The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-08 00:00:00

01- billing atilt

LONDoN. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 8, 1848

Can Peace continue to prevail in Europe ? Is War
inevitable ? Those are the momentous questions
-which at this particular moment force themselves
upon our consideration.
In commenting yesterday upon the brilliant mani-
festo of Citizen LAMARTINE, we observed that, to our
thinking, the aspirations of the new-born Republic
'm France appear to be eminently pacific. We not
',only remarked that the sentiments expressed by the
Provisional Minister for Foreign Affairs were in a
peculiar degree conciliatory, but we maintained that
the preservation of amity was the principal
desire at present experienced by the different
states throughout the Continent. We persist in
the declaration of that opinion. We maintain
that tranquillity is at this juncture more than ever
essential to England, to France, to Belgium, to Italy,
to Spain, to Portugal, to S witzerland, to Greece, to
Germany, to Bavaria, and to Denmark. At the same
time, however, that we regard the diplomatic circular
of Citizen LIMARTINR as inaugurative of a pacific
policy, we cannot but acknowledge that it is con-
ceived in a spirit of daring worthy of the dignity of
the Young Republic. While he offers an open hand,
in the name of France, to the nations of the world, he
flings the gauntlet of defiance at Absolutism ; he tenders
the olive to the people and reveals the glitter of a
half-drawn falchion to the kings. Let but the rights
of humanity be tampered with by royalty in any
quarter of the globe, he exclaims, and the sword of
the French Republic shall blaze from its scabbard !
"If," these are his words, "if the hour for the re-
construction of some oppressed nationalities in
Europe, or elsewhere, appear to us to be announced
in the decrees of PROVIDENCE—if Switzerland, our
faithful ally, was constrained or menaced in the
movement or growth that she is effecting within
herself, to lend an additional force to the aggregate
of democratic Governments—if the independent states
of Italy were invaded—if limits or obstacles were
imposed upon their internal transformations—if, by
force of arms, their right should be disputed of form-
ing alliances among themselves for the consolidation of
an Italian country, the French Republic would believe
herself authorised to arm for the protection of these
legitimate movements of the growth and nationality
of those people." In other words, France
proclaims herself the champion of liberal ideas—the
beacon of liberty, and the incitement to emancipa-
tion by her example—and; if need be, the defender of
nationalities, and the vindicator of popular independ
ence throughout the world, by the strength of her
glorious arms. In another paragraph of this memor-
able proclamation, Citizen LAMARTINE pronounces a
solemn wattling to the European Governments by
one significant ejaculation. " Happy France !" le
cries, " if other nations declare against her, and com-
pel her into war—thus to increase her power and her
glory in spite of her moderation !" Let that sono-
rous threat reverberate in these Cabinets which are
tlft posed to be hostile towards the Parisians, let it
wberate in the hearts of their statesmen—sounding
to them like a Voice from the grave of the dead Em-
pire,, like an Echo from the tomb of the warlike
(eifondists! Let it remind the autocracies, and the
aristocracies, and the theocracies of Europe that the
Sovereign Democrats of France are not to be scared
by the military poll-Ts of despotism, however disposed
they may be to remain in a state of international
tranquillity—that they can evince boldness as well as
humanity—that they can wield the brand of battle as