The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-28


Munich, and Hanover, we may rest perfectly as
sured and il is not at all impossible that in
prosecuting the royal game, he has opened with
such skill and success, Napoleon ILL., will realize
the extraordinary spectacle Of three or four
foreign nations fighting under his orders, ia OPP
position to the earnest wishes and dearest hopes
of their hereditary sovereigns
They are all at the present moment in abjcct
fear of the parrenu Emperor. From Madrid to
st. Petersburg the opinion Of the world respect
ing his ability has been altered during the last
year With trembling and reluctance the rep
resentatives OF the old families who united to
crush his uncle, admit at last that they have
q second and probably no inferior Napoleon 20
meet. Not unmindful of the narrow escape
they had in 1912 and 1915, these tottering
dynasties are paralyzed by their own terrors,
and fall, by species Of fascination, into the
iron grasp which Napoleon is already winding
round them. They hatter the Gar with lying
reports OF peace and f1attering stories of his
own victories. They advertise for two scions
Of families which once ruled France, and go
through pompous ceremonial of reconcilia-
ton and fusion, in order to Concentrate the le-
gitinist force on one head. They give comfort
to every faction which may annoy or embarrass
Napoleon. But the net result Of all their exer-
tlons is to convince the world Of their own weak
ness and their own terror.
There is one sentiment in connection with
European affairs which has long been familiar
to the readers of this journal. We allude to the
prospect of desperate conflict between the two
antagonstic forces known as the hereditary prin-
ciple and the democratic principle. We have
invariably, when occasion offered drawn atten-
ton to this impending struggle, and endeavored
to show that all wars Tor territorial aggran-
dizement or such objects, would be tri-
fling and unimportant until they became
merged in some such contest of principles
as this. The prospects Of the Turkish war bid
fair to verify our representations. The first
cannon has hardly been fired on the Danube,
when the participation ofFrance in the struggle
promises to place something higher in issue
than the mere possession of province. Whe-
Their or no Austria and Prussia adhere to their
bond, the flag which Napoleon must raise when
ne taxes the uelQ against RUSSIA WuSI Oe tue
standard of democracy; the title he must as
sumo, the democratic emperor. Exiled princes,
dynasties, intolerant despotisms, will
hate and oppose him, not SO much as Russia's
foe, but as the peoples friend; and, as the first
democrat in Europe, he will be intrusted with
the final adjustment of the rival claims of the
nations of Europe and their rulers. Diplomacy,
negotiation, jealousies and intrigues may for
while prevent the contest assuming this clear
shape and these definite outlines; but the rival
ry between the hostile Emperors is too hot and
the ardor Of the oppressed people Of Europe too
impetuous to endure any prolonged restraint
Unless some unforeseen occurrence again post
pone the war, we must ere long see Napoleon,
already the diplomatic master Of Europe, lead
ing its masses in democratic crusade against
the ruling dynasties. In that day we shall
think of him very differently from now. There
is change percoptible in our estimates of his
character, during the past year or two even the
socialists have learned to admire him. This is
but the beginning: we must husband our admi-
ration for the end