The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-08-24
WAR TOPICS.
From tho Continental Correspondence Of tho
Engliih Newspapers.]
Tho German Conseriptlon.


| Tho German Conscrlptlon.
When ] arrived early this morning
at Oberlahstein, that station was com.
pletcly blocked up, aud the large plat
form before it, viewed from my carriage
window, was a curious and painful sight,
its length, breadth and depth being
densely thronged with living mass Of
true Prussian blue humanity. All the
male peasants ef the old Nassau territory
wear azure blouses, and all the famales
blue cotton gowns, more or less thick
ly consolidated with white spots and
as there must have been at least chou.
sand of both sexes, closely wedged to.
gether in expectation Of the train. that
was to bear off the fighting half of the
assembly from its lamenting moiesy,
things looked very blue indeed at
Lahnstein. There were tho poor,
square faced sun burnt fellows, trying
with ghastly gayety to vindicate their
manhood by roaring out slaves of patri-
otto songs, each couplet supplemented
by chorous of sobs from the women
and girls clinging around thom. So few
minutes left, and so much to say before
the parting that may be the last on
earth So few minutes, indeed! for,
ere we started in the direction of May,
ence, the train bound for Coblcntz
glided swiftly into the station, already
half full Of "mobilizcd" men, who, hav-
ing got over their partings, had rallied
their spirits, and were cheering, singing
and waving their handkerchiefs as
heartily as if their goal were not
battle field, but wedding. Fine fellows,
these, in physique and nsoral-broad-
shouldered, sturdy, bronzed youths,
ranging, I should think, from twenty to
thirty years of age, and most of them
already provided with some outward and
visible sign of their military Calling
AS soon as their train stopped, the
poor folks in the station began to kiss
and embrace one another almost des-
perately; and 1 wish never to hear
again sound like that which reached
me from that platform. It was all over
In minute the men got away, some
howl dare say they scarcely themselves
knew how-from mothers, wives, sweet.
hearts and sisters, who were all thrust
back to the inner part of tho station
then half.a dozen smart non-com
missioned officers, one or two of whom
quite simply put their coat.sleeves up
to their eyes as they stepped forward,
camo to the front and told the draft off
into the carriages then the miserable
women made rush to the steps Of tho
carriages, and-but I think J. would
rather not say anything more about the
closing of this tragical scene, if you
please. Thank Heaven our train moved
out Of the station before it was over
and J. do not think there were many dry
eyes amongst the homeward bound
tourists and invalids of whom our freight
consisted.
All Germany Depopulatcd for tho War.
The Prussian system is, us you know,
unspairing ofpcrsons. Let me give you
on instance, out of the many that have
come under my notice, Of the grim i'm
partially with which it lays hold of
every class. Many of your readers will
remember the tall, good looking and
courteous proprietor Of tho IIotol du
Nord, in Colosne-a prosperous, wealthy
man, quite parsonage in Rhineland,
an excellent linguist, and the head of q
large commercial enterprise, which he
has hitherto successfully managed in
person. On Saturday last he consigned
eight Of his best carriage horses to the
army service and on Monday he him
self was drafted into cuirassier regi-
ment. Here is a man taken away from
the conduct Of his own interests and
from his family, compelled to sacrifice
his substance, and to risk his life on
the battle field OF course his case is
not one whit moro dcplorablo than that
of the humblest peasant, snatched from
his field or his vineyard both jeopardize
their existence for the Fathcrland but
the former, outside that grand equaliz-
ing stake, suffers actually greater
material loss than tho latter, even taking
into account their relative positions. In
tho towns many of the shops arc being
shut up; for their occupants are obliged
to assume needle-gun and helmet, and
thero is nobody to keep the business
going. The hotels are becoming forlorn
of waitcrs-a deprivation that is mitiga.
ted in its severity by the fact that but
few guests arc lett to require the minis
tration of those obligiug polyglottists.-
The exodus of foreigners from Germany
during tho past week has been some
thing astonishing. Having occasion to
60 over to Hamburg this evening, 1
found that essentially British settlement
in the way of becoming bowling
wilderness. A week ago, so the last Of
the Mohicans informed me, you could
hardly struggle through tho crowd on
the lower terraces during music time
the glass gallery was in chronic state
of "Moro chairs" and the play-tables
unapproachable under an hours elbow,
ing. Now, the "gay and glittcring
throng" is composed of about half-a
dozen faithful Russians, as many En-
glish, three or four tenacious Americans,
and hundred or two of the miserable
natives, making hollow pretence OF en-
joying themselves, and risking double
forin twice day to "kecp up appear
anccs." The glory of Hamburg on the
Heights has departed, scarcely to return
this year.
| King william In berlin.