Year: 1870




PEACE THE LAST RESORT or FRANCE.


All the declarations of the French Ministers
are of War All the acts of the French people
are of Peace Paris rejoiced over Sedan as
over great victory-the triumph of Repub-
lcanism over lmperialism-the Nation over
the De5pot. All parties, in capital and country,
fraternized over the news of a crushing defeat,
and reproaches were uttered only for the dead
contemplate thing that was the Empire. It's
old officials gave place with alacrity, if not
with positive pleasure, TO the new ones who
represented the rejuvenated Republic The
new found no time from their present duties
in restoring the nation in which to per-
secute the old officials for their past oifenses
in destroying it. Palikao surrendered the
War Ministry of the Empire only to assume
the command of Corps of the Army of
the Republic The Governor of Paris under
the Empire at once became the virtual Dictator
of France under the Republic. The National
Guard fixed laurel sprigs, not bayOnets, on
their guns. The officers of the Garde Mobile
ceased enrolling their recruits, to resign their
commissions; and the soldiers of the Reserves
there are no longer any Actiyes-mutinied
and threw away their weapons. Everywhere in
France there was a peaceful revolution, and
with the Republic there was born the first hope
of peace with the invaders.


1t is only the Ministers who seem insane
enough to contemplate a renewal of the conflict
The most remarkable declaration of this pur-
pose to resist the Prussian advance is the cir
cular of Jules Favre, which is published on the
first page 1t is the manifesto of Ministry
which does not know the state of the public
pulse, and does not feel secure of its own po-
sition or certain of its own policy. We
do not, for this reason, attach the fullest
importance to it. We believe it to be
the declaration of q temporizing, not
positive policy. 1t can never be policy so
fixed that circumstance shall not soon
brush it away No one knows half so
well as the author the vanity of the threats
he employs, the falacy of the hopes he in
spires, the impracticability of the terms he
requires. The circular demands that the con-
quering army which holds France bound as "A
captive shall turn back, abandoning all it has
gained on the simple assurance, by an un-
established administration, that the policy of
the new government is peace. The Empire
made the phrase satire. 1t is forgotten by
the new Ministers that the first act of the
Republic on taking upon itself the power Of
the Empire was to assume also its bad quarrel
The defeat of the Empire was no more the
dshonor of France than of America. Germany
has really been the ally of the Republc-the
ally that restored it by the destruction of the
Empire-and the rejocings at Paris should
have been thus interpreted at home as they
have been abroad Bismarck was eager
for peace after Sedan, but, like a
wise Minister as he is, he refused
to treat with the Empire, because it was
pOwerless to make and guarantee treaty.
Had the new ministers met the Germans at
once with declarations of the reputation of the
Empire and Of its unjust quarrel truce and
peace would have Immediately followed. VIII
the King of Prussia, NJ. Favre asks, face the
before the world and before
history of continuing the war, now that the
Empire is deadf Certainly he will, and if the
present Ministry does not meet him with
prompt reputation of past responsibility, and
assurances of future pacific intentions, he will
crush the Republic at Paris as he crumbled
tho Empre at Sedan. Dare I This United