THE MINISTERIAL STATEMENT OF JULES FAVRE.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 782, 28 February 1871, Page 3

THE MINISTERIAL STATEMENT OF JULES FAVRE.

Paris, Tuesday. M. Jules Pavre has addressed a circular to the French Ministers abroad, in which he affirms that Prussia, by causing the rejection of the armistice, has once more proved that she continues the war solely with a strictly personal object, without caring for the real interests of the Germans whom she drags along in her wake. M. Jules Favre says : Prussia pretends to be forced to prosecute the war by our refusal to cede two provinces. In reality she seeks to destroy us to satisfy the ambition of the man by whom she is governed. Mons. Jules Favre deplores the conduct of Prussia, which, after the fall of the Empire, lefused to agree to a truce, and goes on to say—The Government entered into negotiations for an armistice which should allow of the election of Deputies throughout the Republican territory. Even where invaded the duration of the armistice was to be twenty-five days, with proportionate revictualling of the capital. Prussia did not dispute the first condition, making, however, some reservations with regard to the vote in Alsace and Lorraine, which we did not further enter into, because her absolute refusal to admit the revictualling of Palis rendered all discussion useless. M. Jules Favre demonstrates the revictualling of the capital was a necessary consetpience. Without the provisions it would have been a capitulation at a given moment, without honor, without hope. By refusing our demand to provision Paris, Prussia rejected the armistice. It is not only the French army but the French nation that she seeks to annihilate when she proposes to reduce Paris with the horrors of a famine. We do not know what the neutral powers will think of the propositions set aside with such haughtiness, perhaps they will perceive at least what will be reserved for them by Prussia risen by victory to a position to accomplish all her designs. We have done everything that men of honour could do to stop this conflict, but the issue from it has been closed against us. and we can, henceforth, take counsel only of our courage, throwing back the responsibility upon those who systematically refuse all compromises. It is to their personal ambition that thousands of men may, perhaps, still be immolated, and when Europe, moved by the spectacle, wishes to arrest the combatants upon the frontier of the field of carnage, in order to summon together the representatives of the nation in order to seek a b;>sis, they say yes, but on condition that the population of this city, these women, children, and old men, the innocent victims of war, shall receive no succour; so that'the truce having expired it may be impossible for the defenders to fight us without causing them to die of hunger. This is what the Prussian chiefs do not fear to reply to four European Powers. Let it be well understood that up to the last moment the Government of the National Defence absolved by the immense interests confided to it. will do everything in its power to render an honourable peace possible. The means of consulting France were refused to it, and it thereupon interrogated Paris. All Paris in reply rises to arms to show the country and the world what a great people can do when it defends honour, its home, and the independence of its country.