The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-13
THE PRESS.
SATURDAY MORNING. DEC. 10. 1877
Marshal Bazaine-COnvict.

The condemnation and sentence OF Mar
shall Bazaine are accomplished. An old SOL
der, of high military reputation and long
service, he has encountered two disgrsces
from intense devotion to the empire. One
the fall of the Mexican empire and the tragic
termination of Maximilian's power, and the
other the surrender of Metz with the finest
French army then existing, on which the ias'
hope of Frenchmen rested. In strict opeoi-
ence to imperial commands, he deserted MAX
imiIian at the crisis of his fortunes, and LETT
him to be betrayed into the hands of his ene-
mics and killed, when higher sense OF hon
or and humanity would have led to more
liberal construction of instructions, and the
rescue of the unhappy archduke from his saw
age foes and treacherous adherents. In the
opinion of many men in all nations, the
blood of Macmillan is on the head of Ba-
zaine. So at Metz, fervid but mistaken de-
votion to the fallen emperor led him into dis
obedience to French military law and treach-
cry to France. This law, strict and techni-
cal, but little changed since the time of Lou
is XIV, forbids the commander of fortress
to surrender or make negotiations of polti-
cal nature with an enemy. Bazaine not only
violated the letter of the law, but affronted
the spirit of chivalry and patriotism by fail
ing to give such aid as he might to the strug
Cling and beaten forces of MacMahon.
Whether he could have prevented Sedan is,
of course, problematical; but he could GER
tainly have exhausted his resources in the at
tempt, and have saved honor, even if he had
lost all else. He chose the policy of inaction
and lost everything.
The punishment which has fallen upon him,
to a sensitive aud heightened man, would
be worse than the death, from which Mac
Mahon has saved him. He is to be publicly
degraded, in the presence of the army; there,
in face of troops which he has commanded,
he must stand and have insignia, medals,
crosses, ribbons, stars, epaulettes, gold lace,
even the buttons-rudely stripped from his
clothing, until he will remain bereft of every
visible testimonial of soidierly honor, char
acter and achievements. He then will 60 in
to ''secusion" for twenty years, which means
probably, that he will be confined to the lin
its of some large fortified town where he will
report himself to the authorities every day or
every second day. Being now 81 years of
age, ne will probably terminate his life in this
condition, unless by some revolution res
toration of the empire is effected. To this
he has always preserved slayish fidelity,
which would undoubtedly be rewarded by
pardon and new honors.
The natural theory that Bazaine has been
sacrificed to the necessity for scapegoat up
on whom the burden of French disgrace may
be borne into the wilderness, may have some
foundation; but this cannot be the sole cause
of his condemnation, as any careful reader Of
the testimony before the Court Martial will
conclude that he receives no more punish
ment than he deserves. Thus ends one of
the causes celebres of the world, and another
chapter of history is made.