New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-24
NAPOLEON AND NICHOLAS.

1t is denied in a semi-onicial manner
by Prussia that treaty has been formed
between the three Northern Powers with
view to oppose the establishment Of a
Bonaparte dynasty in France. This de
NAL is not, however, to be received as alb
soute proof that no such league has been
formed or is in contemplation. Lying is
an essential branch of the more elevated
kind Of diplomacy, and circumstances can
be conceived in which even person so
peculiarly scrupulOus with regard to his
word as the present King of Prussia, might
resort to a little prevarication. But how
ever this may be, it is certain that the
policy of those Courts toward France has
not gained anything in good will by the re-
cent changes in the Austrian and Russian
Cabinets. The death of Prince Schwarz-
enberg not only deprived Louis Napoleon
of a kindred and sympathetic spirit and
standby, but threw the control of Austria
back into the hands of the Conservatives
and Of Russia. Schwarzonberg was OPP
posed to Russia, and labored exclusively
for the independence and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of his own country; an adycnturer like
Napoleon, he not only had points of char
acter but features Of policy in common
with him; and it is well known that the
crime of December ID was regarded by the
Austrian statesman with high satisfaction.
But with the death Of the Prince this cor
diality between Vienna and the Elys6e al
together disappeared, to give place to ill
disguised antagonism and mutual suspicion
AsomewIat similar event nj its bearing
Oh future developments in Europe, is the
retirement of Count NesseIrode from the
active direction of Foreign Affairs in the
Russian Government. At the age of sew
enty-two, after half n century of public
service, this eminent statesman has with
drawn from active life, although by the
express will of the mperor he retains the
title and vast emoluments of Chancellor of
the Empire, without the burden of any
actual duty. He is succeeded as Foreign
Secretary by Baron Meyendorff, who for
the past two years has been the Russian
Envoy at Vienna. The Baron is great
hater Of the French, as are most, if not all,
of the Germans in the Russian service.
A man Of extensive and profound learn
ing, he elevates absolutism into a pure,
philosophical idea, and arrays it with the
mystical draPery of a sacred dogma. By
this side of his character he has acquired
remarkable influence over the mind of
Nicholas, who loves to ride the same
hobby. Whether the alleged treaty be a
fiction or fact, there is certainly striking
harmony between it and NJ. Meyendorff.
1t is Just such document as he would be
likely to bring forth.
Count Nesselrode, on the other hand.
was exempt from that luminosity for the
French which characterizes his successor.
He was quite free from violent national an
tsgonisms' though supremely devoted to
his own nation and country, and fifty ieal-
Gus Of their honor. With his elevated no.
sition he has been less a mere courier
than perhaps any other person in the Rus.
sian Court though none surpassed him in
astuteness; and being man of peace and
of routine, he has exercised conciliatorv
rather than provocative influence. The
contrast between him and Meyendorfr is a
broad one.
Of course, policy requires that the ex-
istence of any such treaty as that asrib-
uted to the three powers should be posi-
lively denied, inasmuch as the fact of its
existence would be one of the most potont