, 1874-03-25
FRANCE AND GERMANY.
From the Times Paris Correspondent
PARIS, Feb. % night.

PARIS, Feb. % night.
1t is but a few days ago that there seemed Il
prospect of an improved understanding between the
French and German Governments, and that "a
Minister felt himself justified in saying that al
though the intercourse between them must neces-
sarily, after all that has passed, be of a constrain
ed character, it could not be said that any sore
question was still open. Since then, however,
Berlin has thought fit to reopen one which Paris
had hoped was closed. 1t seems as if too much
Importance had here been attached to certain
incidents of an amicabIe character, -among other
things, to a cordial meeting between Prince Bis
marck and NJ. de Gontaut- Biron shortly after the
opening Of the Reichstag,-and that they consti-
tuted no cttectual guarantee against the ripping
up of old differences, You were informed this
evening by telegraph that the question Of the
episcopal Charges" is again upon the tapis.
Impartial persons may think that the French
Government has done enough to prove its good
will in this unpleasant business, and that it has
made concessions and amends which ought to
satisfy Germany. 1t could hardly do more than
it has done without compromising its position
before the country, and the further steps it may
be pressed to take are unlikely to obviate future
complications. In the first place, there was the
Circular to the Bishops. Then we had the sup
preston of the Uajuers, a step calculated to rem
der this Government unpopular, and which would
have done it more harm if the French public had
not felt that it only yielded to the force of cir
cnmstances beyond its control. Finally, there
was the declaration of the Due Decazes in the
National Assembly. But all these concessions,
it seems, are deemed insufficient, and Prince Bis
marck insists on a prosecution. 1t is to be hoped
that an irreYOcablo decision has not been come to,
and that the German Premier may yet be induced
to reconsider his demand, but at the present mo-
ment there is no manifest sign of this.
The following is the position of the French
Government. The law Of 1919 guarantees to for
eign Governments a right Of prosecution before
the tribunals for offences against the person of
their Sovereign. On the other hand, the Com
cordat prohibits, in such cases as the present,
prosecution by the French Government, except
at the request of and conformity with the foreign
Government which holds itself aggrieved. This
latter may act independently, as the Prussian
Minister de Goltz did in 1867 against the Cheva-
lier de Saldapena, who was condemned to impri-
sonment and fine; or it may address its request
to the French Government, which can then grant
it and act conformity. This is what may be ex-
pected to occur in the present instance. To
prove its good will the French Government will
agree to the joint prosecution, although it will there
by draw upon itself the Indignation of the Catho-
lie party and add to its domestic difficulties,
already not slight. And all this ~animositY it will
incur without any cOmpensating result. The
case has to be tried before the Court of Assize-
that is to say, by a jury over which the autho-
rites have no influence, even suppOsing they could
attempt to Influence a tribunal bound to render
impartial Justice. There can scarcely be a doubt
that the verdict will be one ofacquittal for, in fact,
the offence, if such it may be called, is one upon
which Frenchmen cannot look otherwise than
leniently, since it amounts to no more than a
protest against the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of their native