The New York herald., 1871-03-21
Tho New Reign OF Torror-Is Paris Stil.
FranceS

make the heart sick. No such disheartening
news to those who loved the French people
has been received in the memory of living
men. We forget not the whole interval since
July Of last year, nor, indeed, the interval
since 1884 long interval certainly, but in
the history of French sorrow not by any means
to be overlooked. II is fair, we think, to say
that the news Of the last two days has made
the name of France almost stink in the nostrils
of every man who was angry with Germany
and who persisted in hoping for France.
What is the situation? After a war of more
than eight months France has been compelled
TO bow TO the conqueror. Her Emperor has
been for over six months prisoner
in the hands of the enemy Ills
Empress and all those, including his
son, who belonged to what was called the
Regency, have been for the SAME space Of
time exiles in England As nearly as possible,
four hundred thousand of the picked men Of
France, the best and most trusted generals OF
the empire included, have been, since Sedan,
prisoners in iortresses absolutely under Ger
man control. Since Sedan France has
revealed no lack of pluck but the six months
| fighting, whatever we may say of the pluck,
has served mainly 10 exaggerate Frances
misIortunes; and what is more important still
| in the premises, the French people, accepting
the fate of their country, have, in consti-
| tutional, manner, made peace with the con-
queror and persuaded the armies of the con-
| queror to retire. The French people cannot
| deny that by fair, constitutional vote the
| present National Assembly was elected and
| NJ. Theirs made President of the republic.
There are few men who will refuse to admit
that the terms imposed upon France
by the German leaders were hard
and, indeed, heavy; but the Germans
went about their work with so
| much caution and consideration that no
man of intelligence, no matter how much he
| sympatbizes with France, can help confessug
that the French people fairly tested, fully en-
dorsed the peace policy of the government Of
NJ. Thiers. In good faith the Prussians have
been gradually evacuating the conquered
strongholds and leaving France TO the French.
For time the promise was bright 1t was
the opinion of many thoughtful men that
although the money demands of Prussia were
something unprecedented, the demand for the
cession Of territory something more than
humiliating, and the whole peace arrange
ment altogether too hard, France bad
magnanimously bowed and done the best she
could do in the circumstances. To-day every
we!l-wisher of France and Of the French
people has changed his mind, and the uuiver-
sal sentiment is that the French are absolutely
unfit for self-government. 1t was once
proud boast to be Roman citizen. II is
source of pride at this moment to be able to say
81 am an American, or a Britisher or Ger
man :" but where is the man who is not ashamed
to confess II am citizen OF France p The
deeds Of the last two days have appalled, the
world, and many look upon France as another
Poland which ought to be occupied, parti-
toned, extinguished.
The treachery Of the soldiers, and the cool
blooded murders of General Clement Thomas
and General Lecomte (and while we write
who can tell how many more , revive the worst
memories of the past We think Of the storm
ing Of the Bastile, of the July horrors, Of the
September massacres of the Goddess of Rea-
son and the associated blasphemies, of the
.fasillades the noyades, the gullotine and all
the other horrors--real and imaginary-of the
Reign of Terror. Another Committee of Pub
lie Safety, another Danton, another Marat an
other Robespierre rise up before us, and we
ask, How is this fresh outburst of revolutionary
-. Il n, ard. 10 have
feeble Directory, another Consulate, another
Empire? Are new names to figure in the
destruction OF another Directory: Is Gam
beta, or some sucn, 10 figure as new despOt
by the special will OF the French people?
These questions are not by any means out
Of place in present circumstances. No one
can tell what may happen ADything-every-
thing is possible. We are willing to believe
however, that Paris, in spite of appearances,
is no longer France in the ancient sense.
The railroad, the telegraph and the newspaper
have made wondrous changes during the last
sixty years. Already the order-loving people
of the capital city talk of appealing to the
| provinces or to the Germans for relief We
have moi much faith in the provinces, for the
reason that the provinces are controlled by
the large cities. The provinces cannot save
Paris except by vote; but if anarchy reigns
| in Paris it is difficult to see howa provincial
vote can be obtained King William, it is
said has halted in his homeward march, and
| as the Germans are now as much Interested
in the peace and prosperity Of France as are
| the French themselves, it is not at all impos-
sible tina. King William will send back Man
teuie or some other skilfn general,
at the head of sufficient number OF
men. TO do for France what France
in her agony confesses she cannot do
for herself. Ii the German troops should be
| ordorod hack theu will nf cnurse nccnnY Paris