The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-02 00:00:00

The Reconstruction of Europe.

The following is the second notice on the above
subject communicated to the Anglo-American Times
by John S. C. Abbott :
As LOUIS PHILIPPE, in the year 1848, fled from
France, before the indignant uprising of the whole
French nation, Louis NAPOLEON, who had long
been an exile from his native land, crossed the
Channel, and, almost an unknown man, entered his
native city. His name of NAPOLEON, and the
general conviction that he inherited the principles of
the Empire, was his introduction to the hearts of the
French people. He was the legitimate heir of
whatever rights pertained to Napoleon I. as the
elected Emperor of France.

Paris rose in enthusiasm to greet him. By an
overwhelming vote he was sent as a representative
to the National Assembly. Eight months after
this, universal suffrage being proclaimed, be was
chosen by nearly six million of votes President of
the Republic. There were other candidates for this
honour, illustrious men, but who were signally
defeated. The Bourbonists and Orleanists, rallying
to their aid this disaffected portion of the Repub-
lican party, formed a conspiracy to seize Louis
NAPOLEON, throw him into prison, and to overthrow
the Republic, with the expectation among the
leading portion of the conspirators that they would
then be able to re-establish the Monarchy and rein-
state the Orleans branch of the Bourbon family on
the throne.

The conspirators were ripe for action. They had
obtained the control of the National Assembly and
had abolished universal suffrage. In a few hours
more NAPOLEON would have been 'h captive in
prison, and the Republic overthrown. It was at
this crisis NAPOLEON performed that celebrated
coup (Mat, which history will probably declare to be
the most brilliant and meritorious act of his life.
It was the night of the Ist of December, 1851.
When the morning dawned, the conspirators were
in prison and the Republic was saved, universal
suffrage was immediately restored, and LOUIS
NAPOLEON sublimely submitted the deed and him-
self as its actor, to the judgment of the whole
people of France. In less than one month the ver-
dict came back—a verdict uttered by nearly seven
million of voices. It was this.
Louis NAPOLEON is re-elected for an additional
term of ten years, as President of the Republic
which he has saved.

But the peril from which France had so narrowly
escaped alarmed the people. They began to call
loudly in all the provinces for the restoration of
the Empire. In obedience to this call, on the 4th
of November, 1852, the Senate of France passed
the following decree :
" The nation wishes the re-establishment of the
Imperial Dignity in the person of Louis NAPOLEON,
with hereditary succession in his direct, legitimate,
or adopted line; and gives him the right to regu-
late tho ordor of ouoocooion to the throne iu
tale
BONAPARTE family."
This decree was submitted to the people of
France to pronounce upon it by universal suffrage.
It was adopted by nearly eight millions of votes—
a degree of unanimity almost unparalleled in the
history of nations.

France thus indignantly broke and scattered the
chains which the treaties of 1815 had imposed upon
her, and re-established the Empire of NAPOLEON—
that empire whose fundamental principle was equal
rights for all, and which empire, because of this
principle, the despots of Europe had combined to
overthrow.

The wonderful unanimity of the masses of the
French people in these acts, and the restlessness of
the people in all the other nations of Europe, ren-
dered it inexpedient to attempt another coalition to
overthrow the empire and to maintain the treaties
of 1815. The success which had attended the
French uprising aroused the enthusiasm of Italy.
Every province was instantly in commotion to throw
off the yoke of Austrian despotism.

The kingdom of Sardinia was the only province
which maintained even the semblance of indepen-
dence. Charles Albert, its King, in heart embraced
the Napoleonic doctrine of equal rights for all, and
wished to govern his kingdom upon that principle.
But Austria would not permit it. All Italy sprang
to arms. Austrian troops garrisoned all the for-
tresses, and the uprising was bloodily crushed.
Charles Albert died of a broken heart. As he fled
from the disastrous field of Novara, where his whole
force had been crushed by the Austrians, he said to
General Durando :

" This is my last day. I have sacrificed myself
to the Italian cause. For it 1 have exposed my life,
that of my children, and my throne. I have failed
in my object. Since lin vain Bought death, I will
give myself up as a last sacrifice to my country. I
lay down my Crown, and abdicate in favour of
VICTOR EMMANUEL."

The son, in heart, inherited his father's prin-
ciples, as well as his throne. He was, however,
compelled, before Austria would permit him to
assume the reins of Government, to yield to all the
terms which Austria imposed. There was no nation
in Europe, excepting the new-born Napoleonic
Empire in France, which was in sympathy with the
peoples struggling against the dynasties. But the
infant French Empire, which had just burst from
its chrysalis mausoleum, had no strength for foreign
fight.

The British Government, subsequently so eager for
the dismemberment of the American Republic, gave
all its moral support to Austria, and against Italy.
The Edinburgh Review said, in reference to this
struggle :—" It is utterly repugnant to the first
principles of British policy, and to every page of
our history, to lend encouragement to the separation
of nationalities from other empires, which we
fiercely resist when it threatens to dismember our
own."

The tenacity with which Austria clung to her
Italian provinces may be inferred from the fact
that, in addition to these kingdoms and duchies,
affording such brilliant estates to members of the
royal family, the Crown of Austria derived a direct
annual revenue from those provinces of one hun-
dred millions of francs. This was not only exclu-
sive of the voluptuous extravagance of the Vice-
regal Courts, which the Italians were compelled to
support, but also of the enormous expense of the
Austrian troops garisoned in those provinces.
Count CAVOUR, in a memorandum sent to the
British Government in 1859, said-4, The true
cause of the deep discontent of the Lombardo-
Venetians is the being ruled and domineered over
by foreigners, by a nation with which they have
no analogy of race, of habits, of tastes, of language.
Austria is an old man of the mountain, seated upon
the shoulders of Italy, day and night, an incubus, a
terror, an intolerable burden. Italy, gagged and
blinded, totters along with this terrible old man
astride her neck, goading her to desperation, yet
guiding all her movements."

Ere long it became evident that very friendly
relations were springing up between the French
Government and Sardinia ; or, in other words, be-
tween the Emperor NA.VOLEO.N and
.Victor Ex-

London: Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS,
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office, No. 112,
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, iu the County of
lilichilei3eX.--TuOiCltlY: April 2,1n57.

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