The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-11-01

L
| many.
| We print this morning letter from our
staff of correspondents in Alsace and Lor-
raine, giving an exact narrative OF singular
events now transpiring in that renowned and
interesting country. Our letter, or rather
report, is condensation of many reports
gathered by correspondents in different parts
of the territory, reserving SO much of the mar
rative as might be interesting to American
readers, and presenting it in narrative and
historical form. And certainly few chapters
in the marvellous history of this romantic
century will be read with the interest which
attaches to the story of the exodus from Alsace
and Lorraine
1t would be folly to approach question of
this moment with any of those sentimental
feelings which many OF our statesmen apply
to foreign politics, and especially to the rela-
tons between France and Germany. We may
denounce the Germans as tyrants and ridicule
the French as an effeminate and dying race.
We should be unjust in either judgment.
The German nation cannot be dismissed
with the sentence we should pass upon the
who destroyed the Library of Alexandria Nor
can we call nation that has shown the activity
and financial strength of France an effeminate
race. The Germans are astonishing Europe
by their skill in war, their enterprise in peace,
just as France has again and again astonished
Europe in more suspicious epochs OF her his
tory. The American people have watched
| "a "a t;GootsO, tho oriOnC
steps by which the house of Hohenzollern has
made Prussia one of the great Powers OF the
world and bound around its throne all the ele-
ments of the fatherland The patience, the
courage the veracity, the foresight, the pru-
dence, the memorable and widely reaching dis
ciplne and drill the sagacity to adopt every
means of science, experience and art, the wis
dom to insist upon universal education as the
only sure foundation of a nations strength
all of these qualities we have observed in the
rulers of Prussia since the time of the great
Frederick. 1t is only fitting that they should
have achieved the astounding success which
; eliminated at Sedan, and that they should
have given us in Prince Bismarck the largest
, historical figure the world has seen since the
fall of Napoleon.
We are not, therefore, surprised to see, as
= is so clearly explained in our letter from
: Nancy, that there underles the annexation
of Asace and Lorraine on the part of Ger
many profound principles of craftsmanship
We have all along known that the annexation
, of Metz was strategic measure, and that con-
siderations of military prudence led to the
| of Ia nd tba utrv
!: bordering on Luxembourg. We have heard
\ with interest, but without paying much atten-
: ton, the rhapsodies and fine poetic fervor
about Alsace and Lorraine returning to the
!, arms of bereaved Germania, who has mourned
for them so long But still higher consid-
, Grafton seems to have actuated Prince Bis
J. marck. He has left sentiment to the journals
!. and poets His plans now show the unfold
ing of scheme that has long been favorite
measure of Prussian diplomacy-the creation
of German route from the North Sea to the
Adriatic and the severance Of France from
any commercial dn..;- ~ 'on
Germany. Considering the importance of
the overland route to the East-an impor-
lance that increases every day-we see that
to acquire such a route Independent of
France is to strike blow at the commercial
supremacy of that nation more terrible than
the indemnity or the military results of the
campaign of 1870 Prince Bismarck has sue
ceeded in doing this BY the annexation of
Alsace he has direct communication with Ant
werp and Ostend He can compete with
France in all carrying trade. He puts his
hand upon Englands route to India And
when the st. Gothard tunnel through the
Alps is finished the supremacy Of Mont
Gents tunnel will be at an end, and he can
travel from the North Sea to the Adriatic with
out seeing the French flag. Add to this the
unchallenged control of the Rhine, and it will
, be seen that Holland becomes to Germany
what Louisiana before President Jefferson's
time was to the United States The Missis-
sippi River was an American stream, and yet
France, foreign nation, held its mouth. We
contended that this should not be, and OBJ
tanned control of the river by purchase. The
Rhine is a German river, and Holland holds
its mouth. Prussan craftsmanship will seek
a way to overcome this, and well will it be for
peace if it can be done by purchase. BY the
building of this tunnel Bismarck cements the
Prussian alliance with Italy and renders unne-
cessary the traditional dependence of that in
teresting kingdom on France. With Belgium
on the north, behind which is the power of
England; Spain on the South, under Prince
of the House of Savoy; Germany on her
frontier and Italy Savoy kingdom under
German protection, France will be isolated
from political as well as commercial influence
in Europe.
We recognize the supreme wisdom of the
craftsmanship which has attained these re-
suits. And yet it is not without pain that we