The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-07-24
2 Germany and France.

NY onou' u0 dfawu 'lHtO' tue struggle,
Germany and France are watching each
other with jealous and suspicious eyes!i
At another time, we might expect to
see both these nations deeply interestedJ
and even taking part in an Eastern ware
Bat times have greatly changed, both
with. Germany. and France, within the
past twenty years; and the relations
which they now hold towards each other
are such that each. is very. careful to re-.
fraih from doing anything, which, will
give the other. an advantage yer it i,si
Twenty-three years ago, France join
ed with England in opposing an attack
of Russia upon Turkey. This was in.
the Crimean War. Their object was to
prevent Russia. from taking Constantin-
|ople. There is the same reason now as
there was. then for both of these nations
to prevent such an occurrence; yet
France is entirely unwilling to repeat
Eherformer action, and if England goes
into the war, it will probably be with.
out tjher old ally. .............. .4ss.
At another time, too, We might have
expected to see Germany acting, vigor-
ousiy with the Russians, and, if not act,
ually going to war as their ally, at : Least
encouraging their. attack upon : the
Turks. But she holds aloof, and this
is, without doubt, because she is held, in
check BY France. -. -
Most of our readers remember the
|blief but terrific war of 1870, in which
the French were so Overwhelmingly de-
feated by the Germans. The troops Of
|the Prussian sovereign entered Paris
the Prussisn King was proclaimed EN-
peror in the Stately halls Of Versailles,
the favorite residence ofthe French
monarchs; and when the war was over,
Germany demanded OF France an enor.
nous sum In money, and took. from her
two of her fairest provinces, Alsace and
Lorraine, as the price of peace. y g'at
This humiliation has rankled in the
breasts Of Frenchmen ever since. With
the buoyant spirit, of the race, the
French had no sooner obtained peace
than they set to work to rebuild their
shattered State, to make up for their
financial losses, to reorganize their bro
ken and defeated army, and to fortify
their capital and their frontiers nearest
Germany. -. 'i' i---'- ''l.N
All these movements were jeslonsly
watched from Berlin. The Germans
saw that, although the French said moth
ing, and made no threats. deep down in
their hearts they nourished spirit Of
revenge They could not but recognize
that France was fastening to grow
strong acSin, that sic might be able to
some day attack Germany, and recover
her lost provinces and her old position
as great military State. faatx 49,
The recovery of France from the dis
asters of 1870 has been even more rapid
than she herself could have foreseen =
She is no longer strained for. money;
the enormous indemnity forced from her
lby Germany was paid before it was due ;
liher trade has been active and profitable /;
her government has been economical !;
she has been for the most part free from
lpolitical turmoil and excitement; and
her armv has been so far restored to its
told strength that it is doubtful whether
she might not even now cope success
fully with her inveterate foe. az 4f
Not long age, the veteran Vo1 Moltke,
the chief of staff ofthe Prussian Army,
to whom was due, more, than. to any
tother single man, the great Victory of
1870, called attention to the recovered
vigor of France in the Prussian Parlia.
| ment. 49, - '17 - s'''l1'i ~ {
He told the deputies that they must
vote more money for military purposes,
that larger garrisons must be put into
Metz and other fortresses bordering up.
on the frontier, and that France was
getting so strong that she must he pre-.
pared for and ceaselessly watched. The
fortress. Of Metz has therefore been re-
linforced; and Prince Bismarck has since
declared that the recent change OF min.
istry in France has increased German
/ suspicious of her purposes. Z ''3f 20 "a
Indeed, year or two ago Germany
tried to pick q quarrel with France, see
ling chat She was recovering too rapidly
and that it was best to whip her agair
before she got too strong but the Czal
Of Ru ssia ihterposed, and persuaded his
uncle, the Emperor William, from this
| design ~ t 80 ,el.,2f' !l;ih az
/ Now, Germany fears that if she goes
into the Eastern War, France will attach
her from behind; and France fears that
lif she abandons al.position of strict neh'
trality, Germany will seize the advan
tage, and attempt once more to humble
her, as in 1870, in the dust @ 2
This mutual suspicion and jealousy o
the two nations may, therefore, have /
good result. 1t may serve to keep then
out of the Eastern difficulty, and thu!
prevent the war from being a genera
j one throughout Europe. And it is at
he hoped that time, which heals al
wounds, may heal this hostility between
France and Germany, and they may in
yearsto come live side by sideas friend
" neighbors. = si' '2sd 81 s'o3