The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-10-27
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS.
To the Editor Of the National Era:

To the Editor of the National Era:
Many Of the English newspapers have lost
almost all credit for veracity in continental
Europe, in consequence of their shameful mis-
representations with regard to the intentions
Of the Emperor of France, and the causes in
ducing him SO suddenly to conclude the peace
Of Villafranca. But American readers, often
enough accustomed to put entire confidence in
the statements of the English journals, and
those unacquainted with the political affairs of
Europe, might easily be misled as to the mo-
tives really actuatng the French monarch, in
putting so unexpected stop te the horrible
war which stained with so much heroic blood
the soil of sunny Italy, and made to believe
that Napoleon sacrificed the cause of Italian
the lessndence for the sole purpose of acquiring
But such an opinion would Be very CHROME.
Gus; because, not to Napoleon, but to the press
of England and Germany and to the Princes
of the German Confederation the blame be.
longs of having co-operated in annihilating a
part of the fair hopes of the Italian people.
The hostile disposition which many English
and German papers manifested during the
Italian campaign, against France and her able
ruler, together with the immense warlke prep
arations that were going on in England and
throughout all the German States, made it
very likely that an alliance would soon be con-
cluded between the Government Of Great Brit
ain and the Princes of the German Confedera-
ton, on purpose to prevent the victorious army
Of France from invading the hereditary States
of Austria, which it would have been obliged
to attempt, in order to reduce, without too
much sacrifice of blood, the four formidable
fortresses constituting the very strongholds of
the Austrian power in Italy.
The French Emperor knew well that he
could rely no further upon the friendship of
Russia, if invading the Austrian States, and
thus provoking a revolution in Hungary; and
he was well aware that the envious disposition
of the English people towards France would
ultimately prove stronger than the personal
friendship of Lord Palmerston-conseque
he could not shut his eyes to the truth, that by
continuing the war against Austria he would
expose France to new struggle against al
most the whole Of combined Europe. Therefore,
being a consummate statesman, he resolved to
Illustrate the secret Vaccinations and the open
animosity of his personal enemies, and of those
of the glorious nation at the head Of whose
affairs his bold eradication of the principle of
popular sovereignty bad placed him. he con-
cluded peace with the ,humbled Austrian mon
arch, whom he treated with some generosity,
while, however, pursuing the very course Of
policy which his own interests aud those of the
French people required. At first, the English
papers praised his moderation; but soon ap-
pretending that he had entered into secret
alliance with the Emperor of Austria, and that
England was threatened with an invasion, fear
and envy got the better of their sense Of equity
and justice, and the most of them, forgetting
that they had accused Napoleon of having from
am bsIious motives begun the war, fastened to
blame him for making peace without having
deprived Austria of all its Italian possessions,
while they must have known that the hostility
which they themselves and the German press
and Princes had evinced towards France, was
the real cause of this failure t
The English papers are now talking much
of the danger that Austria might get an OPP
portunity of again depressing Italy, and deem
it pleasure to represent the Emperor of
France as highly blamable for not sacrificing
more French blood and money in behalf of the
Independence OF TIE WhOle OF itaiy, Wnlle ma
king it appear that the English nation is ami.
mated by the liveiest desire to see every Italian
State independent of foreign Powers, and in
the efjoyment of constitutional Governments.
But It cannot be forgotten, that, while the
French army was driving the superior forces
Of Austria out Of Sardinia and Lombardy. the
English press not only not exhcrted the people
Of England to rival the French in generous
sacrifices in behalf of Italian freedom, but, on
the contrary, occupied itself with circulating
malicious reports concerning the intentions Of
the French Emperor, and with exssperating
the fselings Of the English nation against
him--becoming thus in part, instrumental in
frustrsting his plan of delivering the whole of
Italy from the Austrian yoke.
The truth is, that the greatest part of the
press, as we'll as of the people Of England,
wished very much to see Napoleon exhausting
the strength of France in humbling the power
full Emperor Of Austria, because, thus they
would get rid Of the .apprehended invasion Of
England by the formidable French army,
which, in consequence of the peace Of Vii
lafratca, has returned to France, and which |
now constitutes the terror of all Crest Britain.