Year: 1876

! provinces as they had acquired those OF Nice and
Savoy When this project OF territorial aggrandze-
ment which bore its condemnation, stumbled
against nsurmountable difficulties the Empire turned
toward liberty and loosely held the iron sceptre in
hand ship that leaks all over floats its cargo about
But liberty withheld its hands and hastened record
that 1t could not accept its woud-be assassin as an ally


IMPERIAL BLUSDKRa


Then the Empire turned to the two governing ele-
ments of its policyin the the pEebisc to
eccesiasca demagogues in the war; TO tho
demagogues OF conquest; and without allies because
Russia disrusted 1t on account of Its alliance with Eng
land, and England suspicious because Of its ex-
pressed friendlness Russia because Austria remem
bered the campaign in Italy Italy the attacks at
Monte-Rotondo and Montana; without material means,
because its army did contain either the number
excellence which had been presupposed; and while its
military administration in a state OF complete
archy it launched into dynastic war; excited by the
nmsy pretext of insult to it's ambassador which
intended, causing the national
territory and desDoilng the throne before Sedan by
| tho express vote of the same partisans-even made
captive IN the hands Of the enemy-in order that II
should expiae in banlshment its extended tyranny and
It's treacherous conAscation OF the liberties and rights
OF great people. All the responsibility OF the
and its consequences must fall upon the Empire which
conscience asserts to-day and history Will repeat in
the future The imperiasts clutch desperately TO the
opinion that after the battle of Sedan the might
have been ended by simply ceding strasburg and pay
ing 1000 Ooo oOOG Whereas after the capture Of Paris
they had to cede Metz, with strasburg, and to pay
5000, 900, O00f This is


FANc1FUL sornIsMs


with which the mind Of this dwindng party treat the
realities Of fact and apply TO the revelations of history
Everybody knows that victory for France the
forcble annexation of the Rhine provinces, governed
according 10 the French administrative regimen, so
victory for Prussia implied the annexation of Alsace
and Lorraine still bearing the ancient seal OF their
Germanic origin Every arises and is made with
great armies. Every army includes and sustains a
military parry. Every military party has naturally
certain influence during the contests; and thus the
Emperor Of victorious France unable to the
impositions OF his military party which demanded the
annexations beyond the Rhine by force so the Em-
peror was unable TO resist the requirements of Ger
many when she demanded the unconditional annexa.
ton of Alsace and Lorraine. There was in this ext
gency the double necessity OF victory and defeat follow
ing the turn which fortune takes.


BIsxARcK's CLAIM.


But there in existence at this moment an incon-
testable document which proves with inimitable
eoquenco that Alsace and Lorraine condemned TO
separation from tho mother country whenever the
necessities Of the in France should so require
This document is the official account OF the conversa-
tion held Immediately after the defeat between the
Prime Minister of the King of Prussia and the Com
mander of the Imperial Army at Sedan. 1t says-"In
speaking to me of peace, Count Bismarck said that
Prussia had declared 1t her unalterabe resolution to
demand not only the indemnity of four milliards of
francs pay for the cost Of the war; but also the
SION of Alsace and Lorraine complete guarantee OF
security; because" he added, sFrance would always
menace US, and must have a solid defence ad-
lima Nott
BILE for the misfortunes OF France; those that
brought them about who attempted to save the
dynasty at the expense of its frontier now
cast in the face OF their SUCCESSORS this
tremendous inheritance OF misfortune; in the face
OF the courage, of the sacrifices made the heroic
tance maintained, tho government Of Paris sustained
with the army corps excited, that they should have
saved something more precious than life territory
the honor of the country confess could not hear
this without expressing indignation at the tremendous
injustice. And an imperiast throws this the teeth
of the Ministers of National Defence that they had
neither been abc to elude repair the bunders that
could be eluded and the rreparabe errors of the
Empire


JULES FAvRE DEFIANT.


At this moment Favre recovered his old grandeur
Abused, illuminated conspired against by the Bona
partiss thought in the air the images of his
historic enemies and recovering the lofty eloquence
ana stOlcsm ne and lett ana thrust
them, 1t were, beneath him at the foot of the
tribune He drew himself mp his full height, gazed
around him with olympian soberness, moved his lips
with smiling, bitter disdain, and majesticaly and
seeney crossed his to demonstrate that he could
not be hurt by such odium tainted with
their filth He is pale, almost like marble
Upon his spacious forehead the open
wrinkles, occasoned by deep sorrow and painful
events his beard long and gray gives him the aspect
OF monk penitent the deep and melancholy
eyes emit bright flashes of light that like fugura-
tion worthy to accompany those OF his severe and
sober eloquence and his figure possesses always in
harmony with his speech, incompatible majesty
At first his voice appears a little harsh the tone not
uniform and a certain hiccough with which he almost
nvountarily cuts on the sentences produce disagree
able effect But, apart from all these imperfectons
the exceeding warmth and oness of idea the evapo-
ration OF noble sentiments in the FIRE OF eloquence
that Iluminates and inaames, the great artist abso
utely onchans by the tragic heat and olympian
majesty, thrustng forth his vndictve phrases like so
many rays of piercing light His time has passed, his
mission fulfilled, the destiny marked out for him by
Providence is consummated and in society in
the ripe perish and pass away after having accom-
plshed their end The excitement OF the time
during which tho Empire was destroyed, and
that work OF demolition completed. was also
the time when by his superb genius it was
buried beneath the accumulated ruins. But this de
traoted from the strength of this Samson OF speech
The feeling Of having uprooted tyranny however,
ought to console him for the Of not being able
TO survive his strength and all his grandeur after that
providcntial ministry We do not know that he will
bo regarded as Demosthenes, though he would have
conquered Philip We do not know that he will pass
in the category Of Cicero because he would either
finished Antony fallen at his hands. When Mira
beau concluded his work. when he pulled down from
pedestal the Babylonc idol of absolute monarchy, no
stood above the crumbling fragments and died like
Titan, between those weighty robes formed by the


fragments OF the throne and that toga Of shining ideas
formed by the surprising grandeur OF the convention
Dead or ave Jules Favre will forever be regarded
one OF the greatest gorcs OF France and Of the
nh