The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-03-11
THE COMING WAR.


and which, ere long, will be succeeded by
the drend reality itself, destined to convulse
the continsnt and its islands to such nm ca
tent and such degree as the world has not
witnessed since Bonapar.e, nearly half cen
tury ago, played his sublime part and made
his exit from the stage. The premonisory
tremblings of the earthquake are already
felt and heard. Tho combustible materials
beneath the surface are beginning to come
into collision, and soon the terrible upheav-
ing and the grand explosion will nstonsh
the age.
The present Emperor Of the French will
follow tho role Of his uncle, under altered
circumstances, with new generation, but
with almost tho same enthusiasm which had
before conquered nearly all Europe. Popu.
lar liberty has made great progress since
then among the nations Of Europe, including
England, whose old decayed arstocracy, en-
listed in the cause of the Coburgs, is every
day retiring before the assaults of the fresh
and vigorous democracy; and the doctrine of
"legi,imocy" or the kingly right Of hereditary
descent, by which the crowned conspirators
of the Congress of Vienna got rid Of Ma
poleon l., who was the choice Of the people,
is no longer available to dethrone and ban
ish into exile the nephew, who holds his
throne by the same title MS the uncle.
Tho first act of the drama has been per.
formed in the Crimea, by which Napoleon ILL.,
has reduced two of The great Powers of
Europe--Russia and England-to the sec.
ond place in the scale Of nations. His next
move--nnd it is bold one-s to bring down
to the same level the only remaining first
rate Power, Austria. The second act Of the
drama will open in Italy, tho scene Of the
first brilliant triumph OF the elder Napoleon
Other fields in rapid succession, will receive
"the red rain which makes the harvest grow"
Already the parvenu is the first potentate in
Europe. lie will soon be something less or
something more. If he has less of genius
and of the highest oder of talents for great
general which distinguished the hero Of
Austerlitz, he exces him in tact and the art
of diplomacy. In the coming struggle he
has secured the neutrality of Russia, and
probably the active sympathy of England,
even to the removal Of her present Prime
Minister from office. The tread of his bat
talions will soon shake the plains of Lom-
bard" and Venice, the fair garden of Italy,
and the opening roar of the new can.
non which he is now casting at Vincennes
will speedily revcrberatc from the Alps and
the Apprentices in the awakened ear of Eu
rope. His position, which he so clearly de-
fines, is the very same MS that of Napoleon !.
He stands midway between revolution and
anarchy, and levelIng proletarian sans cuIot-
tism on the one side, and exclusive class
privileges Of hereditary nobility and the d.
vine right of kings on the other. lie is the
great champion and cxcmplar of national in.
dependence and Of democracy suited to the
times and to the atmosphere OF Europe
He contends fer the right Of every nation TO
choose it's own rulers and adopt its own
form Of government. Aud this grand essen
tial of human freedom is denied to large
portion of the Italian people. Austrian OPP
preston is driving them 10 revolution, and
10 extremes beyond the principles of moder-
ate democracy. TO prevent this sweeping
revolution, aEd the anarchy consequent upon
it, is the ayOwed design oil Napoleon. He
will anticipate the stroke by striking the first
blow himself. He will therefore appear in
highly favorable light to the nations of
Europe friend alike of freedom and or.
der. This is n grand stroke, worthy of the
actor of the coup detat.
Every steamer now, therefore, that comes
from Europe, will henceforth be looked for
with great anxiety; aud those who nre en-.
gagged in commercial or political affairs, or
who contemplate such transactions in the
future, will net unwisely if they do not, in
making their arrangements, take into &C.
count the tempest Of war which is about to
sweep the Italian peninsula and the whole
Continent of Europe.
How IT IS LOOKED UPos.-The movement
in Virginia is looked to with intense interest
by The friends of conservative Government
all over the country. We scarcely take up n
paper or receive letter, from any quarter,
that has not some alusion TO it. Tho fol-
lowing is taken from business letter receiv.
ed from North Carolina. 1t sounds like the
cheering hail Of brother, when danger is