The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-04-24

far less populous, British Empire is now
rapidly forming, from what were in 1900
Immense wildernesses, scanlly inhabited
by the lowest grade of savage beings, and
infected along the coasts by few cargoes
of expatriated rascality. The growth of
British Australia is now proceeding with
rapidity scarcely paralleIed, and appa-
rently with entire solidity and health.
The elimination, decline and overthrow
of NaPoleon's colossal power belongs TO
the first quarter of the present century,
In 1900 First Consul; in 1904 emperor
of the French;" in 1911 master of nearly
all Continental Europe except Russia, with
Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain at his feet,
and even Russia, Turkey and the United
States virtually his allies, and only England
stubbornly resisting his strides TO universal
dominion. 1914 saw him defeated and
exlled; 1915 a discrowned prisoner for
life, and 1921 witnessed his ..death on a
lone barren lsle," almost equi-distant from
the eastern and western hemispheres. On
his complete discontinue, Europe reverted
very nearly into the condition which il
exhibited prior 10 the outbreak of the
French Revolution, France being restored
to monarchy and reduced to her modern
limits; Germany reconstructed despotic
anarchy; Italy surrendered to Austria and
absoluteism; Poland left a wreck and
divided ruin; Turkey still further crippled
and Fastening to decay; while only Rus
sia manifested external growth combined
with internal vigor. Since NapoIeon's
death, Spain, Poland, Italy and Germany
have by turns been the theatre of revolu-
tionary commotions looking TO republican
freedom, but these ebullliions have all been
quenched in blood, and monarchy, more
or less absolute in form, but generally
despotlc In substance, is now the common
law of the most enlightened quarter of the
earth save in France and Switzerland.-
France is now nominally a Republic, but,
practically, ruled by the twin aristocrats
of musketry and money, to-day enjoys
far less real freedom than the smaller
kingdoms, Sardinia, Sweden and Denmark
Switzerland still retains her ancient liber-
ties, though convulsed by faction within,
and mcnaced by banded despotisms with
out. So all on the Continent seems fixed
as Royalty would have it. but it is only
seeming. France is a volcano ready for
eruption; her millions will never acquiesce
in the arbitrary and unlawful robbery from
nearly half their number of the right of
suffrage; her aris;ocratic predominence is
undermined by intestine tueds, which will
vet divorce the sword, the money-chest
and the mitre from their present alliance,
and restore the rule of the masses; and
the day which sees democratic ascend
ency restored in Paris will arouse the
republicans of Germany, Italy, Hungary,
and perhaps of Poland, to make vehement
struggle for the liberties of mankind.-
Despotism has now the bayonets and the
arsenal on It's side as of yore; but in pop
ular intelligence, in comprehension of the
rights of man and the necessary iniquities
OF kingcraft, the world has made vast pro-
gress since 1900. Catholic emancipation
in Ireland, and Parliamentary Reform in
Great Britain, are two of its peaceful tro
phies. Such are the political aspects on
which opens the latter half of the Nine
teenth Century.