The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-09
Ghe 2utlanl Daily olohs.
MONDAY, MARCH 0, 1874
From our Special Correspondence
FONEtGN LETTER.
TIE STORY or BAZAINE.
LONDON. Feb. l7lh. 1874.

cumstanccs recalls wildly to mind the day
when Dumouriey crossed over to the Aus
TRANS, and certain circles of society will
/ persist in drawing comparison between
| the unfortunate hero and Marshal Ney.
Notwithstanding that Lamartiuc truly OBJ
serves of 1.-THE bravcst of the braye," that
his fault was one of those (which are CON
demncd but pardoncd,' and though tech
nically he was a great culprit his was a
| glorious life.
Bazaincs carccris complete catastrophe,
the last scene of ali drawing a curtain Of
sad dark wool over the entire drama.
lll-directed, ambition was the snag upon
which was wrecked the reputation of a
man who was in many respects a brave
soldier and whose redeeming trait was a
certain loyalty for the empire
The Emperor was Bazaine's god: but
when the throne tottered and the idol
rccled, Bazainc was ready to turn icono-
clast and place Ills hearts deity in the
/ penetralia Of royalty.
Marshal Bazaine rose from the ranks.
was educated at the Ecole Polytecdaique.
and did his first active military work in
Africa.
He served for two campaigns with the
foreign legation in Spain against the Car
lists, which was followed by another inter.
val Of African service, in which he won
sufficient dictinction to be appointed to the
command Of brigade at the outbreak of
the Crimean war.
Such was his conduct during this cele-
brated contention that he received frequent
commentator Of Marshals Canrobcrt and
Pelisser. II was however, in the Mexican
war that Bazane won his glarnr laurels.
which served 20 dstguIc, rather than adoyn
his brow. 1t was upon the recall of Gen
Forcy that Bazaine, who had previously
commanded division Of infantry in the
campaign, was advanced to the vacant post.
1 and the world may now testify how UNI
/ scrupulOusly he carried out the policy
which he believed to he that of his Impe-
rial master. His savage system of warfare
startled all Europe, and aroused hut doubt
full applause among the Impcrialists of
France Bazaine ia accredited with the
policy of putting to death regularly com
mssioncd officers of the Mexican republic
"A policy which found such terrible re
tallaton in the execution Of the unforlu-
nate MaXimiian.
At last the United States gave the signal
and the Mexican campaign was nj an end .
Bazainc returned to France with the re-
nOWn Of II fearless and capable soldier but
with certain shadow upon the lustrc of
his military name. He was not then a
favorite; he was denounced with indignant
election by Jules Fav c, while all manner
OF eXtravagant reports were spread abroad
concerning his design to set up a Mexican
empire of his own. and of his having
amassed enormous wealth 1t is true he
brought home a Mexican wife. of surpass-
ing beauty, but the accusation OF pecuniarv
gain was denied by his advocates during
the trial.
1t is bat fair to believe that Bazaine was
AT this time hut devO,ed and jealous SER
want Of the Empire. still it was a devotion
and zeal which prcsaged its ruin rather
than its security,
Opinion was divided concerning him
his admirers asserting that there WAS
nothing that he would not do for his
Emperor. and his dctractors maintaining
that he was indefatgahle in the pursuit Of
his own ACKNOWLEDGMENT
During the cessation of war and the
calm that succeeded, BaHainc's popularity
suffered in comparison with that of Mac
MahOn, and many persons looked with
greater favor upon the rough old Pclicssicr
al, IL. II
PruSsan war. when the salvation of France
seemed to fall by magic at his fecl. Then
the Emperor passed away like shadow.
leaving a hcadess GLADDEN. to dazzle the
Marshals eye, and for time he felt that
he held the fortunes Of France in the hol-
low of his hand.
Then it was that the evils OF bis early
education feticled him on his way, and
ruin instead of redemption was the result.
He was no longer upon Algerian or
Mexican fields, where ,trategem and copious
blood-s d make mp the game of war, but
he found himself face TO face with Count
Won Molckc and his German warriors,
while in the distance stood Bismarck upon
the steps Of the throne.
Neither Washington nor Wellington were
more to their respective countries than
Bazane might have been TO his at that de-
cisive moment, but by sudden plunge into
the lowest 1cpth he became the author of a
humiliation which has never perhaps been
cqualled.
CapitulaioEs are comparatively rare cir
cumstances in the worlds warfare, aud
may be numbered upon the hands but the
capltulation of Metz was one without
example. Bazline is not accused OF mere
coWardicc, OF having lost nerve and head
at the critical moment, bat Of the guilt ot
treason TO his country,
death with military DEGRADATION ~
such was the conviction passed by the
court marshal at Versailles
The last words of the Marshal, while YET
he remained an officer of France, were tC
proclaim that he had been true to the two
words inscribed upon the star upon hi,
breast, "honoor and country" Il hay,
served my country he said, without de
parting from this proud motto, for forty
two years; and | swear before Christ thai
have never betrayed France The dc
csion of the court, however, did not con.
firm this gallant declaration,
Notwithstanding the ministerial crisi,
which at the time attracted the hcathlcs
attention of the nation, the proceedings al
the trial We're followed with uninterrupted
anxiety, and the accusation was the mos
serious that could he made
Metz was unquestionably the chief hops
of France during the period that followed
the disasters Of Sedan. and the formation
of the army of the Loire, and although
France thought with horror Of Bazain'
having betrayed his trust, she hoped tina
by some means the mysterious events o
1870 might be cleared away. 1t were bet
ter 10 believe that one man was perlidiou
than that the surrender of the army Of TIN
Rhine, and the maiden fortress OF Frame
on the Moselle was, under the circumstan
ccs inevitable.
This is the cue upon winch the adhcrent
of Bazaine rant and dechim maintaining
/ that the Marshal fell victim to falls
vlndication of the honour of France, TIN
charge is severe parasite, and is to-dal