The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-05-21
PROSPECTS, OF WAR

The life of Louis Napoleon would seem to
be as precarious as that Of a wolf that makes
midnight incursions among the fiocks Of a
new settlement. Every mans hand is against
the intruder, traps and snares are LAID for
him in every direction, and only by relin-
gushing all hopes of motion and flying from
temptation, can the varmint preserve his
scalp. The Emperor is apparently in equally
dangerous straits; it is stated on good au-
thority, that ope-half the frustrated plots
against his life are not made public, and
many attempts at assassination are hushed up.
The desire to Stay him has acquired the force
of morbid passion; every week developes
some new conspiracy against his life; he is
the target at which thousands are eager to
aim-fanatics, with whom assassination has
become a dogma of their religion of liberty.
If he long escapes the fate that menaces him,
1T will be little short of miraculous.
Orsini's baffled conspiracy was by no means
barren of important consequences, though
different from those he contemplated. He
not only overthrow the Government of Eng.
land, but he has shoxn to all the world how
false and unstable are the foundations on
which the pretentious despotism of France is
reared He has disabused the world of its
belief in the consummate craftsmanship and
exalted moral courage of Napoleon, and ex-
posed the real weakness of his character. In
these moments of danger, the Emperor's
boosted prescienee leaves him, his strong will
gives way to nervous terror; his wisdom-so
much extolled-is at fault, and instead Of
seeking 20 propitiate the people he has en-.
thralled, he increases their disgust by making
his police system more intolerable in his
anxious solitude for his own safety; and
driving away their foreign customers by in
ereasing the annoyance of the passport regu-
lations. The man has had long experience of
free institutions in England and in this coun.
try, and this is the lesson his sagacity draws
frouFitl
This state of things however cannot con-
tinue; the general expectancy is that in self
preservation Napoleon will be driven to war,
and all Europe is now eagerly waiting to see
where the storm will burst. The signs of the
times indicate that the design of invading
England Gf it were ever seriously entertain
ed) is abandoned 1t would in the existing
state of European politics, be course fpolicy
too suicidal for any but a mailman to adopt
Blu. the same reasons that forbid an invasion
of England, seem to tempt it in the case Of
Austria. A war with the latter power would
he popular with the very people who are now
thirsting for the Emperors blood. Italy
Venice, and Hungary, now ground beneath
the iron heel of Austria, would hail a war
against their oppressor as signal for their
liberation, and thus by skillful shufiling of
the political cards, the tyrant of France while
parrying domestic dangers by promises of
military glory. would be looked upon as, in
some sort, the champion OF the down-trodden
people Of Europe. 1t would De bold coup;
success even you'd endanger Napoleon's
=
Of tus qyGys hs pGHSioy
spirit gof roPsp dangerous alike to friends
'nhd foes; thitSipod dangerous circumstances
rashRess "A sometimes the highest prudence.
~ ., WITHOUT doubt sufficiently I'M
qYyds sh5pqgh for this, or any other stu
lpendohsTy hypocrisy; whether he is bold enough
may De Questioned. At any rate he will
have to do something speedily. The storm
cloud is lowering over the old world and will
soon burst in fury and havoc, wherever its
bolts may fall-M Y. Dispatch.