The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-02
The Prospects of Peace.
stance so heroic in its .fortitude
the admiration OF friend and

the admlratlOn OF lrlenu auu
Pa. .--.s surrendered to the victorious
sions .of Germany. The regular troops
Id the Moblots are disarmed; Valerien and
the grim sisters who girdle round the gay
city are occupied by Saxon or Prussian, by
Bayarian or Badener. A quarter OF mil
lion Of Frenchmen are added to the huge
roll of prisoners OF war. To the armies OF
United Germany, poor France has nothing
moret to oppose save the bodies OF dispirited
and poorly organized men whom Faidherbe
Chanzey and the successor OF Bourbakl still
hold together. The military situation gives
the French no room for hope and yet there
is reason to fear that 'the capitulation OF
Paris, the crowning triumph Tor the German
arms, does not end the war.
During the armistice which has been
agreed upon, the French will have an oppor-
tunity of counting up the fearful losses of
! tine campaign, but against this must be set
the probability that their power Of sending
more men 70 the slaughter may tempt the
government to continue the desperate slrug-
gle. France can put million men in the
field, and her leaders are not likely to re-.
fleet that mere numbers are of little avail
when opposed to veteran troops flushed with
success, and maneuvred with consummate
skill. The French, so fur, have shown IN
1nvincible repugnance to any loss OF ~terri-
tory. There is little OF bravado in their
declaration that they will never consentto
the cession OF one inch of French soil. On
the other hand, it seems certain that the
Germans will insist upon annexing the old
German Provinces Of Alsace and Lorraine.
IL the present temper Of France, no govern
ment can stand which gives its consent to
the surrender OF these provinces, and, il We
are correctly informed, Germany will accept
nothing less than this US on essential condi-
-tion OF peace. This has led thoughtful
critics to the conclusion that the Germans
have no choice but to continue the lighting,
in the north, south, east and west, Till the
whole military organization OF France is
destroyed. Unless peace eau be concluded,
Germany must either crush out the remain
ing armies and hold France as conquered
territory, or must conteDt herself with oc-
cupying the forts around Paris, and the line
OF the Moselle. In the latter case, France
would certainly hammer away at the Ger
man positions as. long as she could coax or
drive regiment into service. Germany,
moreover, is anxious for peace and is loath
Ito adopt any policy which involves the con-
tinuance OF the war; How, then, can the
wishes OF the conqueror and the vanquished
be reconciled?
Strangely enough it was suggested by the
London Times, three weeks ago, that if
peace was to be secured, the first de-
parture from the existing irreconcil-
able Opposition OF the combatants
must come from the German sile. The
Times said 'as long rs the apparent stub
s'borness OF the German attitude remains
ssunabated, all France is thrown into the
''arms Of the government OF defence. The
-s:frst truth mediator should Insist upon,
son addressing the German leaders, would
s9e the necessity OF appelsing some of this
s':hqstility. 1t might easily be done. Paris
<fsft6 be taken; but what if in the moment
s'of triumph the King were to renounce the
ssproud pretension OF debating peace in the
'Tuileries, apd was TO declare his resolution
"not to enter the city, A public declaration
.'that the cessioi iof territory should be quail
'iaed by provisions securing to the inhabi-
tagts Of any strip that might be transferred
free powers Of migration and of disposition
..s,ef theLs property would so far to alleviate
'theaosting, 'aad would reconcile many
xtFiS.tsih xtFiSr.ets1ichmssn mel to sacrifice from which they
s.tfow rdrn'witn; ;tepdsnEiiiiccae." The Emperor
has,araouncett his determination MOTTO en-
ter Paris His .paggnantmity spares the
French an unnecessary, humiliation. Nor is
there anndaua tsat Count Bismarck would
u;l shrfattaI of oonrao concpde IN