The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-02

Iastn M
The intelligence received in this country by the last
,ner during the dosing hours of the past year. "a brief
.,muary of whchs already before u.s. and 10 which we
o0s add further details before sheet goes 10 press
t,ms in the leading events of which it apprizes
=. not whiting termination to the vcissitudes of
,.,r which will hereafter be regarded as Year OF
Wonders The elevation of Louis Napoleon Bona
ne to the presidency of France stands forth in startling
contradiction TO his position in that country both
under is late monarch and in its subsequent republican
organization Among us, this selection for the execu
tive head Of the French republic will doubtless be regard
ed some quarters sinister omen of its future pros
pees though the liberal opinions and purposes of the
successful candidate, exhibited his recent address
the Fench people, certainly such to challenge or
hi administration fair trial and an impartial examina-
oupf its acts, before differences of encouragement
drawn, condemnatory judgment pronounced The
peipitae flight of the Pope and his ministry from
Rone--leavng the Holy See with perhaps hardly
eyn nominal governments an event not wholly
Unexpected, indeed, in view of Immediately previous
Indulgence from that quarter, yet still in astonishing
contrast with the position taken and the wel-deservcd
POPULARITY obtained by that potenate scarcely twelve
months ago.
Yet these individual changes, surprising as they SEEM
in but OF small moment in comparison with the spec
)ces of national vicissitude both in the Old World
|nd the New, in the midst of which they have occur
led. A French Democracy; German Republican Con-
liberation; Rebellion in Ireland an nsurrectionary
bvch of chartss TO the city of London the Emperor of
(ustria fugitive from Vienna, and his great minister
feproverbal master OF kngcrah in era, compelled
] III even in advance of the monarch whom he ruled
Fe protesting only to serve; the King of Prussia and
Dis Free Parliament at issue with each other in the city
b Berlin the Austrian power almost driven out of the
h OF Italy, and then partially carried back at the point
Of the bayonet; Sardinia Naples, Sicily, Tuscany Mo
ena, Parma, and Pacenza, wringng concessions from
their rulers, and moving towards republican organiza.
on while Venice and Genoa resolve restore again their
once famous republics; and beyond all these events
and of perhaps still deeper significance than any of
hem, OF the Sclavonic and Teutonic races already
in the west of Europe, while Russia is
altering her immense armies on her frontiers to over
look at least if not to decide the struggle such are
bone of the stupendous social and political phenomena
which the year ls4S has witnessed in the Old World
Nor has the of events on this side of the Allan
during the same period been less fitted TO absorb the
Faenon of the thoughtful observer. The mighty ex-
lsion oil territory the shores of the Pacific; the
isovery OF riches ana resources which now attract
(g thither people in multitudes, and which must
boon establish civilization there in its full force; the
tquston of right of transit across the isthmus of
Panama, and the prompt measures which American
commercial enterprise has adopted TO realize the meal
dae results of that acquisition these great events,
ompng nothing less in their most obvious aspect,
ian 10 change the commercial centres and the
|reai commercial currents of the word, will perhaps
reater be regarded hardly less strange wonderful
AN the fact that the American people should, in
hence of internal dissensons in the democratic party,
ave failed TO sustain by their votes the administration
which such events had been shaped and controlled to
aNr COnsummatiOn