The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-27
The First Presidential Election In Franco
The F1rss O~mOcratic Revolution In Rome
Ne II Rows from Europe.

Cundru steamships having gone lntO cucct, We
shall have an arrival from England but twice IN a
month, instead Of every week, as heretofore. The
vessel Of this class that will arrive, is the one
which left Liverpool on the sixteenth instant, and
her intelligence will probably be received here on
next Saturday or Sunday.
The next Rew IRON Europe will most certainly
be of very interesting and important character.
1t will convey the result of the first and great
presidential election in France-a result which the
whole civilized world has looked forward to with
intense interest. The two leading candidates in
that election are General Cavalgnac and Louis
Napoleon. The merits and popularity OF General
Cavaenac are found in his personal history for
period Oft enty years past. The popularity of
Napoleon springs from the deep historical feeling
and veneratloR which pervade the great mass Of
the French people for the memory of his wonder
full uncle, the great Napoleon According to the
newspapers the other side of the Atlantic, Ma
poeon's chances are the best How that may be
we cannot tell but bis character, his moderation,
and his professions of republicanIsm, seem to have
risen considerably during the canvass. Among
the very interesting private correspondence which
will be found in another part of this days Herald
we particularly refer our readers to the admirable
letter from PARIS, giving more interesting and
graphic description OF the person, the manners,
the position, and prospects, of the young Napoleon
than any we have seen published in the American
journals. Prince Louis is not the weak imbecIle
man that the English papers represent him TO be-
Immediately after his escape from Ham, and while
he resided IN London, we were frequently thrown
into his society, had much conversation with him,
and found him interesting and intelligent, though
modest and somewhat reserved IN his demeanor
If Cavaignac should be elected, no change OF po-
Icy will, of course, take place; and, singularly
enough, the platform of Napoleon seems some
what similar to that which the other occupies.
But whichever of them may be elevated to the
chiet magistracy of the newborn republic, on the
result OF that great election depends, in great
degree, the fate of human liberty and sef.govern-
ment In France and in Europe. If, instead of go.
ing to the polls and deposting their ballots for the
| candidate of their choice, with consciousness of
the magnitude and importance of the duty, the
people OF France have 80 forgotten themselves,
and so much lost sight of the grand principles
which they have been charged to reduce to prac-
uce for the happiness of the European world as
10 fall back into anarchy and boodshed, then, in
deed, may the philanthropist and the friend of his
species, ali over the world, weep and despair. But
| we cannot doubt the result. With all their
apparent thoughtlessness-their desire for the
| tnsel, and their apparent disregard of the SUBJ
| stance--we cannot allow ourselves to think
Tor moment that they have forgotten the
sad and bitter lessons which they learned in
| the school OF sad and bitter experience. We can.
not and will not, even for moment, suppose that
the bloody scenes of their first revolution or their
trials and sufierngs since the occurrence of that
national tragedy, have been obliterated from their
memories. Rather do think that they are in
dehbly impressed upon their recollectons, and
that they have come out OF the trying ordeal of
their first popular election triumphanty as their
friends, and the friends of free government every
where, desire. God grant that 1t Is SOL The Pre-
sldential election once properly over, France will
be safe. Germany, Italy, Austria, and other Eu-
ropean nations will follow in her wake, and the
great French republic will be, after times, hailed
the regeneration of Europe. Glorious aPpella-
hon-glorious distinction!
Next In Importance to France, comes Rome and
Italy. The Holy Fatherhas been assaulted within
the walls of the Qulrinal ITSELF in the immedlate
vicinity of which, If not on its very steps, the
Pope's Secretary has been sacrificed. Little, we
opine, was Plus the Ninth aware of the mightinees
of the spirit he evoked when he put the ball of
progress in motion within his circumscrlbed de-
mlnion. Little did he imagine that that spirit, in
stead OF being fedgng, las he supposed it to be was
full grown, and needed but the breaking of the shell
within which it was confined, to burst forth with
irresistible fury, like pent up stream in the Rocky
Mountains, that under the influences of a warm
spring, bursts the bonds which conne 1t, and PUSHES
and bounds mady forth till It's waters attain an
equilibrium, sweeping, and destroying, and re-
m the rocko he bou1Jaro of IN 81
lmpetuous course Yes, the rock of st. Peter has
been endangered by the very spirit which the sue
cessor of ST. Peter evoked. But it Is the temporal,
and not the spiritual, dominion Of the Pope which
was threatened, at the last accounts; and whether
the successor of 81. Peter is now, or will be IN
future, temporal prince, depends on the com.
plcxion of the next news which we shall receive
from the Eternal City.
1t is not, however, in this respect alone, that the
next news from Rome will be looked for with In
terest The whole of Italy and Austria, and the
world at large are interested in the movements
now going on in that part OF the world. Had these
things happened in any other age, or at any other
period of the worlds history, they would not be
of much moment; but now, when the human
mind has awakened TO a sense Of its own great
ness-when reason asserts its sway, and man
takes the practical and sensible, in preference to
the theoretical and lnsensible-when the mind
which can, through the instruments of Its own
formation and ingenuity, penetrate the worlds be-
yoDd us, and measure their breadth, and length,
and thickness, and density, to partlcle-when,
In fine, intellect has determined to assert Its sway,
and to throw to the winds what conflicts with the
reason which is capable of accomplishing these
wonderous things-at such time, and under such
circumstances, the remarkable events which have
recently taken place in Europe are OF magni-
Jude and Importance that cannot be overrated. We
cannot but see In the course which events have
take in Europe, that old things are indeed pass
ing away-that the mind of man is re stess and