The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-08

and Palmerston.
Now thet. peace rumors fill the ears of
the public, it is we'll, for the sake Of under.
standing the probabilities and possibilities of
their being founded on facts" as they used to
say about all the literary stories, to look int
the character Of these two important person
ages A very small man can ill a large pub
lie place in this age of smartness. 1t does not
follow that all the good things of the restau-
rant are the work Of its proprietor-it is not
the richest woman who is the most attractive,
nor the finest carriage that conveys the n0blest
occupant. In this respect matters have got
more than the sagacity even of the indepen-
dent press to get them Strengthened. Ma
poleon and Palmerston are two important
European statesmen. The one 10 the embodi-
ment Of new and the other of old ideas. In
their union, literally, extremes have met for
once. Palmerston is the representative of the
old English aristocracy--an institution that
got the govt about twelve years ago, and was
relieved of vast amount Of stagnant blood
and put into terrible sweat by Sir Robert
Peel. The patient had become fat, lazy and
dropsical-he required depletion and tapping
and nursing, as helpless mass of animated
corruption. Well, Sir Robert Peel admins
tered the medicine and used the knife, and his
subject revived. lie had pretty much given
up all idea Of doing any more business, and
hence his immense progeny Of Young England
mercantile, trading, manufacturing, money
ed and shipping England-bad undertaken to
carry on the old concern. All the world was
pleased with the change. A new life was in.
fused into British industry; vast works of i'm
provement were visible in all parts Of the king
dom-railroads were multiplied, the CONNER
cial marine was enlarged, manufactures were
stimulated. Instead of the Congress Of Vienna,
London had its Congress of artisans-its great
Exhibition Of the Industry of All Nations;
and this was one of the results of the change
referred to.
Now it happens that Palmerston, the pre-
cent representative Of the old aristocracy,
commenced his recent political career as the
friend of Young England. It was the trade
interests, in fact, that boosted him into power.
The present league between England and
France began under the diplomacy of Wi
kof. Napoleon had secured the alliance oil
Wellington and the mass of the British aristo-
cracy; but he had done nothing to assure the
cooperation Of the commercial classes. He
was sagacious enough to see that there was no
safety in such an alliance; that its estates had
been actually transferred to trustees for the
common benefit Of the kim dom. Palmerstoa
wss the very man for the service; neither too
honest to betray the principles he had ayowed
nor the men who supported him vain, ambi-
tious. and inherently tyrannical, possessing the
confidence Of the commercial classes, distrustnd
by Russell, Aberdeen ard Gladstone, WHO
knew him better, he was engaged by Napo.
leon to bring to the French alliance the great
trade interests of the British empire; and he
succeeded. The first step in this work-this
agency-was to overthrow the Russell, Aber-
deem and Gladstone politicians, and this was
readily effected by the aid which the elevation
OF Napoleon to the Presidency of France
brought to him, and the strong probabilities
resulting from that event that he, Napoleon,
would, as soon as possible, restore the empire
and assume the imperial estates Of his uncl..
All this soon followed.
The revival of the Bonaparte dynasty put q
new face upon European affairs. The past was
neither forgotten nor overlooked. A war vita
England or Russia was inevitable The re-
ports Of French invasion sounded through
all the capitals Of the world. The political
barometer at the London Exchange indicated
the unsettled condition Of public opinion in
that country. II vas the nick Of time. Pal
merston said it, and urged upon the CONNER
cial and trade interests the necessity Of an al
lance with France. A war with Russia was
cal and commercial disaster. He had his
agents in Paris, one Of whom was WikoT.
AT this very point Of view we see the motive
which led England to abandon her old con
nections with Germany and Russia, and
which Influenced Napoleon to seek an alliance
with the ancient enemy Of France II was q
matter Of policy with the latter for the
time being. 1t would seat him firmly on
the throne, give him precisely the influence
over the German Powers, on the conclusion Of
the war, which, before the alliance, had been
exerted by the British government, make him
predominant in Europe, and go of course indie
pendent Of England. Was there any other
method by which these results could have been
effected? Was it not the exclusive policy Of
Napoleon, exercising control in England
through Palmerston till he could gain a posi-.
ton to do that business directly?
Now, In respect to the present attitude Of
affairs, what is the Lesson which these events
convey to ui? They afford the key to the mo-
tives Of Napoleon, to the position of Eogland,
and to the probabilities of peace on the basis
of the Vienna conditions They refer to the
recent imperial pamphlet looking to future
cccaordapce VI iii The States VI the Continent.