The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-26
EUROPE.
THE WAR QUESTION.

PARIS, March 6, 1859.-The following is the text
of the important article in the MOniteW whose out
line was communicated on Saturday BY telegraph:
'The state of things in Italy, although already of
old date has in these latter times assumed in the
eyes of all a character of gravity which has natu
rally struck the mind of the Emperor; for it is not
allowable for the chiefof great Power like France
to isolate himself from questions which interest Eu-
ropean order. Animated by spirit of prudence,
which it would have been culpable not to have pos
sessed, he directs his attention in the most loyal
manner to the reasonable and equitable solution
which these delicate and difficult problems may
ceive.
''The Emperor has nothing to disguise nothing |
to disavow either in the object of his anxious delb
Grafton or in his alliances French interests guides
his policy and ustifes his vigilance
"ln presence of the disquietudes-we take plea
sure in believing them ill-founded-which have ag
tated public opinion in Piedmont, the Emperor has
promised the King of Sardinia to defend him |
against any aggressive act the part of Austria
he has promised nothing more, and it is well known
that he keeps his word.
"Is that to be considered dreams of war? Since |
what period has it not been in conformity
with the rules of prudence to foresee difficulties, |
more or less near, and TO weigh all their consequen
ces
''We have Just indicated what is real in the |
thoughts, the duties and the tendencies of the En-
sror; and all that the cxaggeratons of the press
have added thereto is pure imagination, falsehood,
and raving.
'fFrance, it is asserted. is making considerable
warike preparations. That is completely gratu-
itous imputation. The regular effective Of the
peace footing, adopted two years ago by the En-
peror, has not been exceeded The artillery is pur
chasing 1000 horses to attain the reglementary
limits The infantry regiments are 1000 strong,
| and the regiments of cavalry, 900.
at is affirmed also that the French arsenals are
displaying extraordinary activity. But it is forgot
ten that we have all our artillery to change and all
our fleet to transform. This last undertaking, long
since decided in order to give to our fleet its
| is hvt tha al
of the Legislative body; and notwithstanding the
most praisewOrthy activity, several years will still
be necessary for the accomplishment of the opera
| ton.
"Lastly, uneasiness is felt at the preparations in
our navy. All these preparations, however, con-
sst OF the fitting out of four frgates for the con-
! veyance of troops from France to Algeria, and
from Algeria to France; and of four screw trans
ports, destined to provide for different eventuai-
ties, especially for the service of Cvita, Vecchia
and for the revictualing, by way of Alexandria, of
our expedition in Cochin China
'Such are the facts, and they should fully reas-
sure sincere men to the projects ascribed to tho
Emperor, and to treat they deserve the allega-
tons of those who interested in casting doubts
on the most unobj bjectionable measures, and fnging
| clouds over the clearest situations.
"ls it not time to ask, when will end these vague
and absurd rumors spread by the press from end
of Europe to the other, representing everywhere
to public credulity the Emperor of the French as
exciting to war, and throwing upon him alone,
the responsibility of the dsquetudes and warlike
preparations of EurOpe2
"Who, then, can have right to misIead public
opinion SO shametully-to alarm interests so gra
tuitously?
"Where the words-where the diplomatic
notes-where the acts which indicate desire to
excite war for the passions which it satisfies, for
the glory which it procures Who has seen the
solders-has counted the pieces of cannon-esti-
mated the supplies which are said to have been
added with so much cost and haste to the ordinary
state of peace footing in France? Where are
thn ytpoC 1nufnS
out of soldiers? On what day were recalled to
service the men now absent on renewable furloughs?
Who, in short, can show the elements, however
| slight they may be, of the general accusations
which maevolence invents, which credulity hawks
about. and which stupidity accepts?
"No doubt, we have said, the Emperor watches
over the various causes of complication which may
show themselves the horizon. 1t is the duty of
all prudent policy to endeavor to coniure away the
events or questions, which are of a nature to
trouble that order without which there is neither
peace nor business transactions 1t is not a res
plte which commerce requires; it is security and a
safe future.
'Such foresight is neither agitation nor provoca-
ton. 10 study questions is not to create them;
and to turn aside regards and attention from them
would be neither to suppress nor to solve them
Besides, diplomatic examination of these questions
has been commenced; and nothing warrants the be-
lief that the issue will not be favorable to the
sodation of public peace"
second article in the official journal is intended
to remove erroneous views which, it declares, are
entertained abroad of the regulations concerning
the public press in France. 1t says:
''Public opinion in foreign countries does not
clearly understand the present regime of the press
in France. The belief appears to prevail too gen
orally, that the journals subjected to previous
censorship, and thus an Importance is ascribed to
them which is unfounded. The Administration, it
ought to be known, has preventive action as re-
CARDS the press. The public should, therefore, in
any state of things be on its guard against the in.
dgctions founded on the language of the journals
Whenever grave question presents itself, or ar
important act is accomplished the Government ad
dresses itself directly to the nation through its Off
cial journal That is duty which it has alwav:
imposed on itself, and which it will accomplish the
more scrupulously under present circumstances
that public opinion is more than ever taken una
wares and misled."
A BRITISH VIEW OF THE ABOVE.
From the London Times, March ~
Like the Pagan Jupiter, who at one time covered
the heavens with frghtfu storms, which, at another
time he, the same Jupiter, with equal celerity re
moved, the Emperor Napoean, after having terri
fed us so long with the rumors of approaching
war, designs to soothe us with the accents 0
peace and security. 1t full time. The pros
poets of year of uncommon promise have beer
partly blighted, and more than two months ALREADY
lost to the friends of civilization and advancement
by the generally diffuscd dread of a European war
When few words can so easily allay the terrors
that convulse the world we may naturally rerre
that they have so long remained unspoken, anC
that we have been allowed to wander in that outer
darkness, which a single ray of that light, which
burns like Rosicrucian flame in the sacred bureat
!, of the Momiteur could. so speedily and entirely
dispel.
We therefore receive with the most unhesitatin.
belief the assertion of the non-ofcia portion of tn
Woniteur, which seems always peculiarly set apar
for official communications, that the language O
= the French journals is not in anv way to be con
founded with that Of the Government, and tha
though they may, without warning or censure
breathe the very flames of war, must not on tha
account entertain the slightest doubt of the conn
uance of peace until the Government itself shal
formally announce the commencement of hostilitcs
This is indeed a comfortable doctrine and frees u
at once from all those gloomy apprehensions of i'm
pending war which the recent remarks of the Press
the Pays and the Steele, and, perhaps, the circula
OF the Minister of the Interior NAV have in
: spired. We only too willing to recant our here
sizes. We are delighted to believe "that our inuu
etudes i-founded,' and that, while we wer
halfinclined to suppose something less compliment
ary, the Emperor is on v ''prudent, loyal and Wig
lant;" and that he has promised to assist Piedmon
in case of her invasion by Austria, but has prom
: ised nothing more. We are willing to confess wit
shame and contrition that have mistaken tn
o provision of difficulties and the weighing of cor
sequences for something more Immediately cor
r nee ed with action, and learn with grief tha
e in so doing we have heen guilty of imagination
( falsehood and madness. We admit that we mi:
: took for establishment war footing tha
e army, that navy, and that material which the En-
:, peror has established for the purposes of profoun
peace; and that to buy 900 horses for the artlle
e ry is quite within regulation limits, and the mos
It natural thing in the world for State whose onl
object is to allay the apprehensions of its neigh
bors. Like us, France has to change the nature
her artillery; like us she has to reconstruct he
n navy. How could confound the bustle in he
}. arsenals occasoned by these purely pacific labor
l. with the din and tumut that herald the caamitit
2 of coming war? Who could grudge France tt
construction of four rigates transport her trooJ
r from France to Algeria, and from Algeria
IS France, and who could misconsrue the four mike
transports destined to provide for the of Civ
ita Vecchia and the revictualing of the expeditio
to Cochin China? How could we ever ''thrOv
clouds clear n situation,' or lend 'publicit
# to those vague and absurd rumors which reprt
- sented ''to public credulity' the Emperor of II
l. French seriously preparing for war? We sui
nit humbly to the rebuke of the Monitetr, and d
ID sire nothing more than that the Emperor will co
lie descend to prove henceforth by his actions as co
q clusively already by his words how vain and id
Sr have been apprehensions.
j. We fear that the error has originated from OF
,e not having formed a sufficiently magnificent al
j. military notion of the true nature of peace, and
e. having observed in vast military mOnarchies no
nt close is the relation that Peace bears to War.
le cannot allege better instance of this than tn;
ID while the arsenas Of the Empire are engaged
lie substituting more powerful but much lighter a
If tery for the guns already in use it is necessa
st at the same time to buy up suddenly 1000 ne
horses to move the newly created batteries
will endeavOr to cultivate more military notions
Y peace vigilance, foresight and LOYALTY and all {
a. other fine things the Moniteur promises us and pc
ID haps when we have done so we shall be better at
TO to do justice to the present intentions and futu
81 prospects of France.