The New York herald., 1871-03-02

Of Victory.
| The Germans have entered Paris. So far
as we know at late hour, while we write, the
Parisians have not behaved so badly as some
have been trying to make believe they would.
The Germans have had their triumph
triumph which a high philosophy must de-
spise; but, things being they are, it is graft
flying to know that the affair went off in such
manner as revealed fair amount Of common
sense on both sides. The Germans are in Paris
and Paris is not in flames. The Germans
have had their triumph--a triumph to which
they were fairly cntitlcd but Paris, so far as
we know the facts, has yielded to the influence
of wisdom and has given proof that she was
not, after all, bad representative Of the con-
centrated common sense of the world.
So far this is good. But the news from
Bordeaux is more important than the news
| from Paris. 1t is well known to our readers
that the National Assembly appointed M.
Theirs and Jules Favre to act as the repre-
sentatives of France at the Prussian Court of
Versailles-that M. Theirs and Jules Favre in
their difficulties had the assistance of large
Consultative Committee, and that these con-
joint powers were authorized to sign the pre-
liminaries Of peace The preliminaries Of
peace agreed to by NJ. Theirs and NJ. Favre,
we now know, endorsed by the Consultative
| Committee unanimously, have been accepted
by the National Assembly by an overwhelming
majority Two most important points are
thus gained-Paris has not gone mad because
her German conquerors have insisted on seeing
her beauties, and the National Assembly has
not rebelled against the German terms of
peace. In other words, the Germans are now
in Paris and France has accepted the arrange
ments made by NM Theirs and Favre and the
Consultative Committee of the Assembly.
Few, very few, who have been students of
this war from its commencement until now,
viii be sorry that things are as they are
to-day.
The war is ended. The line is drawn
between the past and the present and new
era for Europe and the world offers itself for
our consideration. In so far as the past is
! concerned, no one can refuse to admit that
France has had her deserts, and that the
Parisians, properly so called, have no cause
of complaint The French people made this
war a necessity even more than the foolish
traditions associated with the House Of Bona
partc or with the first republic. The neces-
sity was French and French only. The result
of the war has proved that if France had been
wise she would have recognized no such
necessity. Germany was not interfering with
| France or French affairs when the elected
chief of the French people declared war upon
her. As France began the war France
has no reason to complain that the
war has turned out to her hurt
War is always, or ought to be,
doubtful game, and those who proclaim it
ought to be prepared to abide by the conse-
qnences For the third time in less than sixty
years Paris is occupied by the stranger and
the conqueror. But Paris has no just cause
of complaint The Parisians, like the rest of
France, were responsible for the war. If
| France had been successful, the Parsians, like
| the rest of France, would have insisted not
only on the acquisition of territory, but on the
right Of the French army to enter Berlin. If
Paris to-day is partially in the hands of the
invader the Parisians ought to remember that
the time has been when they had not much
mercy on Rome, on Milan, on Vienna, on
Berlin, and on Moscow of painful memory.
The tables are turned, but the French people
unit, have no good reason to object to the
principle, whatever they may think of the fact.
All things considered, they ought rather to be
grateful than otherwise for the comparative
clemency OF the conqueror.
The humiliation of France, now accepted by
the National Assembly, opens up fresh ques-
tions which are full of interest to all men
everywhere who take any interest in the well
fare Of nations and the future OF mankind Ii
is not to be denied that, unless some nnfore-
seen circumstances should arise. France must
be contented for at least half century to take
secondary place in the European system OF