Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-02-03
GAMBETTA,s WAR.

GAIBETTA's WAR.
Gambetta is still bowling for war
He wants more slaughter, devastation
and ruin. Like the lunatics Of the Par
is mob who few days ago were shout
ing, ITO Berlin to Berlin !" SO this
blatherskite keeps the telegraph busy
with his proclamations for more fighting
to restore the integrity and honor of
France, He forgets, or rather seems
lacking in the moral sense to see that
when France assumed the part of a riot
er and plunged heedlessly into a wan
ton, shameful and aggressive war, she
took upon herself a moral pollution
which no amount of fighting can atone
for, and the stains of which cannot be
washed out with blood.
France is simply paying the penalty
for the crime Of guilty ruler. which
she has never for one hour renounced
and still persists in making her own. To
insist that she shall escape in her integ-
rity and with honor untarnished from
the consequences of a war so unjustlY
begun, and in itself such an outrage up
on the worlds peace and the civilization
of the. century, is something so supreme
ly absurd as to border upon the ludi-
crous.
It is not thus that men or nations
may avoid the misfortunes which soon
er or later follow inevitably in the path
of the most deeply guilty or even the
most purely mistaken undertakings.
The disaster and humiliation which
have overtaken the ruler and the people
who inaugurated this dance of blood, :"
and upon whom is the responsibility for
scores of thousands slain is a singular
example of poetic justice. In this mod
ern age History is more swift-footed in
her revenges than she was in times OF
inferior civilization when the issue be-
tween the right and wrong was less clear
developed. When Protestants were
themselves intolerant il required ages to
overthrow intolerance, while in this mod
ern day the world has seen human op-
preston overthrown in half decade.
and nation which set forth in pride
and hopefullness upon a career of con-
quest laid PROSTATE in less than six
months at the feet of the nation she
would have wronged!
Gambetta is evidently one of that
very large school of Frenchmen who
confound the righteousness of a cause
with military prestige, being indoctrin-
ated in the false philosophy akin to the
falser one that.
Treason is meier suceessful-what's the
Because If successful tits no longer treason.
His theory of action seems to be that
the crime of France may yet be gilded
over and made lovely in the sight of
men with the tinsel of military success,
In the name of Republic he takes up
Napoleon's war where the latter left it,
as though Republicanism, whether real
or pretended. could sanctify the crusade
of an Emperor in behalf of political and
religious despotisml The republics which
live are not born in retrieving the fortunes
and assuming the ambitions Of defeated
despots. A real love of freedom would
play a different role and manifest itself
in way less liable to awaken suspicion
of being a counterfeit and sham invent
ed for temporary purpose.
Not that France is not capable of re-
publican government, nay even ripe for
it; or that any sincere and well directed
effort to establish such government on
the ruins of the Empire ought not to be
encouraged. The experiment of self
government in France has never yet
been fairly tried, nor can it be while she
continues to wage the war of the En-
pire. Let her renounce despotism and
all its works; let her disavow Its cata-
Iogue of crime and disaster; let her hon
orably confess the mistake and pay the
price of having committed her destnies
into the hands Of usurper; let her hus-
band her resources for the protection of
freedom instead of wasting them in pro-
longing conflict as hopeless as it is
wicked; let her declare to the world that
she values free institutions far more
than she does the prestige or the acqui-
sitions of conquest; let her. in short.
make the best terms she can and con-
struct out Of her misfortunes a govern
ment recognizing, in the broadest sense,
freedom of religious faith and of polite
al action, and she will do more to re-
gain her lost position among continen-
tai nations, more to indemnify her loss
es and command the sympathies of ev-
cry civilized people, than she could do
by years of fighting and scores of victo-
ries. Redeemed and regenerated
France with half her present territory is
worth far more to the world than France,
however grand in territorial or military
aggrandizement. a slave to the craft of
priests and emperors. And well NAV
she count the loss of principalities, colo
nies, ships, indemnities and even blood
as nothing, if out Of the crucible of mis-
fortune she shall come purified of intol-
erance and aggression, clothed in the
beautiful garments of freedom and
wearing as her shield and buckler the
faith and practice Of the sublime idea Of
ALL RIGHTS FOR ALL.
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