The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-18
Tho Communication of AIsace.

The Paris correspondent Of the LONDON
Standard writes, October 28th: "Captain
Wachter, the very able military contributor
m the G1ulois. writes letter from StraS-
hourr which has caused an unpleasant feel.
ing. NJ. Wachter states, in guarded way,
but vet very plainly, that the Work OF Ger
manization is making great progress IN AL
sace. Captain Wachter's evidence on the
snbipct is all the more valuable that he Is
himself a native OF Strasbourg, and no one
feels more keenly than he does the separa-
tion of his birthplace from France. In the city
of Strasbourg itself the Germans are perma-
ncp,y and Systematically given the cola
shoulder: but they don't mind It, Ihey
think it inevitable, and go on WIN their
work in that steady, lndomltaDlc, perse'e-
ring way that is one OF the chlct elements ot
their success both in war and IN commerce.
great many Alsatans, according 10 M.
Wachter, are Of opinion that, though tney
can never feel anything like friendship Tor
the Germans, they are liable to be drawn
towards Germany, and many OF them may
be led to contract marriage 0e Tdtsoh
with Germany which is likely to be all the
more durable from the unreasonable conduct
of France. NJ. Wachter significantly adds !:
ct behooyes Frenchmen to consider
whether their political conduct is calculated
to cause their former countrymen 10 regret
their severance from France
"The religious question, according TO NJ.
Wachtcr, plays very important part IN Al
SAGE. and especially ut StraSbourg. But IN his
desire to be guarded his remarks on this sub
iect are so very obscure that confess that
cannot make out his meaning. SO far as l
can guess at it, should say that the Asa
haus are favorable to the policy of Prussia
with respect TO the Church Of Rome; for
they are strong Prolestants. AS to the
general policy of the Germans in Alsace, NJ,
Wachter thinks it clever, and hints that 1t is
successful. In the first place, the Germans
have got public instruction in their hands.
They recognize the schoolmaster as an in
strumcnt of proSelytiSm. They have re-
modelled the University of Strasbourg, and
shut I'D all schools and institutions directed
or supcrintended by the Roman Catholic
clergy, and have by every means in their
power prohibited the use of the French Ian
ouage. That task, according to NJ. Wach-
Ter, is not one of great difficulty. He says,
and he knows the country well:
..'Even under Napoleon III. the children
in Alsatian villages were barely being taught
the elements of the French language by the
village school. masters, or the brethren of the
Christian doctrine who taught them the
catecbism in French. Children above ten
wears old may have retained smatterng of
French. but their Juniors don't know it; and,
if they learn it, will probably speak it with
such an accent as TO incur the liability OF
being set down as Germans when they cross
the French frontier. In addition, and with a
view to provide against possible emergencies,
the Germans have taken steps to create party
in favor of annexation. They have given very
large pecuniary indemnities to the victims
Of the war, and they have vigorously sup
ported the Liberal Protestant party to the
detriment of all others. Far from opposing
the emigration of the natives they have en-
couraged it, and filled up the void by Ger.
man Immigration which is so extensive that
the Strasbourgers themselves estimate it ut
600 persons per month since the war. Be-
fore the war the population of Strashourg
was $4,000; it is now 10000, although
D, 900 have emigrated. The houses destroy
ed during the siege have been replaced by
spacious and commodiouS buildings
captain Wachtcr thinks that all this must
tell. and have all the more reason TO be-
liere that he is right. 1 have heard the
same thing from many Frenchmen, who are
convinced that in few years AlSace will be
thoroughly German. | do not think, how
ever, that this work Of Generalization is at
all so successful in Lorraine. But in Alsace,
which is German in language, in religion,
and in manners and customs, Germany will
probably succeed in her work OF assimila-
ton -