Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-07-06
NapOlcOn's..EXcusCs.

ly transmitted n letter to the G ncr-
ais Of the French army who are in
ulpated i'll the surrender at Sedan,
seeking to vindicate them, and, pos
sibly, to stop further inquiry by Ia
king upon hims,lf all the rcsponsi-
bihty for that affair. This letter is
couched in the following terms, so
far as the English translation of them
can represent the exact meaning of
the French:
81 am responsible for Sedan. TIE
army had fought heroically against
an enemy who was disposing Of
forces quite as numerous, After
fourteen thousand men had been
killed or wounded, l saw that the
contest was nothing more than an
act Of despair. The honor of the ar
my being safe, | exercised my right Of
sovereign to cause the white n4g to
be hoiSted. 1t was impossible that
the mmolation of 10000 men could
save France. | obeyed cruel and
inexorable necessity. My heart was
broken, but my conscience was tram
quill"
The surrender Of Sedan took place
on the % Of September, 1870, but on
the 31st Of August, two days previ-
ously, the Emperor had addressed II
proclamation to the soldiers Of the
French army which it would seem
His Majesty had forgotten when he
penncd the above letter. The prec-
lamation said: SOLDIERS, the OPEN
ing movements OF the war not hav-
ing been fortunate, l decided, while
laying aside all personal prooccupa-
tiou, to give the command OF the
army to the Marshals who wero es-
pocially pointed out by public opin-
ion. Hitherto success has not
crowned your efforts. Nevertheless,
learn that the army of Marshal Ba-
zaine has reformed itself under the
walls Of Metz, and that of Marshal
| Mcmahon was but but slightly en-
gagged yesterday. There is, there
fore, no occasion to be discouraged.
We have hitherto prevented the enc
my from penetrating to tho capital,
and all France is rising to repel the
invaders. Under these grave circum-
stances, and the Empress worthily
representing me in Paris, / haze pre-.
fgred the pufof Soldir That Of Sore.
reign, | shall spare no effort to soyc
our country; she contains still, thank
God, mon of coWa age; and if there
arc towards, martial law and public
contempt will do them justice. Sol
dicrsl bo worthy Of your eminent
reputation. God will not abandon
our country, provided every one
does his duty"
Contrasting these two documents
it would appear that at the close o
August Napoleon abdicated bis mill
tlry authority in favor Of Bazolne
Mcmahon and Wimpfen, and his IN
pcr,al authority in favor of the En-
pross, "pre'erring the part of a sol
| der to that of severe gn, so that hC
was but the shadow of either an EN-
peror or General. That being thC
case, what authority had he to caus'
tho white flag to be hoisted? From
the evidence given before the Com
mission ON Capitula ion, now slttln!
at Versailles, by Generals WlmPfel
and Ducrot, it appears that thes
two officers, at all events, thought l
still possible to open passage 70
the blockadcd army, either to tn
East, by way of Carignon and Mont
medy, or to the West by Mezieres
Gen. Wimplen, in fact, made an at
tempt to dive the Bavarlans acros
the Mouse, and was continuing tn
movement begun by Mcmahon, whe
he perceived the white flag flying o
the ramparts Of Sedan. At that me
ment the army under BIS order
numbered more than 10000 avalT
bic men! The original march to St
dan was ordered by the Empero
ouainst the advice Of Mcmahon, an
in spite of the protestations OF B'
aaiue, who knew that his force wa
not strong enough to encounter tn
100000 Germans under KING WI
liam. McMabon's advice vas to Ia
back with the utmost rapiditJ an
r cover Paris; but Napoleon waste
; time in useless movements and a
lowed bimself to be surrounded.
His recent letter only makes h
fccblencss and incapaclty the mol
apparent, and reduces to MIN
{ mum the chances of his restoratlt
= TO the throne of France. 1t at u
+ same time withdraws one diSturp'l
t element from the arena OF tren'
S politics, and increases the chanc
$ of the stability of the Republic, III
S Royalsts Just now are "nowhere
3 and The Orleauists have found it pr
Il dent to "hide their dlmlslsh'
# heads" for u While at all even
t But what shall be thought OF the
3 consistency OF the Emperor, WI
r first of all, abdicated his powe
y thon took it upon himself to sure
Q der his army, and then on giving
II his sword to the King of Prussia, {
Il clared that he could not enter IN
q POLITICAL negotiations, because
d iiad left the political direction TO
70 Regency in Poris2 The truth
O that the Imperial cause was 80 Co
iTr pletoly lost that he did not dare
!. return to Paris; he had no object
r. continuing tho war, and no wan'
d to be out of the difficulty as soon
II POSSIBLE. This object he affected
"a surrendering himself to the ener
ut leaving tho Empress to get along
A. she could. Philadelphia Ledger
II A married lady in Rock ls!a
u Illinois, had been in the habit OF /
III ollo, ~ bor month \