The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-02-09
German Oelehra,lOn.-TheG Germans,


on Saturday night, held a celebration
over the success Of the German ar
mics N Europe and the fall Of Paris
| in the light that peace would soon fol.
low and carnage and devastation
cease. Most Of the German business
houses were illuminated, and present
ed a brilliant appearance. Early in
the evening, Notwithstanding the in
tense cold, a large crowd had gather
ed, and at about seven o'clock a pro-
cession was formed. BoOs' Band led,
and in it were German societies, many
Of the officers OF the city, the City
Council, and citizens. About 5yo
hundred torches were carried. The
principal streets Of the city were pa
raded, after which the people adjourn
ed TO the Court House to listen 70 ad-
dresses-one in German, by Judge
Lang, and one in English, by Gen.
| Gibson.
Judge Lang's speech was well spO-
ken Of and received with applause.
Owing to the country in which we
were born, we were unable to under
stand it.
He was followed by Gen. Gibson in
his usual happy manner.
Gen. Gibson alluded to the great
struggle between France and Prussia,
glancing at the events from the day
the German column thundered across
the Rhine, routing McMahsn's corps,
until, without the loss Of single bat
tie, they invested Paris with q Gordon
Of cannon and an invulnerabIe line Of
bayonets. He remarked that we were
not here to glory in the devastation
and overthrow of France, nor special
ly to congratulate the victors on their
battles won, but to express sympathy
for al Of both nations visited by the
ravages Of war, and to rejoice, with
the christian world, at the surrender
Of Paris, and an armistice-events
prophetic Of an early peace. France
had fallen from her high rank as
military power, and in the new and
regenerated France, her soldiers, like
her people, will seek real national
honor by cultivating the arts Of peace
and promoting general education with
more personal liberty. She failed in
this war because Of the corruption
and incapacity Of her statesmen and
generals, and not from any want Of
vaior on the part Of her soldiers.
Prussia entered France with an ar
my more intelligent and better equip
ped than any European army that ever
took the field, and the military genius
exhibited by her Princes and Generals
is unparalleled in all history. The un-
ificatiOn Of Germany, so gloriously
inaugurated at Sadona in 1866, has
been consummated by the recent tri-
Umphs, and her power, combined with
the liberal spirit Of her government,
must deter France from all future at
tempts to tyrranize over Europe. The
Germans have foughtfor tFatherlaDd,'
and won because Of her superior tai
ent in the cabinet and In the field.
After the fall Of Metz, Paris was at
the mercy of Prussia, but, out Of re-
spect to the opinions Of mankind, she
hesitated to make the assault that
would jeopardize that magnificent
capitol with its treasures Of art, liter
ature and science, and its great mon
uments Of architectural splendor.
When famine grew tardy, the Ger
man batteries pitched shot and shell
into the heart of the city, as notice
that it was at the the mercy Of the
besiegers with their matehless artil-
lery. When capitulation was propos-
ed, terms the least humiliating were
granted, and Germany won her no
blest victory when the clamor Of guns
was hushed, and droYes Of cattle and
loads of provisions from their lines
were driven into the city to relieve
and feed the starving citizens and
soldiers. He then briefly depicted the
benefits that must flow to Europe and
America from peace, and predicted a
closer union, in sympathy, between
the Old and New World, that should |
give greater liberty to the one, and |
new prosperity to the other. He clos
ID by calling for three cheers for SOL
liers, the wounded and the suffering
Of both nations, which were given
with a will.
A call was made for three cheers for
Sen. Gibson, which was heartily re-
JpOnded to.
Thus closed the celebration. Dur
ng the display the best of feeling was
and no spirit of malig-
nant rejoicing over the misfortunes Of
.he French people was INDUCED in.
Tho fair xr7oc xyaTry T,Iaocouf