The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-23
men who entertain 80 conscientious sense of
their Judicial responsibilities.



reign of terror exists In France The conGden-
tia! advisers Of the Emperor openly recommend
the total suppression Of the press even that
emnently cautious and courtly sheet, Galigna-
nus Messenger, proposes q flight to Brussels.
Measures of the most insultingly despotic cha
racter have been proposed to the legislative
body Should they pass, and it is probable
they will, the life and property of the entire
people of France will be laid at the feet of the
sovereign. So thoroughly does the attempt of
the Rue Lepelletier-coupled with the previous
newspaper outburst of the republican party
seem to have terrified the government that ina
gination as we'll as history are ransacked for
precedents Of tyranny. Rightly or wrongly the
Emperor considers the expression for which
one of the leading Paris journals was suppress
ed some time since" The republican party is
ready for action'-to have had some more or
lees intimate connection with the late attempt
upon his life; and while Pierri and Orisini are
left to the mercies of the courts, he is proceed
ing with equal vigor to the attack of those
whom he presumes to have been their secret
confederates. AT the rate he is going, there
must socn come time when no one in France
will he safe.
After all, the trouble which underlies the
restless state of the empire, and the agita-
ton of the government is the old sore
tne want Of foreign war. Ever since the
first revolution the government Of France has
required foreign war IS imperatively as re-
venue. The army has always been either con-
spring or warning against some foreign nation
To deprive the French soldiers of foreign foe
has always been to turn their sword against the
government at home. That is the difficulty just
now. The soldiers of the Crimea are tired of
inaction and demand to be led to battle.
If Napoleon had his choice it is not likely
that he would crafty them. He is too wise not
to know the cost of war But it is highly i'm
probable that he will be permitted to exercise
an unbiased judgment on the question. From
the state of terror and agitation in which his
friends are at present, it is clear that they are
being overborne by the outside pressure. That
may be his case, soon; when the case is put to
him in its naked proportions, when he is told
to choose between foreign war and . revolu-
ton against his dynasty at home, be will be
and in favor of the foreign war, at all hazards.
With what nation could Napoleon 60 to war!
1t is evident that the army, for their part
have chosen ttefr ntagonist-England. And
as the war will be Of their making, their choice
of foe may not be disregarded. They enter
tain as body very bitter feelings against the
English; feelings which they inherited from
their fathers, and which the rather unamiable
rivalry in the Crimea did not tend to
dispel; they have Waterloo still to avenge.
On another hand it seems possible that the
statesmen Of the two countries may ere long
furnish pre.exts for hostilities. Napoleon has
just made formal demand upon the British
government for measures to restrain foreign
exles from plotting against his life in England
Lord Palmerston has accordingly introduced q
bill into Parliament violating the old British
right of asylum, and practically converting the
Britiah isles into hunting ground for French
spies Blu. this bill has already created such a
stir that Lord Palmerston will soon be obliged
to drop il, or to leave his Office. No matter how
strongly allied the two countries are. the British
people will never consent TO permit Napoleon's
dezpotism to cover their soil and in the at
tempt to do so, Napoleon will be told certain
hard truths which have grown unfamiliar to his
ears Of late. The Mosieur only needs to repub-
lish some Of the most offensive speeches against
the French empire to raise the war spirit of the
soldiery to an irresistible pitch.
Finally, the condition Of the continent forbids
the possibility Of war with any other Power
than England. Russia, which is the only other
antagonist whom the French would care about
fighting ia still more closely allied with
Imperial France than England. Ties of
marriage bind the Emperor's best friend
to the Russian aristoorscy. 1t Is understood
tina. De Morny agreed upon a common
plan and policy by which both France and
Russia were to be governed in continental mat
tiers; that an extensive alliance was formed be.
tween them, and that they agreed-looking per-
haps to the presen. contingency-that whatever
happened it was their policy to stand together.
The French have no natural animcsity toward
the Russians the army would hardly care to
renew q contes. in which they were so recently
victorious.
We say. then that passing events indicate q
tendency on the part OF the French empire to
embark in foreign war, and that wa war
with England.
Of the result Of such war there cannot be
the least doubt. England is small island
with much smaller population than Frances
1t has an army less than one-ffth that Of Napo-
Icons; and small as it is, it Is not so efficient
or SO well trained as that Of France. England
has besides severe and costly war already on
her hsnds Notwithstanding all this, Napoleon
may rest perfectly assured that If he allows
himself to drift into war with England, it will
not only be the ruin Of himself and his dynasty,
but il will pulverize nine out Of ten thrones in
Europe, and be the end OF all the despotic gov
arnrnents ON the continent excent nerhanH Rua-