New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-12
TIE TRE1TY or FRANKFORT.

The weicbty arguments and tempting CON
sidoratons 10y which ii. Jules Favre induced
Prince Bismarck 10 amend the conditions OF
peace are at last made public. That they
were powerful was already manifest from The
result of Che negotiations which ended, as We
announced two days since, in definite treaty
of peace, in which tho German Premier
changed his whole policy of harsh cXactions,
calculated, if not designed, 10 weaken France.
He declared in the Imperial Diet on April "a
that he would not give way 20 any effort to
modify the preliminaiies of peace, but the new
treaty ia full of concessions the part Of
Germany. These changes in his conditions
this abandonment of harsh and dangerous
policy, will not subject Bismarck to the charge
of vacllation. Since he spoke in April the
whole aspect of affairs in France has altered,
and with them Bismarck wisely changes too
The success of tho Versailles Government at
Paris is since then assured; it has some time
been firmly established i'll the Provinces, and is
already az strong i'll popular esteem as any
government France has had in a century.
These political and military considerations. as
well az those enumerated in tho treaty, have
had their influence i'll inducing Bismarck to
change front, and they will justify him with
his own people and with the world.
BY this new treaty the French indemnity
has been decreased by the amount OF the
overdue and unpaid installments, amounting
to over three-quartcrs of d mlliard OF francs.
A statement by M. Theirs somewhat conflicts
with this unofficial story, but the language of
the French President is open to several con-
structons. The considerations exchanged for
this remission of indebtedness are possession
OF the ThonviIle railway to Luxembourg, the
abrOgatOn of the commercial treaty between
France and Germany and the control of the
railways in Alsace and Lorraine. 1t is
further minated that France agrees
TO the immunity from capture OF pri-
yate property on the seas; but this
is practically only a matter of principle for
future guidance and does not involve any
large money considerations. France has also
been aided TO make the first payment of q
mlliard of francs, due during this year, by a
loan from the Frankfort bankers. Thus the
painful financial embarra5sments involved by
the preliminary treaty are overcome, appa-
rently by sacrifice Oh the part of the conquer
| OrS
The immediate release Of the prisoners re-
naming in Germany and the delivery to the
| Versailles army OF the forts east OF Palls are
military measures not less important to NJ
Theirs than the financial concessions 1t rem
ders his military superiority at Paris unques-
toned it establishes his government through
out all France, without a faction to dis
pute its authority. For the first time the
Provinces will have conquered the moi
| of Paris, which has set up and overturned
tho Government for years, and hence
forth the whole of France, and not q
fraction of Paris, will rule the country
Swelled by the returning prisoners, the Army
of Versailles will be able securely to hold the
delivered forts Of Paris, and hasten the con-
clusion of affairs at that point. With PaIi'
suppressed, France will be at peace, with q
strong republican Government, cemcnted by
bloodshed. in authority, and, if wisely directed
with long lease of power before it.