New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-08
4 DETY IND 4 DEBT

An appeal which has never been made in
vain is once more made to the American peo-
pie. A great national calamity in Europe calls
upon the charity of the New World for SYM
pathy and succOr. The flag which was
the harbinger of rescue to starving Crete,
which has more than once been the herald of
n Christian effectiveness of aid to hungry Ire
land, and which even in the crisis Of our ma
tional struggle was sent to England with bread
for destitute Lancashire, now waves over the
vessels which are to carry our offerings to
prostrate and bleeding France. Here, at least
is a matter in which there can be no conflict
of opinions. We give our moral support to
the side we think the just one. We give our
bread to every people that is starving.
The war is over. 1t is scarcely possible that
the madness of factions can so far infect the
nation as to induce the Assembly to continue
a useless and now impossible struggle. France
has bitterly atOned for all the crimes and fol-
lies of the rulers she Obeyed so long, and fol-
lowed so recklessly into this crazy war. She
has ceased to be dangerous to the peace OF
the world. Her military power is broken, her
prestige gone. Whatever may be the definite
political system she may this month adopt,
she is pledged to peace for long time to
come. In her helplessness she appeals to the
humanity Of the world. She has suffered in
this terrible half-year more than in former
times would have been possible in war Of
many years. So vast an armament never in
vaded France; such widespread devastation
never wasted her fields and impoverished her
farms BY thousands of peasant hearthstOnes
grief sits with the widow and orphans cover
ing over the scanty embers, and the wolf
hunger pr0wls about the door. There is no
fuel to console for the absence Of food. There
is no food to enable the furnishing to resist
the cold. There is never any great surplus in
France, and in this year of ruthless waste and
insignificant production nothing but the active
charity of the world eau prevent the pinching
of famine and the resulting scOurge of pesti
lence. Already the public health has suffered
severely from these unusual priyatiOns. In
Paris, 10000 non-combatants have persisted
since the siege began, and in every province
over which the war has swept disease divides
with desOlation the scOrched and blasted cham
paigns.
Suffering is n sufficient motive for charity,
but beyond this common claim the world
owes something to France. With all the
ter it has given in every age the quickest
and readest hospitality to all new and gen.
erous ideas. Europe owes its liberties to the
mighty contagiOn of 1889. And again, in
1913, it was from Paris that the powerful i'm
pulse went forth that tOppled over q dozen
thrones and gave to as many peoples the en-
during advantages of liberal constitutions. 1t
is not needful for us to recall our special OBJ
legations to France. 1t does not diminish our
sense of gratitude to know that the King and
Ministry aided us to cripple our enemy and
theirs. Before they signed with Franklin the
treaty of alliance, all that there was of pub
lie opinion had pronounced for us, and our
Envoy had received from the world of sci
ence and of fashion as well. a welcome full of
appreciative enthusiasm. The old philosopher
went home without recognizing the mo-
mentous revolution that was already accom-
plished in the world of mind, but jefferson
knew and acknowledged the vast debt that
modern civilization owes to the alert intellect
of France. In all changes of dynasties and
policies, whatever may have been the caprices
or the schemes of rulers, the French people
have always regarded the United States with
frank admiration and genuine kindness.
These considerations are not necessary to
awaken our earnest sympathes, although they
should intensity and reinforce them. Ii is
enough for the American people to know that
whole nation, stricken and Inundated, is
suffering from the pressure of material neces-
sites that wide fields lie idle for Lack of
seed; that in thousands of cottages hunger and
cold are inmates where fathers and brothers
will not come again; that ready help must be