THE ORIGIN OF THE WAR.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 815, 20 May 1871, Page 2

THE ORIGIN OF THE WAR.

(From IS International.) When history, with its supreme justice and complete impartiality, comes to pronounce its judgment on the real causes of the war of 1870, it will be able to set aside the greater part of those diplomatic artifices and strategic inventions by which the Chancellor of Berliu has endeavoured to deceive Europe and France herself, and it will be shown to demonstration that Prussia was engaged more than two years in pre parations for the invasion of France,; and that she considered the humiliation of the military power of France absolutely necessary for the entire execution of the plans which M. de Bismarck had formed for the subjection of the whole of Germany, and for the aggrandisement of the new empire between the Baltic and the Adriatic. A few days ago the Prime Minister of King William, in » conversation with the correspondent of an English journal, gave utterance to his whole notion when he said that the real object of the war of 1870 was not on the western side of the Rhine, and that that war had been necessary in order to create a great people and a great emperor. It is possible that M. de Bismarck would have preferred to put off the struggle till 1871, after having annexed Southern Germany, which might have escaped his grasp by a rapid march of the French army on Wurtemburg ai i Bavaria. But he did not fear this danger sufficiently to avoid eagerly: seizing the opportunity of hurrying on the execution of his plans. How often we have pointed out the warlike intentions of the founder of the Prussian Empire ? How often have we shown, by material proofs, how carefully the slightest details of the invasionof France were prepared by the political and military strategists at Berlin! « is to be regretted that the generals did not during the last two;

years follow more carefully these preparations for war, these plans for invasion, and did not organise, as they might easily have done, means for successfully, carrying on the struggle, and that the illusions so dear to French ldvity caused the Minister of War to sav and maintain that France was quite ready for the struggle. M. de Bismarck knew that the Govermne&t of France Was not ready, and that is w hy he was unwilling to put off to 1871 the war which he was preparing against the only ohstacle to the domination of the new empire. The Duke <]e Grammout, in his letter which we publish to-day, energetically and patriotically refuses the responsibility of the terrible struggle between the Germans and France. This letter will remain a document of great value when history is called upon to decide as to the causes of the war. From this time, the Duke de Gratnmont cannot fail to exercise a happy influence on the opinions of neutrals, and we have hopes that this important document will not be spread throughout Europe without advantage to the cause of France. Public opinion is becoming more and more enlightened on the ambition of Prussia, and we hope that soon in all parts of Europe people will declare that justice is on the side of France, and that the Duke de Grammont speaks truly when at the end of his letter he proclaims how unjust the cause of Prussia is.