The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-04
Bismarck by Jules Favre as the representa- /.
iiun of the prr,uiain nl Gnunrn nnanI.-


tive Of the Provisional Government
"In approaching the Count they did, in way
the result OF which was easy to Oresee, they mlsrep
tSsgneq m 10 te 1 re 6ea 1i me Nv wat
pulse, to the influence of which my Government felt
bound to submit the result was TO destroy the effect
CONDITIONS offered. lt was above all to paralyze the
national defense at the very moment when it was
about to assume itionsworthy OF France"
The most curious part of the document is
that in which the ex- Emperor expresses his
idea as to what the proper course of the Prus-
slams would have been. He says that the
war must be one either of annihilati On for one
of the parties or of complete and cordial re-
conciliation. He thinks that Bismarck ought
to ask himself whether Germany has greater
interest in the ruin or the alliance of France,
and he intimates that a magnanimous policy
on the part of Germany would have the effect
of touching the hearts of Frenchmen to such
an extent that so far from even in the most
remote hereafter being inspired with desires
to revenge the defeats they have suffered,
they would be eager to embrace the Germans
as brothers, and march with them side by side
in carrying out the great ideas of civilization.
He says that
"France, If generous line OF conduct should
incline her towards close and loyal alliance with
Germany, would be the first to agree that there
no longer reason for the existence OF lue OF
defenses commanded by the fortresses between the
two empires"
We can imagine sardonic grin illuminat-
ing the countenance of Bismarck rs he reads
such a review of the situation as this from
the pen of the illustrious captive, and
he will consider it as an evidence either that
Louis Napoleon is a greater fool than he
thought him, or that his misfortune have
upset his mental equilibrium. He will also
smile, and the world will smile with him at
the ex- -Emperor's declaration that
"The frank and clear state ment of truth ALWAYS
made, established between France and myself cur
rent OF sympathy, which nothing will be able to de-
stroy."
His ideas of proper basis for peace set
Element are contained in the following
Words
"Were to affirm that our honor has no stain to
fear from reconciliation based upon disarma-
ment of fortresses then become useless, and on the
principle OF war indemnity to be settled by ex-
perts, believe that peace would be possible"
In case Bismarck should prove obdurate
and determined to crush France, he holds out
solemn warning to him in the following
Sphynx-like sentences:-
"These conditions may prevent Fsance from hav-
Ing recourse to eXtremities, which a caprice
chance might render fatal TO the social order OF
OF the divisions by which che is and delivered
from the scourge OF war, France would be swift to
see and admit that her misfortunes due 10 her
want OF political unity and that she must henceforth
seek her prosperity in strict regard to the invioa-
os n os Ha ner Lese VIII oay
take them into account before attacking Paris. The
terrible shock Providence has permitted between
| Germany and France may have struck out a spark
| which progress will find useful to the moral and
material safety of Europe but If on both sides they
persist in looking force as the only solution there
will surely spring out Of this shock formidable un
known, redoubtable as much to misfortune to Ger
many as 1t Is the misfortune OF France"
The most important conclusions to be
drawn from this curious document are, first,
that Napoleon has not given up hopes of
being able to regain his throne, and that
Bismarck is encouraging him with the idea
that he will be able to do so. The manifesto
reads very much as if it had been drawn from
the captive by skilful manpuvre of the
Prussian statesman, who purposes to use it
for his own purposes, and that he will be able
to do so by exciting distrust of the perma-
nence of the provisional republic, and by
holding out expectations of a restoration
of the Empire, and thus creating divided
public sentiment in France, there can be but
little doubt. The French in the present con-
test have not only to contend against the best
disciplined and best generalled armies in the
world, but against a statesman who is as cum
ming and as fertile in resources as he is far
seeing and gigantic in his aims; and unless
some totally unforeseen circu instances should
operate in their favor to change the fortunes
of war, the result of the contest cannot be
| doubted.
Just as we go to press a despatch has
been received which states that the manifesto
of the ex-Emperor referred to above Is un-
| questionably bogus. If this is true, it of
course puts a different phase upon the
matter. #r.H