THE PUBLISHED DAILY.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 825, 20 March 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 20, 1871.

At last Paris has succumbed. Paris the beautiful, Paris the gay and giddy, Paris the brave has been compelled to feel the bitter humiliation of defeat and occupancy by a foreign foe ! The telegrams we publish in another column, perplexing as they are with regard to the exact position of affairs, and silent as they are respecting tho immediate antecedents of the capitulation of the capital, are clear enough on one point. The terrible struggle of the suffering inhabitants of the invested city with their overpowering besiegers is so far over that the outer fortifications are now in the hands of the enemy, and the gates thrown open for the reception of supplies of food for the half-starved citizens. How or by what means we are not told. It does not seem as if there had been any grand military covp on. either side. It is more likely that the pressure of so many combined disastrous circumstances that has fallen so heavily on the defenders had opened the eyes of the leaders of the besieged to the impossibility of holding out

much longer, and had suggested an arrangement other than a final appeal to arms. Negotiations had no doubt been entered into for a cessation of the siege on terms as little humiliating as was possible under the circumstances. It wonld appear thai* the peace party in Paris had assumed authority and without consulting the Provisional Government at Bordeaux arranged for the capitulation of the city. Famine had done what the guns of the enemy could not accomplish, and humanity triumphed over military considerations. It does not appear that the city itself is to bo occupied by the Germans. The forts round Paris are given up, but it would seem that one of the conditions excluded the occupation of Paris proper. It i 3 mentioned that the Germans were to enter the city on the 19th February, but probably this wonld only be a demonstration in support of the fulfilment of the other conditions imposed, one of which no doubt is the disarmament of the troops or the discontinuance of offensive movements. These are questions that will be decided in a day or two on the arrival of the Suez mail. Meantime it may be accepted the siege of Paris is concluded, and that the capital is no longer the centre point of the resistance of the nation. At the same time it is by no means clear that the war is over. An armistice for three weeks was granted, during which Paris was allowed to revictual ; but should the Government at Bordeaux still persist in hostilities, Paris may be occupied in earnest by the Germans. There seems to be a conflict of authority in France — the Provisional Government in Paris acting independently of that of Bordeaux, and rescinding its decrees. The armistice is said to have been extended to allow of the election of a Constituent Assembly at Bordeaux, and we hear that the elections were over, and that a new Government was to be formed. Accounts are contradictory as to the result of these elections. One account favoring the idea that the Imperialists had a majority, and others that the Orleanists and Republicans had respectively a leading influence. Bnt whichever party is ahead, there i 3 still a powerful feeling in favor of fighting the duel out, but we have no fear but that wiser counsels will prevail. The situation of France is hopeless for further resistance, and the most that can be done is to obtain the best terms of peace. What these are likely to be is indicated by our news. It is said that France will have a demand upon her for one hundred million francs, the surrender of Alsace and Lorraine, the colony of Pondicherry in India, and a large portion of her fleet. These are hard terms, but it is not likely they will be much reduced. The general tendency of the news favors the hope that the war is practically over. There may be disturbances here and there, and many complications will doubtless arise before everything is settled, but the war cloud is lifting from the horizon, and the rays of peace are already illuming the dreary scene.