The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1871-06-18

The Secret Of the French Disasters.
Napoleon, it is now obvious, committed
great mistake in leaving the capital to
have done much more at Paris than at
Saarbruck, Chalons or Sedan. When nu-
merous defeats had accumulated on his
head, return was considered too perilous to
be attempted. Among the papers found at
the Tuiieries after. the Revolution, and
was one consisting of a dispatch discover
ed in fragments, and addressed by the
Empress to the Emperor, in reply, it
would seem, to an intimatiOn from the
latter that he contemplated returning
to Paris after the first misfortunes of the
army. The Empress writes -" have re-
ceived dispatch from Pietri. Have you
reflected upon all the consequences which
would follow from your return to Paris
after having sustained two reversesf For
my own part, dare not assume the re-.
sponsibility of giving advice. If you are
decided upon it, the step must be presented
to the public as merely temporary-the
Emperor returning to Paris to reorganizs
the second army, and Professionally. en-
trusting the com mand in chief of the Army
of the Rhine to Bazaine." The project was
abandoned, and the fall of the Empire,
which the presence of the Emperor in Paris
might possibly have averted, followed in
few days, A strange fatality seemed to
attend all the operations of the war, from
the commencement to the end. The EN-
peror himself was doubtful of success from
the very first. He is reported to have said,
just before leaving Paris for the scene Of
action, "Only one thing troubles me; l
have not general who can handle 1OO, 900
men," The fact is, the army had for some
years been fearfully mismanaged by men
who who were more desirous of enriching
themselves than of doing their duty to the
State. WheD Marshal Mel became Minis
ter of War, he said to the Emperor, Sire,
a startling piece of information to the ruler
who had spent SO much money on the mill
tary power OF the country, and who had
been denounced at home and abroad as a
despot by the grace of unlimited bay onets.
Under the ministry of Marshal Mel the
part reorganized; but the Marshal himself
died soon after, and the rule of mismanage-
ment returned in full strength. In the
earlier years of Napeleon's reign, the
French army showed all it's wonted excel
lence; but the habit of subordination
seemed now to be lost. That contempt for
the principle of authority which the ultra
Republicans had so industriously dissent
mated for years, had penetrated the minds
of the soldiers and was not long in pro-
ducIng the disastrous results which it is
alone capable of bringing forth. On nu-
merOus occasions during the war privates
in the French ranks openly defied, jeered
at and insulted their officers. Some of the
latter were even shot By their own men.
Such spirit is fatal to an army, and if not
or checked, will soon be fatal to
a nation also. Those factlous politicians
who have condemned beyond measure the
faults and errors of the Imperial Govern
ment (some of which were disastrous
enough to need no coloring) should ask
whether they have not con-
tributed to the same end by their insane
policy of sy ystematic insubordination. The
superiority of the Prussian to the French
army was shown in nothing more than in
the obedience yielded by every man to the
commands of his officers-the self-abnega-
ton which preferred the efficiency of the
whole machine to the indulgence of indi-
vidual caprice. 1t is possible that, on some
occasions, the French generals might have
their misfortnnes if they could
have counted on the devotion of their men.
Again and again, after defeat, the soldiers
refused to rally to their commands. 1t was
not courage that was needed, nor, for the
most part, knowledge of military science.
The army was ruined for want of discip-
line and defiance of subjection.-From Cas-
sells Illustrated History Of the War, for
May.