New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-21
FRANCE GERMANY - AMERICAN SYN
PATTY.
a. A.o.:oox Ill, ,o,; linz IN CuifzorIop M

writes to a cOuntrywoman "a follows:
81 sec with modification that Congress has made a
collective donkey OF ITSELF by passing resolution 10 en-
ploy three National vessels 10 carry aid to tine suffering
nations OF France and Germany should like to be in
formed in what the Germans are suffering people
I look upon them as eminenty prosperous. Between
plundering and gougng France, they will in the in
demnity they will pay the expenses OF the war dozen
times over. And this Congress resolution-which
makes all Americans simply ridcuous-s to pan
der to tho in country and that Il why
! hold our political men in the contempt that do. No
politician can afford to do purely generous act could
pardon the OF the thing II it did not make us
appear ridiculous. Our National act OF succor to
starving France Is deprived OF all grace and significance
by sticking in Germany, that no more needs help than
we do. She has lost men, she he's lost her moral
sense and her honor Congress can't restore her dead
to life neither 1t rehabitate her furnished National
name what hurts in this is our insratitude. When
Louis XVI gave six millions OF francs in our Reyolu
Onary struggle, he did not include another nation In the
gift. The Frenchmen who over TO fight with us
and for us, did not shrink from offending England and
when Paris capitulated and the English Government or
dered their transports TO convey ts OF provisions for
the famshed city what would the world have thought if
England I'm the earo OF wondng PruSsian susceptiOes,
should have included in the gift tho Germans at Yer
sallcs T.
Comments By The Tribune.
Having thus given utterance to the lady
feelings, we call her attention to the material
facts:
/. France made unprovoked, unnecessary,
unjust war upon Prussia, intending to close it
! with the capture of Berlin and the enforced
cession BY the defeated power of all the terri
| tory remaining to Germany west of the Rhine.
| Instead of that, the French were defeated in
! dozen pitched battles, their two great armies,
| with their Emperor and his ablest Marshals
were taken prisoners, their capital and half
| their great cities surrendering, as also their
strong Eastern fOrtresses-StrasbOurg Metz
ThiOnylllc, Bclfort, &c. In short, France went
ont for wool and came home sh0rn to the
quick. She meant TO despoil Germany; she
failed and is herself despoled Our Judgment
is that OF most impartial people, whether
American or European" Served her right ~
III. Our syupaJhies are with Germany rather
than France, because France in 1870 Gas ever
so many times before made a war of spola-
ton upon Germany without necessity or rea-
son. Had Germany thus made war on France,
We should have reioiced to see Germany chas-
! tiscd and punished as France Las Just been.
| The fact that we have many fell0w-citizens of
| German and few of French birth has nowise
| affected our Judgment in the premises. aud
those who always attribute acts which dis
| please them To some mean, sinister motive,
really impeach no ones honesty but their
own.
III. The French are badly beaten in the
contest they 50 wantonly provoked, and are
the seyerer sufferers by its inevitable calami-
ties, but they are not the only sufferers. On
the contrary SORROW, bereavement, suffering,
I.tr. II.fg n
and many thousands have been contributed
| by our people to mitigate those calamities.
! The right thus to give is unquestionable the
need Is known TO be urgent and widespread !;
and Congress, giving nothing to either side,
has rendered the use of National vessels
to convey the contributions of our people
TO the sufferers of this or of that nation lately
at war "a the giyers shall choose. TO have
done otherwise would have been inyidious and
wrong. Ii nothing is given to mitigate the