The New York herald., 1871-02-08
TIE Chaos in France.

TIE Chaos In France.
No one can reflect on the condition OF affairs
in France at the present time without feelings
Of regret and pain. To see that once proud
and powerful nation the prey Of the noisy,
turbulent and unprincipled crew who now at
tempt to guide her is melancholy spectacle.
In the presence of the enemy, during the siege
of the capital, while the armies of France
were in the field or in the early days Of the
republic, we had few of those evidences of the
conflicting elements Of which the republican
party in France was composed. That
they existed we were we'll aware;
but the severe lessons which the
nation had experienced by the German inva-
son it was considered, had taught the French
lesson which would not be altogether lost
upon them. The devastation of the fields, the
destruction of cities and towns, the capture of
the capital and the cries Of a famine stricken
people have had little or no effect on the
wretched desperadoes who now influence or
attempt to influence public opinion throughout
the nation. While the war was accomplishing
its work of destruction these fellows kept
quiet. Husbanding their strength they
watched their opportunity, and now, at
time when the nation stands weak and power
less, unable alike to defend itself from the
assaults OF a foreign foe or domestic
enemy, these vampires, in the name
Of liberty, are by their very acts
sirangling republicanism in France in its in
fancy. The special dispatches to the HERALD
published to-day, and on other occasions, from
Paris, Bordeaux, Lyons and other points
throughout the country, serve TO show the
wretohed character of the majority of the men
who are candidates for the National Assembly.
1t seems as though the very slums Of Paris,
Bordeaux, Lyons and Marselles have thrown
mp tacir refuse to be used by the pnprinclpled
demagogues who WELD temporary power in
France. Rapidly the nation is lapsing into
state Of anarchy, not hopeless We trust, as we
have every confidence in the ability of the
French people to free themselves from the
power of the rash and reckless men
who are profiting by the prostration Of the
country. While famishing people cry
for bread in the streets of Paris the
The people ask for food, sigh for peace and
pray for protection, and their leaders have
nothing better to give them than starvation,
war and violence. In the agony Of their
despair the terror stricken people suffer in
silence, afraid TO speak their thoughts or raise
their hands TO save themselves from the tide
of violence which threatens them with destruc-
tion For the moment the mob rule and des-
potism is TIE law Are these the materials
with which France expects to establish a
permanent republic or are they but
miserable exhibitions on the part of the
Insignificant actors, who now play
their pranks while nation suffers,
ere they fall into that obscurity from which
they can never again rise Truly, France is
suffering. Bleeding from every pore, para
lyzed in every part, humiliated, cast down
and PROSTATE, she is even now, in this bitter
hour, tormented by the dissensons and evil
teachings Of her own children. Had these
so-called republicans Of France the love OF
country at heart and an honest respect for the
wishes Of their countrymen they would have
appealed to the nation in the name of liberty,
and, without threat or intimidation. awaited
the result. This is true democracy, which
these fellows cannot appreciate. Gambetta,
Flourens, Rochefort and the rest of that crew
have destroyed the chances for the present of
permanent republic in France