The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-04
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

1 q
IDEA that its purposes meet the annrova, ~ ,ha
Liberslists Of the Continent at this time az ann.
two years ago The plain English Of this char,.
OF sentiment Is to be sought in the fact that there
can DO no real peace in Europe, until iustico
reigns triumphant in the policy Of it's Govern.
ments. Or, in other words, until its varion.
people obtain their natural rights. Ahsol,,.
Governments may smile complaoently on thsso
attempts TO make peace but Hungary uasso
Cassrl, Algiers Lombardy, Venice, Sicily and
Rome, send no delegates, their inhabitants feel
too keenly that their own present condition %
peace is but in fact the most brutal system q, ~,
relenting and effective rra1faye for the ma;D,s
nance of rank injustice and notoriops onnrss
sion-a quiet warfare in which the atrocities ~
contest are mitigsted, only in so far as they are
perpetrated calmly and are met submissiyelv. la
robberies are without violence, only because the
plundered offer no hopeless resistance Tbsss
people, the oppressed of Europe, feel that tbs
cause Of insurrection is that of Gods ri0btaou.>
justice, and therefore decline giving pledges which
shall commit them against it. They vopld Glad.
ly foster worldwide association for the promo.
tion of love and justice while they refuse to aid
in instiiling into the popular minds the doctrine
that war should not be resorted TO even to check
such enormities of the privileged few as are per-
petrated In the names Of the Emperors of Russia
and Austria, The King, of Prussia and Naples.
and their faithful brother, the Pope
The principle for which the Peace Society con-
tends, is right Its labors certainly tend TO re.
press the clamor Of vile, low, bloodmongering am.
bition, TO satisfy the world of the waste of ma.
tional resources and private happiness in the
most truly Improbable employment of war No
man Of right feeling can fail to cry amen to this
Societys efforts to bring about the settlement Of
national disputes by the weight of reason rather
than Of arms, and to make men think Of the trmk
in such matters instead of subscribing blindly to
the righteousness Of the tyranny Of lying con-
ventionslisms. Its aims are essentially az war
with the great evils by which civifization~ is re-
pressed-refusing las far as its protest goes) to
suffer moral means to be turned neck and heels
out Of the world, to make room for brute force,
which is alone to be trusted in the work of per.
petuating in this era the middle.age condition of
Continent. The reception of Mr. Gladstones
pamphlet by the Government of educated and
| enlightened Prussia, proves that Absoutism now
relies only on the sword, while alphabetically
Ginning in with the opinions of the Peace Con
gress. Thus within the past month, Frederic
Joseph's minions have seized and suppressed the
| (Prussian) Demsehe Allgemeine Zeluag, for its
comments on that extraordinary publication.
Bomba himself could not have bounced with more
violence on Neapolitan journal engaged in
using Mr.. Gladstones exposition Of facts. to stir
up his subjects to the duty of asserting their
rights. Not only in Prussia, but everywhere on
the Continent, have Mr.. G's letters stricken
terror into oppression, for their tendency is every
where to make capital, at least stand neutral in
| the struggle between the two antagonist pripci-
Piles. Those who WELD its great power will no
longer be cajoled to listen to the gross and auda
cious forgeries which did so much to induce
them in ls4s and 1s49 to side against the cause
of the people. They will no longer be idiotic
enough to fancy that Despotism will take warning
by its past difficulties and aim TO secure its power
by mercy, wisdom, and good faith Abandoning
these decisions, they perceive at length that the
only successful movement in Germany must be
Republican one; and that but to obtain naked
Justice is the cause for which Italy and Hungary
contend against Austria.
1t is now said that the Pope's entreaties to Aus
tria, Prussia, and Indirectly to Russia to relieve
him from the hated presence Of the French gar
rison in Rome, were the result of formal init
nation from the Government of Louis Napoleon
that it felt bound, in administering the military
Government Of the Eternal City, to take measures
to prevent the civil Government the Pope'.) from
initiating the course Of conduct which has distn-
guished the administration of Bomba within the
past year; or, in other words, to take due care
that France shall not rest under the responsibility
| OF having loaned her military powers to secure
the abrogation Of everything smsoking of consti.
tutional right In the Roman States. How Louis
Napoleon could 80 long continue to fail to take
this position, in the face of the evident violently
reactory disposition Of the Council of Cardinals
is strange indeed as popular opinion in France il
well nigh as absolute in its sovereignty AZ in the
United States. The real reason why the French
Government has not long before been compelled
by that master to take this stand in Rome, is owing
to its want Of concert of purpose. AS, in what
ever it-Frenoh public opnion-has been clear.
ly expressed, it has assumed its rightful su.
premacy more quickly even than here. In truth,
instead of real preferences for a form of govern
ment or particular principles, the great mass of
the French-certainly nne-tenths of the politi-
AZ 81 Al
antipsthies as it were. Some hate the Republic
whilst others hate monarchy without loving the
Republic. Thus, half the nominal opponents Of
the Republic advocate monarchy in its stead, only
on condition that the monarch shall be of their
own choice. The other half, acting on the same
principle, struggle with vehsmence against the
rival monarchists--each monsrohical party essay
ing rather to thwart the other rather than TO
throw the existing Government; nay, each appar-
emily stands ready to compound with the Repub-
lie to prevent the realization Of the claims Of its
rival Thus not the institution of monarchy, but
rival families Of pretenders to monarchical state,
have efficient friends in France. II the attach
ment were to the institution, the cause Of liberty
throughout Europe would indeed be In danger of
losing the advantage of the promised example "
the success Of Republican Government for long
series Of years somewhere on the continent. A
cordial shaking of hands, and earnest cooperation
between the adherents Of the elder and younger
branch of the Bourbons in that country, could not
fail greatly to strengthen the cause Of absoatism
everywhere.
But while quarrels among the enemies OF civil
liberty in France help that cause, the very erro-
neous ideas prevailing among its friends weaken II
greatly. Thus, with too many Of them it civil
liberty is regarded as positive rather than mega