Year: 1870

Onange OF the war scene


en- the Rhine.


Oniy ten days ago we were recording from
despatch after despatch that came careering
over the wires with almost exulting speed the
wonderful warlike preparations of Franco.
the boundless enthusiasm of her mstrono;s.
the determination of her Emperor; the imnos-
ing array OF her armies and her generals.
and the towering confidence that all classaa
and all regions of the most renowned and
martial empire in the world exhibited in the
enterprise Of invading and overrunning the
territory of a neighboring people, the idea Of
whose effective resistance they secuted at as
the emptiest presumption. Curiously enough,
glowing descriptions in full of these dramatic
scenes were given in the columns of yester-
days HERALD. While reading them the fancy
is taken captive by the vivacity, the glow, the
color of genuine French life impaired to
them by the skilful pen; and, to use
the correspondents own language, it
seems as though the very stones in
France rose up against the foe. The proud
Emperor and his fair boy hurrying to the war
amid the ringing of bells, the roll of drums,
the salvoes of cannon and the frantic applause
of myriads; the beautiful Empress overcome
with emotion in the presence of magnificent
fleets steaming forth with all the terrible
appliances of modern naval warfare to sweep
the Northern seas and batter the ancient
strongholds that for ages have controlled
the shores of the German Ocean and the
DoI4s Aho hc1o oe
assembling on the Rhine frontier the proud
est armies in equipment and discipline that
Europe ever saw; MacMahon, whose soldier
life has been one long romance of success.
surrounded by the flower of that chivalry
which. in Africa, in the Crimea and in Italy,
had made their very names terror to the
enemy-the invincible Zouaves and Turcos
and Chasseurs d'Afrique-such are some Of
the brilliant episodes in the letters from France
given under no later date than July %.


But turn from those pictured paragraphs to
the short, sharp sentences repeated from the
instantly the splendorOf the preparatory scene
has fed How, as it were, with wave of the
hand, with breath, has that magnificent
pageant faded away! The paladins of France
routed and flying before their long derided foe;
their Emperor PROSTATE in mind and body;
their Empress uttering desperate appeals for
rescue; the tocsin ringing out over all Lor-
raine the terror of the advancing and victorious
enemy; Paris frenzied with rage and grief
that border on despair; the whole nation sum-
moned hastily to arms, with the cry, "Our
country is in danger!"-apl that danger immi-
versal this of the naughty vauntings and the
high-hearted hopes Of yesterday!


In this age of scepticism and mock philo-
sophy it is a great and salutary lesson to be
spread before rulers and peoples alike that
all the strength and pride of mortal genius
and courage may be shattered in day by the
very instrumentalities which they evoke.
Moreover, it is well that we are thus taught
that power, no matter how carefully accumu-
lated and skilfully combined, no matter how
surrounded by all exterior show and interior
witchery that can touch and win the hearts
unto death, must crumble at last when it
departs from the eternal rule of justice and
defies at once the laws Of God and the opinions
of mankind. France is great and glorious
nation, but her imperial pomp, her matchless
prowess her vast array Of warriors, her
wondrous variety of means, her fire, her valor
and her devotion, which were ever respondent
and triumphant when led against the infidel
and the oppressor, have dashed in vain
against the bucklers of truth and of right.
which are the champions aud defenders of the
liberty and independence of every land and