The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-12
THE FRENCH MISTAKES.
NapoleOn's Management of the National Re-


Nnpoleons management of the National Re-
sources.
The current number of the ArYny and Navy Jour
nal has the following article:-
According to the latest intelligence, the French
army was in retreat from the frontier on the 4th of
August, just at that fortuitous moment when the
German columns formed on the Rhine were ap-
preaching France. In France 326, 600 men reach the
age of 20 every year, and by law 100000 of them
must serve for five years in the standing army, and
the remainder in the Reserve and the Garde
Mobile. The army thus counts up in round num-
bers 100000 men, W th 100000 Reserve and $780, 900
Garde Mobile. With all this great force at hand,
and after every opportunity for preparation,
France withdrew upon her own interior lines the
army she had thrown forward for the attack
upon an enemy against whom she had eagerly
sought occasion for war. She retreated without
The truth is, France has been completely betrayed
by the Empire Compelled 10y his Insecure tenure
upon power to purchase the support Of the States
men who managed the civil ana the generals who
directed the military affairs of the nation the EN-
peror has favored fraud in every branch of the
vice. Receiving larger civil list than any other
monarch in Europe, amounting to 3T,OOO,OOO francs
In money, and the free possession OF palaces,
parks, and gardens, his entire income is
put, at 100000 francs, or ssOOoOOO in
crowds that SWARM the streets Of Paris, forming
aIrepublic out of despotism, tell Of the fraud by
fund, amounting 1t is said to farther total Of
5O,Oo0,OOO francs The commutation money paid in
by ricn conscrpts has been taken and the old SOL
ders who should be found in the ranks substitutes
not there. Pay is drawn for regiments at their
Forage subsistence, munitions, all have been paid
fer but not bought. In spite of the enormous cost
was obliged to tell crowd of new-made republicans
that there were no arms for them.
But this direct larceny was by no means ALL The
fraud was carried still farther and STAT contracts"
nave been more common in France than in any
other country in the world. The truth is the per-
sonal government was conducted by set of bold
but very needy adventurers; and If the msfortunes
of the ringleader OF kind to silence the voice
of accusation the infinitely greater misortunes of
the people he has misled are such as to rouse it
Under the Empire the people OF France have been
denied every means by which nations prepare for
success in war. Assemblage in volunteer organiza-
tbOns, even the most private ownership of arms has
been forbidden. 1t has been next to impossible for
citizen to obtain possession of breech-loader or
other modern gun. Home manufacturers found it
very difficult to procure the privilege OF making any
| species of improved arm; and, when obtained, the
| grant entaed upon them the liability to sudden
visits Of inspection from the police to constant sur
| veillance and suspicion Foreign makers were de-
| when that favor had by any means been obtained
they could not sell the cartridges necessary to their
| use. Even arms that were desired merely as OBJ
jects Of exhibition were denied admission into the
But it is not in the matter of arms alone that the
French people have been unwsely restrained. Their
martial spirit has been not suffered to die out only,
but directly strangled. The popular clamors of
people, the vain-glorious spirit OF nation which
thinks 1t can overcome every antagonistthis Is not
preparation for war; but this is all the French pos
sessed Forbidden 10 make except especially for
portaton) to SELL to buy, or to possess OF pre-
cision cartridges, and powder Of good quality they
could no longer practise in the chase and in compe-
titive trials for the more serious business Of war
Shooting matches are still held. But OF what kind?
placed at a distance of $50 metres, for this is the
range of that remarkable assemblage OF antiquated
| arms which the Paris Liberte describes as "those
| arms rejected everywhere else, those old carbines
| of the middle ages, with complicated sights and
that recalls that OF ciaronet One still sees there
those fantastic so-caed arms OF warfare, with sys-
TENS OF charging SO complicated that their use
would be impossible elsewhere. One and all have
passable precision at 150 metres; 1t is all that
can demand Of them, but at 300 metres they would
The military spirit of France is to-day manifested
In the unsurpassed bravery with which Strasburg,
| TOul and Montmedy hold out; by the Valor OF her
troops In the field; by the longing OF her people to
strike a blow. for her preservation. But as the
former have been neutralized by the frauds in
supplies so the latter have been made useless
by the clog put upon every effort 10 form them
tory Of French volunteers is an instructive one.
The dread OF their monarchs, the trust or the
out and disban ded for fifty years Their last mani
fesaton was in 1857 when the success OF Prussia at
the people rushed into the ranks for drill and prac-
tice. The movement was too popular and too
general 70 be forbidden. A review was had In the
court of the Tuileries: there were decorations
from the Emperor and applause from the people.
But the next morning an order appeared placing the
volunteers in the Garde Mobile: subject to calls to
active service That killed the movement.
Thus repressed on every hand the French find
themselveswith great t.enemy before them and none
but shivered weapons in their grasp. No wonder
the Government that has made France lmpotenl
even for sefd defence goes out like candle in the
storm that sweeps over the country. Wild promises
TO hurl back the enemy comfort the people for the
moment; but when their utility has been prOVeC
and time for reflection Follows the people insteat
OF softening toward their fallen Emperor, win grow
only more and more indignant at the ruin his trea-
sOnable government has produced.
"A man named Young, who is one hundred
and two years old, gave banquet to his rela
tiyes few days since at Honeoye village II
New York He was surrounded by four genera
tions, and was the happiest person present Tn
, Fourth of July has been celebrated by him 70
: many years in a right royal manner at the vii
} hot a1 hQ off toll fola
the Revolutionary war to the admiration of
few select friends. He has lived upon his owl
| farm for seventy-two years.
4 The sheriff of Madison county, Ohio whil
| attemnlinO To arrest a horse thief a few daV