The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-25

forth to the Not only is the military element
studiousy strengthened and increased, but it is be
| ginning to assert preponderance over civilians
which shows itself more and more every day, and
naturally makes us anxious about our relations with
country in which the balance is completely
pressed down by the superior weight of the military
| class
1t is in vain that seek for anything in the
present condition of France which can account for
the remarkable proceeding to which we most I'M
willingly allude. The finances of the country
in a state that must render any naval or military
expenditure not absolutely called for by necessity
or honor, peculiarly inexpedient. The people of
| England have wish nearer their hearts than to
remain on the very best terr:s with their formida-
| BILE and warke neighbor, and sure that
there is country in Europe which would regard
rupture with France with any other feelings than
! those of the most genuine adherence and dismay.
We cannot believe for moment that the
| nous preparations which France is making are in
tended for defensive warfare, for there is not the
| slightest symptom of a wish in any quarter to at
tack her Her form of government agrees entirely
with the notions entertained by the governments
of the greater part of Europe, and we in England
! have long learned to renounce the Quxotic notion
| of forcing our own ideas upon other nations. If
France is happy we are content she should be so in
her own way, and desire nothing but to see her
great peaceful and prosperous. Why then is France
arming?
1t may be that the peculiar form of Government
in which France has fit to indulge necessitates
some increase of the army for purposes of domestic
repression and we would much rather believe it is
than suppose she is marshalng her forces for
foreign war; but, if grant that the army is in
creased for the purpose of insulting domestic
guilty, on what ground are to account for the
corresponding and coemporaneous augmentation of
her fleet? The navy has always been a favorte
force in England because, among other reasons, it
is force which cannot readily be used for the pur
pose of coercing the people. In France the same
principle must apply, and we are at loss to know
Tor what specific purpose large steam navy is be-
ing prepared? France has but few colonies, and
those of inconsiderable extent. She has large
foreign commerce to prOtect-no refractory India
to reconquer and reorganize. She has nothing to
fear from descent on her coasts from any foreign
power. Why, then, is France arming and aug
mentng her navy?
We havea right to ask the question, for whatever
be the enemy against whom the thunderbOlt is
forged, there is doubt that these warlike pre-
parations, in time of profound peace tend to in
lict upon in common with the rest of neigh
bors many of the calamities and miseries of war.
If France will insist increasing her armies and
her navies, she forces us, her neighbors and her
allies, to do the same. We hare too much at stake,
rthH thus little island Of ours, to be content to erist
Gy the permission and on the swferonce of any ally,
hoeerer toihfm-cf any toreign> Prince, howerer
nadJnaninious. History warns us against mourning
! the fate of those nations who have trusted the
power of the sword in other hands than those in
l which they were content to trust their freedom
II France Is determined to arm, we must either
be content to lie at her mercy, or prepare to arm
too. If she increases her regular army, we can
hardly do less than call out and embody militia,
If she insists upon increasing her navy, she forces
us most unwillingy from the barest considerations
prudence, to undergo the expense of a Channel
fleet We would then, take the liberty respect
fully to submit to the Emperor Napoleon that it is
the sincere wish of this country to be his good
friend and true ally; that to this end have made
many sacrifices, and prepared to make many
more; but he asks too much of us if he expects
that he is at once to enjoy whatever power, sup
port or influence his alliance with England may
give him, and at the same time to nlict upon us by
his vast military and naval preparations war ex-
penditure which we are most unwilling to incur,
and which casts upon us many of the evils of Il
state OF actual h0stilities. In politics many things
L apparently discordant may be made compatible.
but it is impossible that two powerful and neighbor.
ing nations can at the same time be armng against
each other and united in close alliance and cordial
friendship.
RUMoRED DESTINATION OF THE FRENCH FLEET.-,The
attitude OF the French Emperor is altogether quite
mysterious enough to satisfy the most ardent lover
of the romance of history. He is really subduing
Europe by silence; and, by merely holding his
tongue, keeps million armed men of every nation
constantly upon the qui rre. The last suggestion
have heard in regard to the objects of this extraor
binary naval activity comes from quarter which |
am not at liberty to mention. but is of itself quite
odd enough to attract attention in America. on
know that he has been making arrangement for a
Nicaraguan Ship Canal, and it has been limited to
me in Il rather melodramatic way, but by person
, by no means melodramatic, that we shall ere long
be walked up from Clayton Bultrer aguaJJlca by
fnding the i-color Displayed orer the knns of Po,,-
ANA, and fleet Of French transformers establishing
order and decreeng justice at either month ofhe Taa-
: sE lfany of your readers lack excitement in the
warm weather, pray let them put this suggestion
into their meerschaums and smoke it.--London Cor.
". Y. Times.
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.
1t is stated that the trial of DR.. Bernard cost the
British Government no less a sum than thirty thou
sand pounds.
There so petitions before the House of
Commons, signed by nearly 10000 persons, for the
adoption of universal suffrage.
Members of the Independent Liberal party in
the House of Commons have intimatcd their in
tention to support the Earl of Derby in what is
evidently the practically liberal course of his gov
eminent.
The missionaries appointed to enter upon the new
field OF Christian effort, opened by the discoveries of
DR.. Livingstone the banks of the Zambesi, have
left London for Cape Town.
1t has been rumored here (savs a letter from Ia
briz of May s, in the Presse d Orient of Constan-
tmople,l that conspiracy for the assassination of
the Shah has been discoveries; and the rumor has
created such profound impression on the mind of
his Majesty, that strict orders have been given to
XII, without pity, any man, woman or child who
shall attempt to approach him at the moment he
goes out for his usual promenade.
The London Times Paris correspondent states
that it is considerably we-nformed persons there,
that the Nicaragua inter-Oceanic canal cannot be
carried out at present. for both political and inan
cal reasons. With regard to the latter he instan-
ces the losses sustained by the shareholders in
twelve foreign railway companies during the last
year, which amount in round numbers to seven
teen ana Il nalt mllllons sterling; to which enOr-
nous depreciation must be added that of other rail
way companies, and the numerous industrial and
commercial undertakings that suffering the
throes of dssoluton besides the loss accruing from
the many bubble schemes that have burst, but not
before consuming a large portion of the national
savings, not to mention the bankruptcies in 1856
a somewhat unusual mode of disposing of ship
is announced in large red placards in Sunderland.
The Lady Dundas, very handy brigantine, 136
tons, and carrying 2l0 tons of Goals sto be disposed
of on the 10Th inst, at Hartlepool by means of
.'rafile"
Writers from Paris, in the English papers, draw
the most gloomy picture Of the state of affairs in
that capital. The following is sample of the hor
rlbe :-Mlstrust is felt everywhere business is al
most at standstl; external commerce is para wed:
ART troops and dies; free thought has expression;
SINISTER rumors fill the air. conspiratOrs plot in 81
ence and the gloom of each succeeding day deepens
In intensity as the shadows of coming events are
cast before.
TO any one acquainted with the real state of af-
ialIs here 1T Is almost startling to side by side
as IL were with the most menacing signs, the opera
tons OF false and ruinous idoatry, which is I'M
dermlnln@ the very basis of national prosperity.
: Almost IN every direction the gigantic improve
ments planned in the fullness of Imperial extrava-
gance, are being carried out Whole quarters are
beng lald low by the pickaxe-whole streets are
pelng swept away, to make room for others of
grander dimensions. The influence of the capital
spreads too, into the most distant provinces Every
country town OF any Importance, of no Import
ance strives to emulate the magniticence of Paris "
:
. TWO WEEKS ATED Cpn,f TIT Ar