The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-09-11
The Traitors.

Napoleon complains of having been be-
trayed, and it is natural to ask who were
the traitors. Facts do not yet inform us
positively who they were, but it is easy to
see who they may have been. The EN-
peror was at the front with the army while
the government was at Paris We all know
how nobly the army did its duty, the only
question is did the government second it
! in good faith.
In war two things are equally necessary,
the men and the material-the soldiers to
fight and the supplies necessary to keep
them in the field. 1t was the place of the
authorities at Paris to keep the army at
the front thoroughly supplied with all the
appliances of war, yet we have been con-
stantly reading of ammunition failing in
battle, of armies starving for one or two
| days, and finally plundering provision
train, and similar evidences of insufficient
supplies. Whose fault was this The me-
cessary material was certainly at Paris,
and in the greatest abundance.
Again reinforcements were extremely
necessary, and it was equally easy to pro-
cure them. The country was up in arms.
"A IuAIlIOu OI mGu COulu uuVo US6u AuOcu W
McMahOn's army before he went into his
last fatal battle with 100, 900 against 40O,-
600. If this was not treachery on the part
| of the government, then it was such incom-
prehensible stupidity that a punishment
equal to that of treason would be due to it..
The Empress was nominally the head of
that government, it is true, but facts have
IN toll uhaf1, ehn rtr 11u anoh
| Gen. Trochu has the eyes of the world
fixed upon him. In his proclamation to the
people of Paris he certainly assumes the
bluff, honest old soldier very neatly. He
knows nothing of politics, and does not be-
long to any party, but has the most inn
plicit confidence in the Partisan populace.
1t would appear from this, by the way, that
his ignorance extends beyond the domain
of politics and trenches upon that of his
tory. He has plighted his soldiers honor,
however, and taken an oath of fidelity to
the Emperor which he cannot think of vio-
lating. He comes into this position from
obscurity, and having fulfilled its duties of
the day, he intends to fall back into the
same obscurity. Here is no over-reaching
ambition for you certainly, here is real
soldierly honor and faith-in words. How
about acts?
Gen. Trochu had soldiers enough in Paris
| to have quoted tue mob in two or three
hours. A little energy on his part and the
agitation consequent on the Emperor's cap
ture could never have taken the shape of
tumnlt and revolution. Bnt the troops do
not move, the guns are silent, the venture
some become more daring and noisy, their
clamor increases and their hopes rise with
| the absence of all interference. Gen. Pa
likao is faithful but powerless he per-
ceives how things are going, and wisely
! retires before the storm which he sees is
not intended to be repressed. Gen. Trochu
does not retire, however, and, strange to
say, we find him spoken of as dictator.
| Where is the soldiers honor nowq What
has become of that oath of fdelityq How
about that obscurity into which he was
going to relapse
All, Gen. Trochu! Treachery is two
edged sword.