TRIBUNE has earnestly advocated the
cause OF liberty France That cause has triupphed'
and ts leaders control France yet the Republic receives
from you the very sympathy The French Republic
ought to be dear every American heart Its existence
| strepgtbens our own system OF Government,
| and will lead TO important international al
| vantages. IL Napoleon Is restored 10 tho
Tuileres by the bayones Of the army now In German
| prisons, and King william is proclaimed Emperor OF
|
the next twenty-five years. You justify Prussias de-
mands for Alsaco and Lorraine forgetting how unspar
nply Won would have denounced Nap0eon's acquisition
OF the Rhine Provinces IL the attempted crime had Deeh
| q success The "defensye OF Germany" Is catch-
phrase since the birth Of Prussan ambition 10
mask It's unholy designs. Prussia naturally seeks her
aims; but that Republican journal should sympathze
with tbem look with ind ference upon the deeds of
Hessjan and Bayaran brutality manifest covert nos
tity to liberty In France, applaud national ROBBERY
and not even utter protest against the supecton o
France to the baneful influence which has 30 greatly
debauched it during the last twenty years. Is amazing 10
every lover OF liberty part Of the American Press has
begun the disgusting worship OF royalty and Legitimacy
| Every Republican ought surely to encourage the
sernest resistance against the German armies on the
part OF the Republic in order that free INSTITUTIONS may
gain firm oothold In the land, and finally grant 10 the
French people education, true religion, tho Virtues o
sefrestraint and purity, and love OF humanity ana
justice. hEfobli'A''
Brooklyn, Nov. 8, 1870.
| We trust that no one seriously doubts our
earnest sympathy with the French people, OF
our hopes that they will yet establish In Eu-
rope great and influential Republic. we
have rejoiced at the downfall OF the Napole-
onic despotsm. We hailed the Republic with
enthusiastic language that we meant then ana
do not wish to recall now. But we are past that
immature age which Republican" has evidently
| lust reached, when one cOnfounds sympathy
| with common sense, and cOmmends crimes
I because they happen to be committed In the
name of Liberty. We shall rejoice over the
accomplishment of German Unity, in spite OF
the fact that it may take the form OF an En-
pire. We wish it could be Republic; but
whatever outward form it assumes, 1t Will be
| constitutional Government over free and IN
| tellectual peoples. We condemn the Provis-
ional Government of France, gladly hailed
two months ago, because it has proved
itself unworthy of confidence. Its first
act after destroying the Empire was
voluntarily to assume its crime and proclaim
the purpose of continuing war begun with
out proyOcation and continued without excuse
The French people have neither sought peace
nor accepted it when offered. Their Govern
ment has made France an anarchy as de-
plorable as the Empire and only to be more
pitied and sympa.hized with because the cir
cumstances of war render the people all the
more helpless. The natural result of the mis-
taken and impolitic course of the Provisional
Government is that France is at once at the
mercy of her terrible enemy and cOnvulsed
by her own passions. Paris, Marseiles-all
parts of the country not occupied by the Prus-
sians-are in O condition of disorder as great
as that which has torn Mexico and the South
American Republics for generations. We do
not want to see such Republic established
anywhere in Europe, and least of all in poor,
distracted France.
And now TO answer Republican" categori-
cally. Gen. B0urbaki's mission through the
Prussian lines to the ex-Empress was no part
Of any intrigue for the restoration of the Na-
pOleOns. The Prussians knew nothing of his
purpose. He visited the Empress, who did not
know that he had been sent for, and on his
arrival she rejected all his overtures Gen.
Boyer's mission to Versailles was to negotiate
for the surrender of Bazaine's army, leaving
the regular garrison of Metz in possession.
The offer was rejected, and Bazaine finally
surrendered at discretion, garrison and all. 1t
is courtesy and mercy on the part of the Ger
mans which mitigate the condition of the un-
fortunate prisoners by granting them free in
tercOurse with each other 1t could not do
less. We justify Germany's claim of Alsace
and Lorraine (among other reasOns), because
they were taken from her by conquest many
years ago. The rest of Republicans" COM
munication is nothing but assertion, and, for
the most part, very foolish assertion.
We shall be glad to say encouraging words,
if that will do any good, for the French Re-
public, when it ceases ito beTan anarchy and
becomes peaceful and free. But first of all
France must consent to pay the penalty
for involving Europe in war, and accept
with grace the proffers of peace which
have been frequently, freely, and literally