OUR FRENCH LETTER.

Southland Times, Issue 1352, 27 December 1870, Page 3

OUR FRENCH LETTER.

*> . - . Amiens, October 19, 1870. •In the whirlpool of events two facts are clear— -that the Prussians are determined to annex their Poland— Alsace and Lorraine—and that the Erench will dispute the seizure to tbe bitter end. Public opinion is clearly dead against Germany dismembering France, and the prospects Of Era"bee jpuUing through are not altogether hopeless. The Erench have the arms, but still want a bead— -their Hoehe or petit caporal has' yet to be found. The . vertigo, torpor, illusion, or what you will, that existed seven days ago are disappearing. The instinct of self-preservation is making way, despite great odds. The feeling is now, not to conquer, but _to resist \\ and to ;make soldiers, something more is -required than putting a gun in a man's bands j..to forman army, something more than uniting batallions. Drilling is keeping pace with obedience and organisation, and both directed for tbe moment to conquer,, by keeping the enemy in check. This is a rude trial on tbe patience and tenacity of the Gauls, virtues which tbey have now to learn 5 they displayed them before: Sebastopol, and are sure to exhibit them under invasion. We know what Erance has been in prosperity and Victory— she has to show lis what she can be under disasters. She must be great in misfortune, as in success— resist to-day to conquer to-morrow. Tbe apathy which has in some quarters existed—- in tbe centre and south especially — is disappearing under a common danger. The idea is taking root that a nation in insurrection against the foreigner cannot be subdued, and that things when at the worst must mend — that three millions of men in arms must sooner -- \"*a"~ u .n- nm fA *i.r" qr °r _?nd font Erance, permanently held. Xittie tighW-fr 3---shown tbat the"~l'rencir~Si,s^JßeomS^fthemselves again. The spirit is abroad to stand, where formerly terror produce 1 surrender. The Eranc-tireurs are giving serious trouble to tbe Germans, opposing their march and threatening their communications. The veteran guerilla Garibaldi is in bis element in the passes of the Vosges. The Eree-shootera under bis command will do anything, go anywhere, if tbey have confidence in bim, and tbey have. He has even charmed to bis batallions some of the returned Pontifical 2ouaves — a meeting tbat makes amends. Patriotism, not religion unites them. In Brittany and the Vendee the clergy rouse their village Hampdens to battle against tbe heretic King William, and the Crusaders march to death or glory under Garibaldi ! At Amiens the clergy subscribe to fit out warriors, exhort their flocks— principally tbe gentler sex— to shed no tears for what Erance tears from them, and reminds tbem that while there is a " standing box" for Pie Nono there are niany more for patriotic offerings. His Holiness has made a mistake to refuse bis monthly pay from the Italians. Erom a careful study of the provincial press, and conversations with natives from various localities and of different views, I conclude- the Republic is acceptable, and its present administrators a necessity, who will never be brought to book so long as tbey energetically develop and organise tbe enormous resisting materials of the country, and maintain the nan possutntts against Bismarck's demands for frontier rectification. No one is in any hurry for a National Assembly — such can wait. The only assembly required is that of tbe whole nation to clear Erance of the invaders. A few specimens of tbe Legitimists may be found, too small to be i counted. The Buonapartists are in England and Belgium — head-quarters at Cassel. Orleanism depends on what may I turn up. It builds on the bourgeois — a J class very difficult to describe, but in general comprises those born witb silver spoons in their mouths, and tbe M. Jourdains made, and in . process of making. The aim of this class is material well-be-ing, under certain conditions a most exemplary ambition, but to secure which it would bow tbe neck even to Napoleon-the-Thirdism and its rule without principle and without conscience, or even to Uhlanism. The Republicans pure and simple daily increase, because their aim is a moderate republic — which divides the nation -least. It will ndt tolerate either Blanquites in Paris, or Oleuserets at Lyons— nothing red, socialistic, or communistic, but order, sobriety, and liberty. Howevier, the -"republicans have to face a danger— that of universal suffrage— at once an antidote and a bane. Every man aged 21 bas a vote,- and can exercise it, if not disqualified by baying graduated in a prison. Thus tbe sturdy beggar, tbat follows you to the urn for charity, can

drop in his bulletin with yours, and the * man of education on an equality with 1 him who is in a state of invincible igno- i ranee. There will be difficulty on this pomt — the serious republicans are de** ] manding that every man to vote must at i least be able to siga his ticket, and to ( read it. ! Paris, which has amused the world, < i promises vet to terrify it ; and, fts Hugo ! says, the Pantheon commences to demand ■ how many people it will have to receive., A j under its dome from among the two mil- ] lions who wili be worthy of a restingplace there, The burning of the palace*; of St. Cloud may be accepted as an earnest of what the Parisians are resolved ' to sacrifice. Up to the latest mail there ' has been no anarchy. Political dissensions i are hushed ; or, where displayed, received 1 with disgust. The folly of Ledru Rollin ] has been drowned in the patriotic conduct • of Rochefort, and the conciliatory coun- *: sels and sagacity of Victor Hugo andc* Louis Blanc. Jules Eavre disarms hostile gatherings by his eloquent advice, and Trochtt disperses them by bis bravery and wit. So confident is the Government that it has ordered the arrest of Flourens for military insubordination, after be bas been disowned by his own companies of National Guards, and well-nigh lynched by one of the men. Even the clubs rant harmlessly, and some of the speakers are everything*that could be desired for law and order. The military position is excellent—the defenders are now fit to rank with sol* aiers— attd bravery is only equalled by devotion and an impatience to conquer or die, : Count Moltke knows bjr this he cannot garrotte the capital; it is sur-. rounded by a co'lar of spikes— a formidable noli m& ' tangere. The citisens, after disposing of the question of closing up tbe ranks, recognise the duty of serrons-nous te Ventre. No doubt has been raised as to the city holding out comfortably for two months —•with a fortnight for days of grace on .limited supplies* The Erench are. proverbially an economic people— and hence, Why the authorities have directed that Parisians should enjoy a Belshazzar's feast on the horses uselessly roaming about the environs, and so economize tEe sheep and oxen. I have received a few letters, describing how friends, after vowingthey would ne'er consent, consented to eat after a few days deprivation of animal food, a few choice morsels of horae./. flesh. 06 riest que le premier pas gui eoite. The market gardens are being cultivated by the government, So after the siege, Parisians must become vegetarians; Only half a dosen journals appear and are veritable curiosities. One I perceive has an important leader on the occupation of Amiens three weeks, ago by the Prussians, though our city is a stranger to the fact. All kinds of arms and projectiles are being manufactured—and it is to be hoped the progress of tbe art" to kill the invaders, may not accidentally involve the patriots. The beautiful column of Vend&rae, is to be melted down for gun metal— -being composed from ; cannon captured at Ulm and Je.qa. The ' churches are hinted at, that their bells may be required. The Steward's pantry r :r£r t Wruileries has been emptied of its COlfl Hi. umJ .mm<»»»jj.»w wmr*k — u*ro — ntuiguiu ' of lady Liberty and her historic Watchwords. Small notes are sadly wanted— and pending the BUpply, it has been suggested to cut the fifty franc notes in two, and authorising each moiety to hold good for 25 francs each, protected by an ordinary stamp. Fuel is becoming scarce, but there ia enough to keep the pots boiling for some months. One wood merchant announces he will open a public kitchen, where, for* a few sous, cooking can be made. Erom a fresh series of the Emperor's private papers, it appears he was daily supplied from the " Black Bureau" of the General Post Office, with copies of letters passing through it. By an understanding between the postmen, specially promoted and extra paid for the duty? and the servants of houses, the thing was done. A document has turned up of bis ex- Majesty's investments in the stocks^ of. all nations except France, and representing sixty- millions of francs :U Napoleon, in addition to being historian—Julius Cffisar, and publicist, the Ham pamphlets— was also a novelist. He had laid down keel for a romance—the hero was a grocer, the most obnoxious trade, in France, who left the country in ISSJL,'. a rather ominous epoch, and after a Rip Van "Winkle slumber in the United States, returns to Paris, and .is as surprised at its growth as Jonah must have been at his gourd. The private papers of tbe late Minister of Police, of bis ex-Majesty's private secretary, and his physician, have been all seized, so that we are a long way from exhausting this cloaca maxima. It is no wonder ' that some bigwigs of the late dynasty are committing suicide in advance. Judge i Delesvaux has shot himself with the pistol which figured in the Baudin trial— i another concoction of the police. A frag-: ment of a letter from the Empress has , turned up, in which she gives her husband a Lochiel's warning about attempt--1 ing a second coup d'etat-^the first led - to-the transportation of 14,000 persons, for resisting the violation of the constitution. It is to be. hoped Comte de Chambord will not forget that France ; has finished with Saviours of Society, and is about undertaking that work herself. • Ballooning posting is now ia perilous . affair. Tbe Louis Blanc descended in Belgium, on a railway line, riddled with i. balls by the Prussians, and just at the 1 moment when a train was due— ten ; carrier pigeons were killed. The "Washington" came down at Cambray, having been carried away from Paris in a hurri- , cane, travelling with a spiral motion over seventy miles an hour, now almost' touching earth, and in a few seconds ' bounding into the clouds. This balloon was pierced with bullets also— two of the travellers fell out, when the anchor was tha&wn, and the remaining passenger,

i i i i it i == who had charge of the pigeons, and knew nothing of the sarial sailing) climbed the ropes, cut open the balloon^ and so was "SSLved— but only to tumble into the hands of a hostile peasantry, who considered he Was a Prussian fdThis ripping open the balloon. These post balloons are made of varnished linen— instead of costing 25,000 francs, as when made from silk, the expense is hardly 3,000 francs. It takes the pigeons t#o days to fly from Tours to Paris/and it is eyer at night they arrive, as if they knew what a " match" they Would be for the Germans by day. Arrangements are being made by the Chamber of Commerce of Amiens, to carry on postal communication, in the event of Rouen being captured, between the north and south of France, by Calais, Cherbourg, Brest, &C. t see no city in France doing its duty like Amiens— "expecting to be attacked at any -moment, but prepared for a defence that no open town has yet made. The troops are numerous, in excellent trim, drill night and day, aud work at the cannon and mitrailleuses like a pleasure. "We have a permanent council of war sitting, and the barricade" fighting Will be bitter. There is no lack of money, men, or guns; the 1 young vie with the aged to be enrolled. Tbe Women seem to be forming a brigade of themselves, armed with pikes. The ambulance corps of 'Red Cross Samaritans have arrived from Lortdoa— waiting to commence work. The population, thrown out, of, work,, have been set to make a new railway, but. ready to shoulder muskets when the signal flag is displayed from -the Cathedral tower. There'is no fear among the people—they are wickedly determined to have a fight & otttrance, and anxious for the enemy to come on—and he must khoW in force. If beaten, the city will be battered down beyond doubt, and the carnage and mm must be dreadful. .. During the siege of Strasbourg, sixty per cent, of the deaths Were from bombs, and the journals in announcing a decease, merely added the Word " shelled." $here was a clock-maker in the City who did a good trade by repairing all time-pieces deranged) by the besiegers' fire. The citizens who fled for shelter to the adjoining villages, were put without exception to dig trenches. Many of the refugees are in Switzerland in a state of great destitution. Among the benevolent to assist them appeared a poor cobbler. He said he had no money, but he would repair their shoes for nothing. As to the fighting, there is still nothing serious— telegrams are plentiful of great successes, but everyone reads . them and waits. If the Prussians do not " imme» diately*' open fire, as they promised a week ago, we will begin to think Gambetta's telegram that they have been swept away is a fact. The Parisians are ready to respond, and until some massacring takes place, peace has no chance to be heard. The struggle is becoming every day more deadly, and the prospect of a ■■■winter's campaign for the invaders not at all bright. The odds are not all in their favor. It is cheering in this fever of excitement to learn that the constitution of Iceland will be re** formed by Denmark. What if His ■ Tfc, -i » . .. .1 * -t «.T ..—-." S-* "•