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PEACE NEGOTIATIONS IN WAR OF 1870 One reason why the precedents established by the FrancoPrussian war cannot apply in existing con ¬ ditions especially as regards the last act in the drama is that France held out until the people of Paris were starving The final act of the war was the siege of the city In the present case there is no thought that the Germans will resist until the allies are encamped about Berlin Nobody believes that the Germans will fight to the end as did the French Moreover It would be an utter impossibility for the city of Berlin to stand out for even a week against the allied armies let alone suffer for montlis as did Paris The last scene of all is likely to take place in Berlin but the entrance into that city of allied troops will be for the purpose of im ¬ pressing the German people to show them that the forces upon which they relied to conquer the world are beaten utterly to the dust It will not be on account of military necessity necessityTHE THE LAST HOPE GONE GONENevertheless Nevertheless there is a general determination that if there is to be a precedent found for the close of this war it shall be found in the events of 1871 that we shall treat the Germans with no more niercy than they showed to the French and in view of this sentiment it is interesting to recall the last phase of that great tragedy The French armies had been beaten decisively in the field There was not the slightest hope for them One defeat had followed another until the crowning disasters nt Sedan and Metz The city of Paris was invested by the enemy The population Avere living in cel ¬ lars famishing and freezing In vain Thiers had visited London Vienna St Petersburg and Florence to persuade one of the great powers of Europe to stand between Prussia and its prey All that cams of it was a series of appeals that Germany should be lenient Everything had been tried The Com ¬ mittee of National Defense as the New Tork Times observes had lost the confidence of the I people Mobs gathered in the streets and Paris was threatened with the Commune Mutiny reared its ugly head in the National Guard GuardPAYEES PAYEES MISSION MISSIONOn On January 1 Jules Favre presented himself to Bismarck to ask for an armistice He did his best for his nation but lie held no cards and Bismarck kncw that he was bluffing He warned the chan ¬ cellor that Paris had enough food to last for six months and continued Paris is about to assault ycur lines I do not know what the issue of this action will be but to avoid the necessary sacri ¬ fices I propose the following conditions and he named them Btemarck tco could bluff It Is too late he said I have opened negotiations with the imperial family However he suggested that Favre should set down his terms and this was done in lead pencil Bismarck promising that no other eye should see them but that of the em ¬ peror Favre then withdrew but three days later there was another meeting between these adver ¬ saries and specific terms were discussed discussedARMISTICE ARMISTICE EXTENDED EXTENDEDBismarck Bismarck insisted that the Germans should enter Paris for the moral effect although it is to be borne in mind the question was one of an armistice and not of peace terms He also asked that Belfort should be surrendered but to tliis demand Favre re ¬ fused to listen and he won his point Bismarck it might be observed could have well afforded to be generous for no man knew better than he that France was beaten and would in the end have to take what was offered her It was agreed that hostilities should cease in the provinces but disposal of the French army of the east and of other forces in the field was to await bfclated news of condi ¬ tions On January 28 Favre in the name of the Government of National Defense telegraphed to Gambetta at Bordeaux We have signed an arm ¬ istice See that it is immediately executed every ¬ where The armistice was to have expired on February 21 but it was extended for at that time Tliicrs could not bring himself to agree to the German conditions of peace peaceTHE THE INDEMNITY INDEMNITYBismarck Bismarck asked for1 the cession of Alsace al ¬ though later on it developed that lie was opposed to this demand including Belfort and Metz and de ¬ manded an indemnity of six milliards of francs Thiers said that this was not to be considered that two milliards would pay Germanys expenses Then Bismarck came down to the irreducible Ger ¬ man minimum five milliards of francs and Alsace including Metz Thiers saved Belfort The armis ¬ tice was extended to March 12 to permit the Na tional Assembly to meet and consider the terms It Avas agreed that German troops Avere to remain in France to vrithdraAV gradually as installments of the indemnity vere paid Then came the triumph of the Commune the goAernment that Bismarck had treated with AAas thrust from Paris and the chancellor intimated that it might be the duty of the German army to police the city and restore order The knowledge that this Avas in his power no doubt influenced him in signing the final peace treaty Avith Favre and PouyerQuertier and accept ¬ ing their assurances that the government really rep ¬ resented France and could rccoAer its authority in the capital Between the tiire of signing the arm ¬ istice and the final treaty of peace seven mouths elapsed
