Year: 1870

Count Bismarcks cander, thinks the Pal Mall Co
zette, is remarkable as his boldness "He is not
only careless that his opinions and determinations
should be known-he seems anxious to make them
public. A long conversation between this very capa-
Dle Mir lister and correspondent of the Standard
was put lished on September 19; and we have no
doubt whatever that in the following passage we
have full and faithful revelation OF The course that
Bismarck and Germany are resolved upon, and the
reasons which determine that course -'The present
is the twentytfth time in the space OF hundred
years that France has made war on Germany on
some pretense or other Now, at least, our terrible
disease OF divided unity being cured, we have con-
trived, the help OF the hand OF God, to beat her
down. 1t is idle to hope to proptiate her. She
would never forgive US for beating her. even IL we
offered the easiest terms in the world, aud forebore
from askiI for the expenses OF the war. She could
not forgive you for Waterloo and it was only by
accident that she did not make war upon you OH
account OF it. She could not forgive Sadowa,
though it not fought against her. and will never
forgive Sedan. She must therefore be made harm
less. We must have Strasburg, and we must have
Metz, even If in the latter case we hold merely
the garrison, and whatever else is necessary to
from her. We do not want the territory as terri
tory, but as a gacis between her and US. At the
commencement OF tnls t war, En- nad the emperor
ern Germany before we could have done any
thing. Why he did not do it we do not know to
this day., He had an army of 10000 men, ready to
be moved in day. We cannot do tha-we are
too poor. But France can afford 1t, and, having
missed doing the energetic and daring thing once,
she would know better next time, and would do it
If we do not take precautions and make it impossi-
BILE by improving our frontier. Had the attack been
made at once on South Germany we should have
lost its assistance not because the South Germans
are not wel-dsposed, but because they would have
to me once, You are always very frank with me;
will be frank with you. If the French were to
pounce upon my people, and were eating sol
diers bread in your camp, how should 1 feel?
Ny people, oppressed with exactions, would
beg OF me To- come home e,at and u make terms with
skin than the coat and should have to do it,
Those were the words Of the late King of Wirtem-
berg to me, and they describe the situation such
it must always remain If we do not make ourselves
strong against French attack on that side That Is
why we must have Strasburg, and an improved
frontier We will fight ten years sooner than not
obtain this necessary security" "When the terms
of peace come to be discussed adds the Gazette
1--WE doubt whether it win be found easier to turn
Germany from this determination than to answer
the arguments by which Count Bismarck vindicates
1t. We also quote another passage from the same
conversation, as illustrating still further the at


tude OF Count Bismarck's very candid mind M
munications from him, and If it will be possible
to open negotiations for peace on the basis or the
integrity OF the French territory To the first ques
ton can only say that everything that comes from
through Lord Granville will receive my best at
tention. though cannot at present recognize NJ
Jules Favre as Minister OF Foreign Affairs for
France, as capable Of binding the nation, and as
to the second question, am only surprised that
worse than ever. Had the Emperor still been at
the head of affairs, he and his system had friends
All are afraid to catch the contaglon OF Re-
publicanism, and consequently the Republic, if





question Of treating with the Republican Govern
ment, the Count observed:-"When saw the En-
peror after his surrendering himself prisoner
al ked him If he was disposed to put forward any
requ st for peace. The Emperor replied that he
not in position to do so, for he had left regu-
lar Government In Paris, with the Empress at its
head. 1t is plain, therefore, continued C)unt Bis
ma OK, tnat If France possesses any Government at
all it is still the Government of the Empress as Re
gent, or OF the Emperor" When / asked If the
flight OF the Empress and OF the Prince Imperial
might not be regarded as an abdioation, he said
very positively he could not so construe 1t. The
Empress had been forced TO go by the gentlemen
OF the pavement, al the Corps Legslattf had been
obliged 10 suspend Its sttiDgs; but the ac-
ton Of the gentlemen OF the pavement
was not legal. They could not make a Government.
The question was, Whom does the fleet still obey
Whom does the army shut up in Metz still obey ?
'Perhaps Bazaine still recognizes the Emperor.
If So and If we choose to let him go to Paris, he
and his army would be worth considerably more
than the gentlemen of the pavement and the So
called Government. We do not wish to dictate to
France her form OF government: we have nothing
10 say to IL. That is her AFFAIR." ponsed out that
IL would be extremely difficult for the French people
at the present moment even to employ the means
necessary for sscertaining the national will. "Tnat
is their look out reDied his EXcellency; 1--WE know
what we want, and that is enough for u.s."