The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-28 00:00:00

THE EMPEROR NAPOLEONS SPEICHILS.

After the decidedly disquieting effect of the
meeting at Salzburg the public, says the Times, will be
disposed to gather hope and encouragement from the
speeches which the French Emperor has just pronounced
at Arras and Lille. Some critics will see in the language
used a meaning the very opposite to that which it presents
to the mind of the unsophisticated, but the Times would
rather take the worchi of the Emperor Napoleon as indi-
cating his real intentions, and believe that his sincere wish
is to remove the disquietude that his recent journey to
Salzburg has caused. It cannot be concealed, indeed, that •
warwith Prussia, on any pretext and with any object, would
be popular with a large part of the French people, and •
march against the Rhine represents the " sphited foreign
policy" now largely advocated in the rote and the barrack,
but such • step would range the whole population of Ger-
many among his adversaries, for the Times believes it to bean
idle dream that • Bing of Bavaria or a King of Wurtem-
burg would be able, even if he wished it, to induce his
people to aid French invaders against the state which
represents German independence. The day that foreign
armies advance on the Rhine will see all these states, and
probably even the German provinces of Austria, united to
bar the way. The sagacity with which the French Emperor
has governed France for nearly nineteen years induces the
Timm to believe that he will not enter into so gigantic a
contest with so untenable • cause ; but the language of a
part of the French press gives sufficient reason that war-
like intentions should be explicitly denied.
The Daily News trusts that the imperial speeches will
succeed in allaying the irritation of the Prussian press and
the suspicion of the German people. If there is any doles
lurking in she generalities used it would be an ungracious
task to find it out. Nothing can be more paternal than
the tone of the French Sovereign. He tells the citizens
of Arras they are right to have confidence in the future ;
and that " only weak governments seek in foreign com-
plications to divert attention from troubles at home."
The present government of France being the reverse of
weak, it may be trusted henceforth not to seek diversion
from troubles at home in such " foreign complications"
as en interference in the family quarrels of Germany or
an alliance with one German government to obstruct
the natural policy of another ; or as an expedition to
establish a Latin monarchy beyond the Atlantic.
"If," says the Emperor, " thew have been dark spots,
France has nevertheless again resumed her place in
Europe." France never lost her place in Europe until, no
longer true to her principles, she became the victim of her
lust of conquest and insatiable fury of spoliation. She
resumed her place in Europe even in the midst of her re-
verses, from the moment she resumed her freedom. The
Second Empire has not given her back what the First
Empire took away—neither the liberties nor the frontiers
of the Republic. Put when it gives her back the liberties
she enjoyed under the Restoration and the Monarchy of
July France will have resumed the place in Europe she
won in 1789.

The Post hopes that the peaceful words which are
hovering on the lips of men will prove true. In the midst
of wars and rumours of wars we may be grateful for the
smallest contributions to public confidence. A winter
passed in the respectful observance of treaties may give
time for reflection, which seems to be the main require-
ment. In tke opinion of the Post Prussia by her treat-
ment of Denmark on the North Schleswig question has
unnecessarily caused impatience and provoked indigna-
tion. With regard to the national sentiment in Germany
the Post is of opinion that if the character of the opera-
tions of Prussia in Germany since Sadowa must be con-
sidered in estimating the strength of her position, what
will first striku the impartial observer is that the aggran-
disement of the Prussian monarchy, rather than the
fusion of Germany under a national government, has
been contemplated. The existing unity is purely Prus-
sian. If the Southern States come in, it will be to seek
shelter under the wings of Prussia. The Post is simply
stating the fact—whether, politically speaking, it be right
or wrong is another matter.

The Emperor of the French may mean war, observes the
Standard, but ho certainly preaches peat*. If we are to
judge the Emperor of the French, as we would an honest
man, by his words—if we may venture to assume that he
does not use speech to conceal his thoughts, but to express
them, we must come to the conclusion that Europe has
nothing to apprebeud from his ambition, and that if France
goes to war she will be forced to it by the unjustifiable
conduct of her antagonist.

)08 TOPICS.

On the subject of the Abyssinian expedition, the rind
remarks that "a leap in the dark " may be occasionally a
necessity in politics, but it is hard that we should And it