Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-11
ESTABLISHED MARCH 80, 1S9
rurrRENCu sfTUATION.

| cried wolf when there was no WoII, the
people listened no longer but the wolf
came atlast and destroyed his fold. So
of the French situation. Thetelegraph
has announced crisis after crisis, till
Americans lose all concern in the most
polished of nations. Yet, it is only a
question of time how soon Paris will
force the attention of the world by
another carnival Of petroleum and gore.
The key to the situation is this:
France would be strong, but Bismarck
would keep her weak. Gambetta's
Reds can give her only the spasmodic
strength of commune madness, con-
fined to Paris and few other large
cities. Any permanent rehabilitation
must be based on the solid yeomanry
of the country. In view of the strong
religious feeling among the bourgeoisie,
manifested in pilgrimages and other
ways, it is not unlikely that, Of
thirty-six million Frenchmen, thirty
million would rally to the standard of
the old Bourbon if his adherents had
the money and the political tact to
manage the matter properly. But
these country folk are not politicians.
They have fallen into a sort of lethargy
and allowed madcap Paris to rule them
for now three generations. One thing
is evident; France can never be strong,
till the farmers take hand in her af-
fairs.
Bismarck does not want France
strong, and throws every obstacle in
the way of the real people uniting.
Neither does he want any more Com
munes in his neighborhood, as they
might prove contagious. His interest
therefore is a show of government
strong enough to hold the Reds in
check. Thus far, the McMahon Pro-
Yisional suits well enough. The for
nation of permanent government is
postponed by various experiments, but
if it must come, the Bona
parties with the cloud Of Sedan
upon them is the best chance
for securing chronic weakness. The
wonderful activity Of this class is in
spired from Berlin rather than from
Chiselhurst, and the money lavished by
them In country as well as city would
have exhausted Eugene long ago.
They are the third party, holding the
balance of power between the Right
and the Left Bismarck is the key of
the French situation, as Of all Europe.
THIS is the way they harmOnize
down in Giles, and not a bad way
either-for the man who stays on the
track:
At meeting Of a committee of refer
ees selected by the then candidates for
sheriff Of Giles county, consisting of
Achilles a. Dickerson and William C.
Flournoy On the part Of R. A. Mitchell,
and Drayton Reagin and VIM. S. Ezell
on the party Of John r. johnson, held
on or about the lst Monday IN July,
1872, at the courthouse in Pulaski, it
was agreed IN order to produce harmo-
ny that John r. johnson should be
withdrawn from the race, upon condi-
lion that If johnson wanted to run the
race for sheriff two years from that
time that he was to have the field, upon
which myself and Capt Flournoy
shook hands. This We 60 In self de-
fense. WIN. 5. EZELL.
DRAYTON REAGIN.
STATE OF TENNESSEE, GILES COUN-
TY, Ss.-Personally appeared before
me VIM. S. Ezell and DraytOn Reagln
who made oath in due form of law that
the facts as above set forth are true to
the best Of their knowledge and belief.
W. H. ABERNATHY, J. z.
The relative value of a bird in the
hand and two in the bush is admirably
illustrated by this agreement.
DOES Mcmahon recognize the Re-
public Of which he is popularity sup
-l l. l. Al. D,o-,Io,A : Cuab &c