Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-03-18

4 Berlin correspondent writes In
order % 49, sanethInE Of pnssn hie
anaag the Preach soadien IL Germany,
i recently spent = day 81 WiiiemhsES,
ahout fity milos from here Az IN other
fortified placss o. Germany, are kept .
large number Of Preach pusonerS
wiienberg i known % Americans chiefly
A. the soene Of Luther and Melanciion :
uurld-renowned deeik. and As where
their bodies stin rest The large clos
Der. nox used for Protestant theological
seminary, in which Lnther lived as a
monk The plain Gothic church IN
which he preached, and which Is cele-
brated a. the mother % all the Protestant
churches the place where heburned the
Pores bull and the antiquated house
in which Melancthon lived and taught
are all shown 10 the traveller, As vel as
many relics Of both these men. Most
Of the day, however, i spent among the
French prisoners, 30 whose quarters l
easily procured a pass These are not
kept within the walls OF the city, but, as
Is generally the case. in temporary bar
acks, erected in the outskirts OF the
town, about a mile beyond the fortified
tons. The reason why the prisoners
are kept at the fortified towns is not that
there are there any better means for
their safe-keeping, but because there are,
at any rate, always soldiers there.
These, besides their other duties, can
conveniently be made 10 guard them
without additional expense to the govern
ment The enclosure which contcins
the barracks occupies, perhaps, fifty
acres. The barracks are built of boards
capable of containing from 100 10 200
each. All are filed 10 their utmost capa-
city, there being, in all, some 5000 pri-
soners at Wittemberg Their only fur
niture being rough tables and chairs.
They have coarse mattresses and blankets
which they spread over the floor at night
and roll up in a corner in the day time.
Their quarters are kept comparatively
warm, which is saying great deal in Ger
many. They are doing nothing; but
they lounge around and seem TO be very
restless. They have no reading matter.
Occasionally they pass the time IN play
ing a game of cards or other games.
They dispute a great deal with each other,
rs Is the case WneItNtT liltIt II u NIbNu Va
Frenchmen. They have, of course, es-
tablished theatre among them, where
there are free entertainments every even
ing. Their food consists of coarse rye
bread, stewed barley, potatoes, and a
little meat. Some few complained to
me that they did not get enough TO eat.
Others said they had enough, but that it
was not such as one could get fat on.
They feel much the loss of their &C.
customed soup. They complain greatly
of the cold particularly those from the
South of France. They are kept rather
closer than they like, never being allow
ed to go out of the enclosure, though
being free within it. The citizens of
Wittemberg are allowed to go visit them
on Sunday, and then only by special per
mission. They know very little of what
is going on in France, and nearly every
one with whom 1 talked asked me very
infinitely about the war news. They
agree generally that they have been be-
trayed by their leaders, and curse
Bazaine and Napoleon without measure.
In their politics they appear to be mostly
Republicans, though many do not care
anything about what government they
have. They are, however, all French in
their feelings, and have no mild words
for the Prussians they never say Ger
mans ~