Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-08-04
The Modern Sphynx.
From the London Times, July Is.

Prom the London Times, July Isl
1t is VIGOROUSLY very difficult to get
at the meaning of Louis Napoleon.
lie is the great modern Sphynx, and
his very existence depends upon his
not being found out. But, OF all the
riddles he has proposed to Europe,
none is more puzzling and intricate
than this Treaty of Nillafranca, the
sense OF which we have attempted to
read in the description he has him
self given. 1t is usual when we doubt
as to the authority OF an act, to ask -
for whose benefit was it done. Here,
however, we ask this question in vain.
The treasure is spent and the blood is
shed, the war is ended and the peace
is made; but no one, SO far as we can
see, is the better for the fight. Sar-
dina is not quite happy in her new
possessions, and even Victor Emanuel
will find in Lombar1y poor substi-
tute for the enthusiastic affection Of all
Italy. France has gained no Access
sion to her territory, and no friendship
from the oppressed populations Of the
earth. She has gained nothing but
the knowledge that her Emperor is
able to manruvre an army. She has
not even at this moment, the conviction
that his sparing Austria was an act of
unmixed generosity The Emperor
now says that he stayed his hand un-
der an apprehension that the struggle
was likely to assume larger proportions
than he desired. 1t is not a very
chivalrous reason to give if an army
which had just fought campaign and
lost thousands of its comrades for no
result which any one OF them would
have desired. These soldiers want
work and glory and promotion. TO
tell them he made peace for fear the
war would spread, could only be to set
them guessing who it was who had
thus stayed them in their full march
of conquest. 1t was not England.
Was it Prussia? 1t is not very proba-
bic, unless this pause in fighting should
be rather a diversion than cessation
Was it Russia! Did Russia think
Austria had been beaten enough! Was
Russia acting all the time as the sur
geon, with his finger upon the pulse of
the patient, and did she give the signal
to cease when the symptom Of Hunga-
rian fever developed itself: All or
any Of these reasons may have opera
ted. Or the Emperor Napoleon might
have known the state of his own army
best. There is, indeed, fast opposi-
ton, which we offer to those whd
we're not long ago SO fiercely scolding
us because We doubted that Napoleon
was abont to setu a free Constitu-
tional Government in Italy perhaps
the French Emperor has imposed some
secret obligation upon Austria never
again to interfere in the affairs of Italy
Ii this should be so, then all is right.
The Pope and the Grand Dukes arc
put up in pride ofplace merely to give
Napoleon's great principlc-"thc soy
erignty Of the pcopIc"-a clear stage.
If they can hold their own, good. If
they cannot, then down topple Pope
and Kaiser, and Italy, left to herself,
works out her own regeneration.
History tells us what passed at Til
sit, and some French memoir will
doubtless at a future day relate what
was the conversation at Villa Franco. 1t
is not necessary, however, to wait for
the authentic report; the result suggest
what the conversation must have been.
"Surely," we can imagine Francis Jo-
seph to have said, "my Imperial broth
er cannot intend to revolutionize Hun
gary, and to establish focus of insur-
rection in Italy % "Not the least in
the world, care no more for these
Italians than you do. This matter has
gone quite far enough for my purpose.
You sec now that France is necessary
to Austria. We will settle this affair,
and will leave you stronger in Italy
than you ever were. l will also make
everything straight between you and
Russia. You shall be one of us, aud
we three together will impose law on
Europe" Is it to be wondered at that
Francis Joseph, with q beaten army
and . bankrupt Exchequer, was not
proof against such temptations