The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-25


keen political vision to watch the course Of
German policy; for that is the key Of the posi-
ton. Meantime there are plenty of signs
abroad In Europe that the ties between the
| new Germany and Austria are being firmly
knit. The Conference will drag on, in all pro-
liability, for a season. 1t suits Bismarck and
Germany well that England should arm
heavily, forhe knows very well that Germans
and Englishmen will never fire shot at each
other, and he probably intends to allow Russia
to expand unchecked about as much as we
intend to let the New Dominion of Canada
become great, independent empire on this
| Continent. But the English are SO stupid.
They cannot take hint or see even to the
length of their own noses
! The HOpelessness Of tine Struggle in
| Under dates Of January 20 and 81 the special
| correspondent Of the HERALD In Paris supplies
us with the latest news by telegraph of the stu
| alton within the walls of the beleaguered city.
The picture presented Is sad in the extreme.
Suffering from cold and hunger, the unforu-
nate Parisians await the approaching end of
the siege. Though no wall has gone up from
the people it is painfully evident that they
would regard peace with satisfaction. The
long endured privatons which they have been
compelled to suffer the dlscouraging reports
which have of late been received from the
armies in the provinces the near approach
Of the German investing lines the USE
lessness Of the sorties and the terrors which
the bombardment Of the city excites, all COM
bine to operate disadvantageously upon the
army and the citizens of Paris. Every day
the stores Of provisions grow smaller. Hun
ger and disease go side by side through the
once beautiful streets Of the famous capital of
| France. Death and destruction from the
| deadly missiles Of the German batteries out
side the walls awe the starving populace for
the moment, to be succeeded almost momenta-
rily by desire for revenge, which is accom-
panied with all the energy of despair. Blindly,
indeed, do the leaders in Paris to-day pursue
policy which cannot result otherwise than In
humiliatipg failure. Paris has been well de-
Tended; the appeals of her leaders have been
heroically responded to; the army within the
walls have time and again attempted to pierce
labors been? The defence Of the city
cannot save the people from starvation; the
response to the appeals of the government
have not given to Paris disciplined or we'll
equipped soldiers and the sorties have re-
suited in nothing but the loss Of life and the
/ 80 l..
populace Disheartened, General Trochu ten
ders his resignation; but no one can be found
who will assume the responsibilities of his
Office. The leaders are evidently perplexed !;
they know not what to do; the end APP
proaches, and they dread to consider the crisis
in the light in which it should be considered.
They evidently lack the moral courage to ac-
knowledge defeat, and while shot and shell
pour into the city and the Army of Paris is
powerless to stay the destruction of life and
property, these self-same leaders look calmly
on, seeing precious lives sacrificed, valuable
property destroyed and over two millions OF
people suffering the horrors Of siege unparal-
leled in the history of modern tines Without
the slightest gllmmer upon which to base the
faintest hope Of success a resistance is main
tanned which has no justification. Paris has
proved what she can do; to attempt more is
worse than madness.
From the provinces, though the accounts do
not assume as Respondent complexion as
those which were published yesterday, there
is nothing in the general aspect which en-
courages hope that the French armies can in
any way change the general result. What if
the Prussians were repulsed at Dion? What
| if Faidherbe tells Gambetta that he saved his
artillery and retired orderly? Whatif General
Chanzy is at Laval reorganizing his army for
further offensive operations and that Gam
BETA was going to pay him visit? What
may we ask, do all these things amount to
Simply nothing. The French armies in the
field are beaten, and not all the special plead
ings of NJ. Gambetta can convince the world
to the contrary. The war in France is on its
last legs and staggers to its fall In some
respects it presents parallel somewhat SINH
lar to the last days Of our late civil war;
The defiant tone Of General Chanzy in the
southwest, Faidherbe in the north and Trochu
in Paris, may be likened to that of Kirby
Smith, Joe Johnston and General Lee. These
Southern leaders fought with heroism not
surpassed by the struggles in France, but
when they found their cause was hopeless
they surrendered and abandoned the sdie in
The last ditch" policy which not few radical
fire-eaters advocated. They we're none the
brave because they acknowledged before
hand the defeat which WIS inevitable Trochu,
! Chanzy, Faidherbe and Bourbaki are good and
abb, soldiers men of ability and possessed Of
experience in the art of war, but let us hope
that they, at least, will recognize the true