The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-19
ALSACE AND LORRAINE.
A Herald Correspondent Converscs with
the Bishop OF Strasbourg-Fhe Future
OF Alsace and Of France.

A Herald Correspondent Converscs with
the Bishop OF strasbourg-Fhe Future
OF AIsace and Of France.
FRANKFoRT-oN.THE-MAISM March "a 1874.
Yesterday met Andreas Raess, Bishop OF Ssras-
bOurg, VINO was returning from the Reichstag TO his
Asatlan diocese-returning, indeed, TO find hall his
flock and half che priesthood or ms land
ready TO condemn him lOr the course he
had taken as Deputy in Berlin, where lie hal
ventured to oppose the demagoglc utterances Of
Deputy D. leu sch and other Alsatian representa-
tves by considering rhe treaty made between
France anu Germany at Frankfort as sacred, IN
te. national treaty, winch must be observed until
circumstances shall enable lis destr ctiOn
STRASBOt KG AND ALsACE.
had a long aud interesting conversation with
the Bishop. tie spoke freely MS views and opltl-
ions, and seemed pleased to know that his audi
ence was not OF the race Germanic. directed
the conversation toward Alsatian matters. Tne
venerable mans ewes lighted up as lie spoke OF
has 'auriiu. sorrowlng land.
We spoke of StrasDourg. Yes" he said. "Stras-
Dourg IS beauti vi city, but NOT SO beautiful as
before the war We nave had great Changes since
ena has not come vet" He spoke peaurllm Ger.
man, with a slIgnt French ,ntohaLion.
Did ne think toe AisaLians would ever become
Germansf
"No. that is impossible. Two hund ed years OF
Frenah training could not be oblIterated Tor gen.
.Even Bismalck admits this" replied. "He
knows that Germany mas not peen abe TO get q
iootnold among the people, and Moltke thinks
that Germany must keep up her large standing
army iOr space o. nliy years IN order 10 keep the
provinces which she annexed"
"fne annexanon is a Jau accon,ptt." answered
the EIsaoD: "put these provinces VIII De the apple
OF contention over wnlcn the Two countries viii,
sooner or later. quarrel again. As soon as q
French boy can speak he taught TO 0clleve that
ALsAcE WAS sToLEH FROM FRANCE.
The French people love Aslce; they feel the
disgrace OF losing 1t, for 1t nad become part Of
themselves They would sooner have paid two
gwen up Alsace.n Anu he said somewhat exult-
mky) there Is no other na,lon In Europe that
could have pad this tremendous indemnity with.
out becoming bankrupt
PRUssiA's INEVITABLE NECESSITY.
Germany" SAID the Bishop ''wou,d not have "a
ken Asace II she had not really needed II. Her own
sOil 10 80 unproductive that her people were Cum
peeled 10 seek subsistence IN other countries. they
needed rich coal d las and our prosperous, IN
oustrIOls valleys. The NORTH German SOIL Is I'M
productive, and even bere compared WITH our
not know the pfoverb .ch mas been applied from
time lmmemorla to AlsaceY-
Three on each mountain,
Three ,a.r cl.ies n eaca va ey-
"Berlln hears but one side oil Alsatian public
opinion. The Protestant party indeed think 1t
great Thing to oe annexed 10 Germany because she
Is now greet powei they wish II because prus-
sa IS q Protestant land But tn. people OF Alsace
do not tank so-only there where the Protestant
clergy have the power to enforce their views on
the cOple The people OF A SAGE do not think so.
They are French IN thought anu feeling. A nun
d ed thousand Of our peOp.e el the country at the
their homes, and tnuse wnO emain hope that the
future may Drug with II brighter days and re-
turn TO their olu aliegiance. some vi our people
every year. We are troubled In Europe
people themselves wish for peace. "The
Treaty of frankfort,n ne sala, "was a treaty
made between tue appointed representatives Of
two ciyllzed nations, ana ~ such ne could only
sdcr II as binding on the slgnatOry parties; vet he
regretted IT, ne annexation OF the two provinces
was dissraceiul act. People were turned over
from one owner to another. Ike mock oil sheep.
such an event as the living over OF Aisace-L0r-
ralne should never have been permitted by the
civilized nations OF Europe. We were treai ed like
sidves--given over in the lulfilment OIL q bargain.
and are now taxed and oppressed ana given over
liDerles suppressed"
We spoke o. tae young Napolcon--Napoleon w.,
as some people IKE to style hun. lie did not think
tnat Tue young man Tor Ills mother, more properly
OF France. The memories OF Napoleon Ill. were
100 Illuminating Tor France easily to lorget. Inc
French nation coua not lorget tile asgracc he had
brought upon them 10 surrender with an army
o. $1,000 men was disgrace Tor the
Bonaparte family which could never, 90
become Emperor OF France. The ,uture rests with
Count Chambord, VINE alone Yields influence and
power IN the hearts OF Catholic France.
He spoke OF The new iorts which the
Germans are making at strasoourg. and considered
II rs an ominous sign ts OF them had already
fallen In "Do you remember the bombarlmelt
OF StrasbourgW he asked. From my resld- nee as
M0sneim, four hours distant from the clty I saw
the Library burned TO asaes, and knew that with
10 perisned docum nts winch were In no other
libraries or the world saw the Cathedral burn
and then wnen all was over and wandered among
the runs OF the city and saw the damage done TO
the sacred edlnce wondered II barDarIans had
done the work or civilized people,"
CHANGING CARs-ADTEUl
Mayence the Goldenl But we hal no more time
Tor conversation, and the venerable IIsnop beg IN
70 c.ilect MS russ and wrappers toge ner, for he
mad TO change cars. ''They told me in Berlin, he
SAID "ihat had not to change at ali from there
10 my destination. have already changed twice;
TINS makes the third time, but-tnat 10 all they
know In Berlin.n