New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-01
4 NdTyONAL TENBETTA.

A NATIONAL TENDE9Tf
The Courier DIES Flats inns connSeis present
submission by France to the terms OF pe'co
dictated by Germany, with view To the re-
newal of the war whenever France snail ieci
able TO cope once more with her aow triumphant
antagonist. 1t says
"When wo state that the arnstice IA The end OF tho
war it opinion and our desire We mean That fhard
pressed by the fight mutated ny the sword charod by
tho fire., ready to abandon the arms, the traS-
Inent which aono the fortune OF war has LETT ett III
our hands, it ia because VIC wish to preserve III our
veins enough blood to maintain life It that we wish to
prescye respiration enough TO revive u.s. To recover
breath to regain strength. to await our opportunity
and then when the hour has 10 seize our enemy by
the throat and avengo Ourselves. That IL savage Yea
1t make civilization recoil, and reap' That beautiul
humanitarian theory of the abolition of war Certainly
If We are be barbarisns be II 80. The world VIII POINT
their fuger ut What matters iti We have done
enough for the prosperity of poace, for the ar Tor
SCIENCE for industry for the progress of humanity what
has humanity done for ust What advantage have we do
rived from the disinlCrcscd services which we hay0 ron
dered the civilized world We have not even Obtained
barren sympathy for there no people which docs not
smile at our downfall and only isolated voices IN charity
dole out to us y words of pity There will he truce
but no durable peace for generations VINO groan Oe1eaD
their yoke France-ko those MANNED who suffer aitr
limb ia amputated from imaginary pain In she scVerea
members-wili have no rest until III IrhSheots po
collected into tho original whole so much inc
worse for Europe, II it trembos at our cOhVui-
.ions We have no longer any bowels Of compass
sion no heart for ourselves. what mat
tcrs it TO va. tho agitation and the disturb
ances OF ocrs We had enough Of chiyalry enough oil
generosity enough OF sacrifice and disnterestedness or
others We ara cCosts now, and hcnceforth VIII oniy
dream OF our scattered memb9TS children separated
from us tho flesh OF flesh violently torn away rom
.t.,.I,, Il. VafY ufpe
But even were all buried under lava and ashos-as the
Giant Euccades ietcred beneath Itna, would yet up
heavc the monsters heaped above our heas-is 10 ono
trust 10 that peace which 1t y presumed wii follow
Whoever be the rulers to comc-ngS or people, emper
ors or tribunesthcy Will he applauded by France only
on condition that they cspOusc It's hatO and ia vengeance
Misfortune TO him who would think Of building up a
Power on our ruins would perhaps remain upright
N long "a we were TOO feeble to dash 1t down. but at
the first movement Of our renewed sreDgth all womb
opple down and mngle in the dust Let 1t be said 80
France is going to have National Assembly, which viii
give TIA Government and probably Republican one
the words LiJerif. EgGiih - ptcli| lei u niic on
its banner this nsthcsis OF the EMPIRE H'e "F"0No
Comments BY The Tribune.
The above may be right or wrong, wise or
foolish, Christian or heGtien, but va cannot
doubt that it il perfectly sincere ~ well rs
exceedingly human We do not presume 10 re-
buko or to criticsc it.. The remark II suggests
TO us il simply this-H is a complete j'tstlfc'-
ton of the Gcrmop policy and erdciioas. IT
fully justifes Rankc's response 20 Thcrss ro-
monStrance, Against what are you Germans
now fighting" Against Louis XIV, Mon
sieur.p
Germany says to France You fought ne
"whcn my household was distracted and at
"deadly feud, and playing part of it against
" the rest you conquered, BUNDLED. deSpOlcd
Gus. You wrcStod from ia StraSb0Irg, one Of
"orr great historic cities, the goodly Rhine
Glands of Alsace, the fair valleys of Lorraine,
"Our natural defenses of the Vosges. Now
:" that We are united, powerful, triumphant. we
"prOpOsc to reclaim Them
"But consider how long ago these acquisi-
"tions were made by u.s." pleads France /;
how firmly they have boon Incorporated into
"our life and heart--how their people, though
German in lineage and speech, are French i'll
"every impulse, every fiber of their being
We have felt these latter considerations en-
titled to some weight, but the COnry1er says
not 1t assumes that no statute OF limitations
can be set up in bar of a claim OF France to
restoration of provinces that the fortunes OF
war first gave her and then took away again
If she gains territory by ever so unjust war
it is hers thenceforth and forever, and whoever
retakes it must understand that sho will
never rest till she recOnquers it. If this is to
be her rule, we apprchend that the Universal
Peace Society must count her out of tho list
of its supporters in tho present or in the inn
mediate future.