The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-03-02
rhs German ENVY into Paris.


The German Entry into Paris.
From tho New York journal Of Commerce.
Germany, In conducting the war and
concluding peace, mixes her precedentsl
irom France The French, when they
were victorious over the GERMANS an
nexed provinces, extofted IL mons trous
money indemnitles, and entered conquer.
ed capitals. Now that the wheel OF for
tune Is turned In their favor, the Germans
propose to do the same things. And who
shall say them naye..- common con.
sistency, not the French, for they would
have Imposed equally hard conditions
upon Germany, were all tho circum.
stances Of the case reversed. Not any
other power in Europe, for none O. them
are strong enough TO prevent the Germans
nom working their retributiye VIII upon
France, and there ~ not one Of them
which would not be equally exactng In
Germany's place. Much As we may pity
France, we cannot Conscientiously Affirm
that according TO the laws and iusages of
war, which she has done so much to es1
ablish, Germany Is melting out more than
Justice To her, And, least OF all, can we
and fault with the the triumphant
entry of the German Troops into
Paris. The great Napoleon, when the VIC
tory Of Jena placed Berlin Of his mercy,
entered that city and occupied y for some
time, and issued from the palace ot the
IIohenzollern's thatmost audaclous order,
which marked the zenith Of his power,
known as tho Berlin decree, declaring
the British islands In q state Of blockade,
British manufactures contraban1, and the
property OF all British subjects the law.
hui prize Of war. The Emperor William
cannot SO signalize his mastery Of half
Europe by any Paris decree that he may
publish; but he car, show 10 the world
by occupying the French capital that
Jena is at last fully reyenged, and that
France lies as pitiably PROSTATE at his
feet as Prussia did at those Of Napoleon
In 1906. Hopes had been expressed that
the Emperor Of Germany would be mag,
unanimous enough 10 spare France and
Paris this last humiliation. But We
imagine that any magnanimlty he may
have felt on the subject has been Obliged
TO give way TO tho demands OF the great
army which he leads. There isnot q Ger.
man soldier who has been fighting his way
To Paris since last July that does not re
gard the privilege Of entering that city
Victorious as tho chief object Of
his ambition. Bismarck may look
for French provinces and swinging
damages in cash, but the German sol
diers consider tho occupation Of Paris the
richest reward for all their sacrifice and
toll. To march up her magnificent boule!
wards In all the bravery Of new uniforms
and cleaning helmets, and TO be review
ed by their Emperor in the Champs de
Mars, will be to German soldiers then
delightful events in their lives, TO DO look!
cd back to as long as they live with Joy
and pride. To send the German soldiers
home deprived OF that rapture might not
breed q mutiny among them, for their
discipline can endure anything, but 1t
would greatly affect tho popularity ofthe
Emperor and Bismarck In the army, as
we'll Us through allth0 ranks OF ciyilliie,
OF which the soldiers when at homo arc
an integral part. Il Aside from tho scntl.
ment Of entering Paris as celebration Of
victory, the Germans have natural curl
osity 10 SEQ the most beautiful city In the
world, which the majority of them will
then look upon for tho first, lust and only
time. We cannot WONDER therefore, That
the German march through Paris Is
ono of tho conditions which Bismarck
will not waive. Nor do VIC SEQ why the
Parisians should bc so extremely sensitive
about It. The Germans have fairly won
their city, They only did not take It by
storm because the garrison surrendered
before that extreme measure was ncces-
sary. Forts and fortified places arc al
ways occupied by their captors; and i
only requires o little, common sense PHI
losophy In the Pdrisians 10 sec that the
entry Of the a riiiails Is no additional
disgrace to them Their humiliation lies
in the fact that t:ey have been unable to
prevent the enemy from taking the CITY;
the legitimate consequence Of the entry Is
not, and should not be, regarded as In the
nature Of q taunt or insult, oil wanton ex-
ultatipn OF. display Of power. i Is much
easier to counsel philosophy and patience
than to practice them. But y Is in the
cultivation Of these virtues, hitherto so
much neglected in France; that the hopes
Of her future largely lie, and perhaps tho
painful experiences which she Is now un-
dergoing, if calmly endured, and their
teachings wisely needed, will be prodpc'
tive Of great eventual good to her, Z lr