The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-29

glance at the latter subject first.
In the essay on the rightful western boun-
dairy Of Germany. Won Moltke arrives mt con-
illusions which there Is no reason to believe
that no ever aft erwnrd renowned. and which
would enthusiastically shape tho demands OF
Germany should ahe prove successful In
second war with France. 1t will be seen that
they amount to a restriction OF France within
the frontiers which she possessed in the time
OF Louis XT.. after certain acquisitions were
made at the expense OF the heiress Of Charles
the Bold. The process by which Won Moltkc
arrives ut his concus ons and the view which
he takes OF the rightfui claims Of Germany Is
likely to surprise those readers whose opin-
ions are derived from American and English
histories Won Moltke begins by insisting that
nothing IL moro unfounded than the delusion
OF the French that thew arc the direct descend-
ants and heirs OF the old Roman republican,
Ism. They maintain that their revolution is
restoration OF the antique civil liberty. re-
action Of democratic Romanism or Latinism
against artstocratic Germantsm. M emancipa-
tion OF the ancient Roman Gnlic population
from the yoke Of the German con0uerors. AS
matter OF fact. the l,oman republic came to
an end at the very epoch in which Gnul was
subiugated. Then It was thatthe despotic and
gradually degenerating government OF the en-
perors began. On he lis solution of the I;oman
empire In the west every trace OF political free
dom and honor had 80 ompfeteiy disappeared
in Gaul that there was no class. no CORPORA
ton to be- found which could would have
established a new political structure. There
were only slaves left who were distributed
among few rich satraps. The truth is, then,
that by the Romans the Gauls were robbed Of
freedom. denationnlized. and unnerved They
received their freedom hack again from the
German conIuerors. and their moral charac-
ter was signally improved.
We are asked to observe. on the other hand.
that, while the Romans In short time suc
caeded in completely subjueating the Gauis.
they failed to subdue the Germans Tho Ger
mans knew how to maintain their freedom and
Independence against all attacks Of the Roman
empire. and they struggled vigorously against
O superior power for i've hundred years. a
period con terminous with that during which
the Gnuls were the slaves OF Rome. At last
the Germans were victorious. They destroyed
the Roman empire in the west and. nm ong
its other provinces. made conquest OF Gaul.
Most historians agree with Won Moftk 70 In pro-
. nouncng the settlement Of German conquer
ors In Gnul ms no less fortunate and snlutary
for tiietnhabt tnnts than the rule OF tho Romans
had ,bseh unfortunate and harmful Through
the ltomans they had lost their nationality.
Independence. freedom. sound morals and
healthy existence. Through the Germa ms all
these things were restored to them. BY the
fusion of the slavish population. sunken in
vice. with the free and strong Franks. Goths,.
and Bu.gundians, the people OF Gaul recov-
cred a henlthfui life. and gained new ma
tional sentiment. a new popular morality. and
o new conception OF Justice. The vanauished
were treated with forbearance and received
privileges which they had never enjoyed
under, the Romans. Before long they
obtained share in all the privileges
OF the conGuerors and In the functions
OF government. Not only. Franks but Ro-
man Gnuls appeared uron the field OF Mars
and sat in the council of tho consttu-
tional kings. who were bound by election and
agreement. Therefore it was. that Montes-
quieu described freedom as gift which the
Franks brought to Gaul from the Germanc
forest. The French OF to-day are unwilling to be
reminded Of this saying. Another tremendous
benefit WAS derived by Gaul from the Romans.
In the beginning OF the eighth century the
Mohammedans conquered Spain. and In innu-
merable bands pressed beyond the Pyrepees.
At this time the new franksh empire in Gaul
was not iuIly established and the ROMAN Ian
Guage was 80 generally spoken that Germanic
vigor had not yet been able to. extinGuish all
forms OF weakness. Thus it came to pass that
southwestern France submitted to the cres-
cent and would have been completely sub
jected and converted to the faith OF the Mus
sulman had it not been saved by the ar med
forces of Rhenish Franks. Suabians. Bava-
rians. and Thuringiars.
We come now to tho ninth century. when
Germany was separated from France as an
empire under Louis the German. and France
was made kingdom by itself under Charles
the Bald. Here Won Moltke insists that special
weight should be placed upon the fact that tn Q
German emperors though far more powerful
than the French kings. always preserved
friendahfn with Franco and n.yar al