Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-02-12
THE SITUATION IN FRANCE.

In order to aid our readers in under
standing the present situation of affairs in
France, the following facts are presented
BY the terms for an armistice agreed upon
by Bismarck and Favre, " free election
for General Assembly was provided for,
the Assembly to meet on the 18th inst, at
Bordeaux. Immediately on hearing of the
terms of the armistice, Gambetta and his
| associates of the Government of Nation
al Defence at Bordeaux, issued decree
! for an election containing sweeping dis
qualifications, excluding all members of
the Bourbon, Orleans and Bonaparte fami-
lies, as well as most all persons who held
office under the Second Empire. These
exceptions were not consented to by Fayre
and the majority of the Government at
Paris. A new decree was, therefore, is
sued, abolishing all disqualifications and
making the election free, as the armistice
intended.
Amidst this confusion the elections for
seven hundred and fifty-three deputies
took place on the 8th, and the result, as
given in our dispatches this morning, is
favorable to the Orleanists. To this class
belong Jules Favre, Jules Simon, Picard,
Pelleton, Emanuel Arago, GARNER Pages
and Jules Ferry. Among the electors as
reported, we find Theirs, a monarchist,
Victor Hugo, Quinet and Gambetta, radi-
calls, and Felix Pyatt, one of the reds"
In the interests of the Orleanists, the
Due D'Aumalehas issued an address to the
French electors, drawing comparison be-
tween France under the reign of his father,
Louis Philippe, and the France of to-day.
He says, however, while expressing clearly
his preference for the Empire, that should
the people of France decide upon it, he will
be faithful to the Republic.
The predominance of the moderate Re-
publicans under the lead Of Jules Favre is
certainly favorable to peace. The assem-
bly, however meets in Bordeaux, q city with
population that has as yet experien-
csd but few of the horrors of war, and
which is now excited to fever heat by the
faction of that INSCRIPTIONS demagogue,
Gambetta. The temper of this city, backed
by large numbers of other communities
and by the ''Reds, Twill make the delibera-
tons stormy and protracted. Whether
out of the fires Of this furnace shall come
forth an Empire or Republic is extremely
doubtful.
But we see many reasons to believe that
the Assembly to meet tomorrow will be
controlled by Favre, Simon and their
moderate associates, and that the result of
their deliberations will be peace upon some
terms honorable under all the peculiar ex-
isting circumstances.
In the meantime while the results of the |
deliberations of the Assembly are being
worked out, the Germans continue prepara-
tons for the vigorous prosecution of the
war, if it becomes necessary. In the de-
partments exempt from the armistice the |
work progresses. The bombardment of
Belfort is carried on vigorously. This
stronghold once in the hands of the Ger
mans and their hold upon Alsace is secure.
New levies are coming in from Germany,
and if the madness of Gambetta, Louis |
Blanc and Rochefort prevail in the coun-
ellis at Bordeaux, poor France will be so
overrun and crushed that gem /
erations will not outlive her devastation.