New-York daily tribune., 1856-04-25
LOUIS NAPOLEON.

The termination of the war in Europe bya peace
which he has the credit OF having dictated, and the
simultaneous birth of son and heir, seem TO be
generally regarded as giving to Louis Napoleon a
new hold upon power, by adding new supports aud
new guarantees to the throne upon which he has
placed himself Not only, it is said, has the share
he has taken in the affairs of Europe for the last
two years, and the success which has crowned the
alliance of which he is the head procured his ac-
knOwledgmept by all the Powers of Europe as the
legitimate sovereign of France: it has, by showing
his capacity to govern, soitened extinguished
many former pIcjudices against him and given
him a moral hold upon his position, such as places
him almost on par, in this respect, with the
other soveregns of Europe-at least such as
affords good reason for anticipating that he will
die quietly in the imperial palace, perhaps at
good old age, and will transmit, without difficulty,
to bis newborn son, some other relative, the
absolute authority which he holds
The termination of the war in Europe no doubt
relieves Louis Napoleon from the risk which must
ever attend upon military operations, and the dan
ger had those operations turned out disastrously,
beirg held responsible for all the losses and dis
graces which the French arms might incur. So
long as the war lasted, Louis Napoleon was ex-
posed to perpetual anxiety on that score, from
which, by its termination, be is now relieved. On
the other hand, there also danger, had the war
continued and had the French arms been success
ful, that the result might BE- to raise up some mill
taIy hero, most dangerous competitor with
Louis Napoleon for the affections of the army,
which might at any time have been moved TO sub
sttute such favored chief for the present occu-
pant of the new Imperial throne which the
"nephtw of the uncle has set up.
The enormous expenses of the war afforded also
smother urgent reason why Louis Napoleon should
anxously desire its termination. Those expenses
had hitherto been met, great as they were, with
much less of difficulty or embarrassment than any
body had anticipated. Nevertheless, such enor
nous expenditures could not go on without causing
III, mseyes to be felt and leading TO a condition Of
financial distress such as could not be favorable to
the popularity or the stability Of the imperial rule.
These might be excellent reasons why the French
usurper should desire peace. But great as is the
immediate eoiat with which the successful termins-
ton of the war surrounds him, it cannot be denied
that the restoration of peace will expose him TO
new and very serious embsrrasments.
A state Of war, as the whole history Of the world
abundantly proves, is far more favorable TO the ex-
ercise Of despotc power than state of peace 1t
was wsr, and the urgent necessity for cOncentra-
tion of authority 10 which it gave occasion, that
induced the ancient Romans 10 submit to the Dis
ha sfa "a of he
Roman Republic, this Dictatorship became one OF
the standing institutions of the Republic, and the
imperial rule usurped by the Caesars bore, as is
well known, during the first century or two, the
republican character of q perpetual dictatorship.
So in England, il has only been in intervals of
peace that liberty aid the principle of the re-
sponsibility Of the Government have ever made
any progress During the long wars growing out
Of the French Revolution, not only was decisive
check 1.yen to all political reforms of every de-
scrptiCn, but st one time there seemed very great
danger that the liberty Of the press and of public
assembled for political discussions would be totally
put down, and that England might be reduced To a
condition in this respect hardly superior 10 that in
which France was held under the tyranny Of the
Ii is by no means probable tha, considerations Of
this kind, and others closely connected with them.
escaped the acute mind OF Louis Napoleon when he
adopted the policy of war with Russia In the
first plsce, Russia had been for years-we do not
step now TO consider whether upon sufficient founda-
ton or not-the dread and bugbear OF the Liberal.
Of Europe; and Napoleon might we'll hope, in
ltyyiDg war against Russs, and in opposing himself
to the extension OF Der Empire to divert into that
sneient channel part Of the hatred and obloquy OF
which, by his seizure OF the Dictatorship Of France
and Lis ferocious cruelties toward the French
Republicans. he had made himself the object.
In tie rex. place, foreign war, by giving the
public mind something TO exercise itself upon,
maht serve to divert attention from domestic
grievances. l. nieh, e7en impose upon patriotic
souls necessity ss il were, Of foregoing liberty
al home for the sake of glory and success abroad;
while TIE vulgar multitude nigh, be ready 70 SC
cept that glory ard success IS quite fair eqliTa
lent. and even more thsn al equivalent, f.r the
domestic liberties which they had lost.
Louis Napoleon lad gagged aad s.le2ci -