That Count Bismarck has made up his mind not to
make peace without Strasburg and Metz, including Alsace and part of Lor- raine, two circulars of his, addressed to the representatives of the North-German Confederation abroad, and telegraphed to England last night, one dated Rheims, 13th September, and the other Meaux, 16th September, in both of which he insists on the neces- sity of protecting South Germany from future attack, seem to show conclusively. The following is stated to be an exact extract from the former circular We can only draw up our terms of peace with the aim of putting obstacles in the way of a French attack upon the Germans, and especially the hitherto unprotected South-German frontier, in such a manner that we push far back those frontiers, and therewith the starting-point of an attack from France, and that we bring into the power of Germany as a bulwark those fortresses with which France has threatened us." Note the "far back." That is not language which Count Bis- marck would be likely to use to foreign representatives without having arrived at a resolution. The only question is,—can any government situated as the French Government is, yield such terms, without either further fighting, or bringing itself into contempt?
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