Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-09-08
QUEENS VISIT TO FRANCE.


[From the London Examinef.1
-Four hundred and twenty-five years have
passed since a crowned English Sovereign was
seen in the city Of Paris and il was then no
visi, Of friendship, but barren grasp at empire
That Sovereign Of England shonld visit the
Sovereign Of France in his capital is now 10 oc-
cur for the first time in the annals Of the two
nations. Nor can we feel surprise that an event |
requiring for its fulflment such rare coincident
circumstances should have been delayed so long. |
Before the European system no King could with |
perfect safety trust himselfto the keeping Of his
brother, and English policy since has unhapply |
oftener lesgued us with Austria against France
than with France against Austria. The fault
has no, been confined TO either side, and the !
bes, that can now DO said for the errors com
mtted on both is that the people Of the two
countries have remained always friendly TO each
other. The enmity has been between the gov
erning, and not the governed races. Nor is
ii to be denied that the angry tone given to
French and English relations after our own
revolution, proceeded less from the Engllbh than
the French Government. The Bourbon race
had too natural affinity TO the weak and vicious
Stuart race. The final explosion Of the latter
from the English throne was bitterly resented,
and during the century that followed 1885, no
George could have visited Louis. A great
change has now come over Europe. 1t is
neither Austria nor France we have any longer
cause to dread but a new Power, more form-
dable in its character and designs than that which
either Charles V. or Louis XIV. represented.
Not so much however, from the extent Of her
internal and intrinsic resources as from the
character Of her harbarism, and her unscrupulous
ambition, is Russia become formidable TO civil
lied Europe. Twenty years before the French
Revolution these dangers from the nature Of her
Government were foreiold, even by those who
ridiculed the pretsnces she was already setting
up to restoration of tho Empire Of Consian-
tine. We all know the persevering encroach-
ments she has since been able to make in spite
Of protests as untiring. There has been hardly
Government Of any influence in Europe during
the last so years which has not admitted, in
countless dispatches and protocols the necessity
Of resisting the advance Of Russia, Of putting a
limit 10 her extending frontier, and some check
to her overweening ambition nor was this duty
ever more manifest than in 1915, when Europe
exhausted with war, preferred to surrender Po-
land rather than re-embark in ii. Every year
since that time, however, has shown more clear
ly the blundcr then committed. Every year has
added to the necessity for the repression which
it was felt must sooner or later come. Selfish
ness, cowardice, dullness in the Continental
= Powers and dynas,ies, have alone delayed it
But England and France have at last stepped
forward, not simply to declare ilie necessity, bdi
to act upon il, and another seal will be set to
their resolve in next weeks meeting Of the ru-
lers of the two nations, amid the crowds and
festivities of Paris. II will be another pledge
for their unaided and unshrinking performances
} of the work which to none appealed so strongly
; OF should have seemed so necessary, as to the
! German Sovereigns and Princes. That even
Prussia as well as Austria felt this, no one ac-
quain,ed with the recent negotiations can doubt
but what they had sense enough to see they
have not had courage enough to do. If Ger
many had but seized the great opportunity of
fered, Russia would at once have been checked
on the side Of Poland, as we'll as in her prog
ress seaward. Such another opportunity may
not present itself for centuries and history will
have TO record hereafter, not that German:
wanted discernment to know the yoke under
which they were passing, but that they utterly
I wanted unity and courage to throw it on
] Meanwhile, it is possible, the field Of warlik'
operation may be narrowed to France and Eng
land but their task will not have been per
formed inefciently il it establish finally an i'm
. passable barrier TO Russian conquest and acquis
tion in the Baltic and the Euxine. This ihel
e can certainly accomplish, and they would de
!. Il. n 4. I'll
f on Austria and Prussia If they were conten
with less. The approaching Royal visit viii
call forth many histotical illusions and associa
: tions, but It's hghest value we repeat, is in th'
. additional pledge il gives for identity of polio.
d and feeling between tho Governments and Of es
Q teen and good will between the countries.