THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 8, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 867, 8 May 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 8, 1871.

" And the last state of that man was worse than the first "—is the description which may be given to the condition of Paris according to the news just to hand. No sooner was the capital of France relieved from the check which a common danger imposed, than the smouldering embers of anarchy and revolution broke out, and Paris repeated the scenes of 1793. The stcry is an old one. History has again repeated itself. We hear of the same rabid excesses of the mob, the same dismay of respectable citizens, the same outrages on religion, the same crusade against rank and property, aud, in short, thts same reign of terror. Poor France ! For the first time really conquered as a nation, it has to appeal to its conquerors to preserve it against its own children ! The war between France and Germany has been a fearful tragedy in itself, but the most fearful tragedy is the sequel related in our telegraphic columns. The tale is best told by the bare recital. It needs not for us to fill up the details. Let anyone refer to his Lamartine's History of the Girondists, and he will be fully able to realise what a reign of terror in Paris means. But some may say what effect can the revolution in Paris have over the nation ? Just tliis effectthat Paris for good or evil is France. The capital dominates the nation, and the effect of the revolutionary scenes in Paris is shown by the sympathetic action at Marseilles and other places; This new difficulty seriously complicates the 'relations between Prussia and the French Government. The latter, although it announces a partial subjection of the revolutionists appears to be too much at the mercy of popular demonstration to afford that security for the completion of the terms of peace which Prussia has a right to-demand, and it is not surprising that Bismarck speaks of the probability of an armed occupation of the capital. The interests of France itself may render this step imperative, and Heaven only knows what would be the ultimate result. The young Republic commences its career under sad auspices, and it is to be feared will not prove equal to the attempt of moulding the whole nation under free institutions. The subjective restraints of the Empire being removed the reaction has set in, and he must be wise indeed who can predict the prevalence of peaceful observance of law and order under such circumstances.