The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-18 00:00:00

THE IMPERIAL CIRCULAR,

The following is the text of the circular despatch
addressed by the French Government to its repre-
sentatives in foreign countries :

" PARIS, Sept. 16

" Sir,—The Emperor's Government cannot any
longer defer the expression of its views concerning
the events which have just been accomplished in
Germany. M. de Moustier being necessarily absent
fuL ox7m. uuz lotwer,hisMaieSty has
explain to his diplomatic agents the motives which
actuate his policy. The war which broke out in
Central and Southern Europe has destroyed the
Germanic Confederation, and has definitively esta-
blished Italian nationality. Prussia, whose limits
have been extended by victory, is predominant on
the right bank of the Main. Austria has lost Venetia,
and she is separated from Germany. In presence of
these considerable changes all States must be alive
to a feeling of responsibility; they ask themselves
what is the effect of the recently concluded peace—
what will be its influence upon European order, and
upon, the international position of each Power?

" Public opinion in France has been excited. It
wavers doubtfully between the joy of seeing the
Treaties of 1815 destroyed, and a fear lest the power
of Prussia should assume excessive proportions—
between a desire for the preservation of peace and
the hope of obtaining by war a territorial extension.
It rejoices at the complete enfranchisement of Italy,
but wishes to be reassured in respect of dangers
which might menace the Holy Father. The per-
plexities that disturb men's minds, and which also
have their effects abroad, impose upon the -Govern-
ment the duty of stating clearly the light in which
it regards the subject.
" France ought never to have an equivocal policy.
If she be affected in her interests or in her strength
by the important changes which are taking place in
Germany, she ought to declare it frankly, and
should take the measures which may be necessary
for insuring her security. If she loses nothing by
the pending transformations, she ought to state the
fact sincerely, and to resist exaggerated apprehen-
sions and ardent views, which, by provoking inter-
national jealousies,
might divert her from the course
which she should pursue. In order to dissipate un-
certainties and to establish facts it is necessary to
look at what has happened and what is likely to
happen in all their bearings. What do we find in
the past ? After 1815 the Holy Alliance united
against France all the peoples from the Ural to the
Rhine. The Germanic Confederation comprised
with Prussia and Austria 80 millions of people ; it
extended from Luxemburg to Trieste, from the Baltic
to Trente, and surrounded us with an iron girdle
supported by five Federal fortresses ; our strategi-
cal position was restricted by the most skilful ter-
ritorial combinations. The slightest difficulty that
might occur between us and Holland or with
Prussia on the Moselle, with Germany on the Rhine,
with Austria in the Tyrol or the Friuli, brought
against us the combined forces of the entire Con-
federation. Austrian Germany, invincible on the
Adige, could advance at a fitting moment to the
Alps. Prussian Germany had an advanced guard
upon the Rhine in the minor States, incessantly
agitated by desires for political transformations, and
disposed to regard France as the enemy of their
existence and of their aspirations.
‘ I
except Spain, Nye had no possibility of
forming we
ngan alliance
ion the Continent. Italy was
parcelled out and impotent •, she was not to be
Austria was too much
counted as a nation. Prussia was neither suffi-
ciently compact nor sufficiently independent to de-
tach herself h
to
ff
e res
ble
el
effect t f
an m
intimate traditions.
engaged in preserving her possessions in Italy to be
understanding with us.
Doubtless the long prevalence of peace has caused
from

the dangers of these territorial organisations and
alliances to be forgotten, for they appear to be for-
midable only at the time when war is about to
break out ; but this precarious security France has
sometimes obtained at the price of foregoing her
position (role) in the world. It is incontestable that
during nearly 40 years she has found raised against
her the coalition of the three Northern Courts
of common defeats
utuniditcvdictboyriest,hebyrseicuoililleacr principles of government,tions
by sentiments of distrust
bysolemn treaties,
a and
t civilizing action. If now
we examine the future of transformed Europe, what
towards
our
liberal id
guarantees does it offer to France and to the peace
of the world? The coalition of the three Northern
Courts is broken up. 'Die new principle that governs