The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-09-14

The Emperor NAPOLEON ILL.,, like the politicians
who move in narrower spheres, sometimes finds it
to his advantage to define his position. When,
however, he has any explanations to make he does
not betake himself to the hustings like Presi-
Dental candidate, nor does he often favor the
public with letter over his own signature, in the
newspapers. 1t is to some clever pamphleteer or
crafty diplomatis that the business of announcing
the Emperors intentions or defending his mea-
sures is usually conided. But though he resorts
to such indirect modes of communication it by no
means follows that the information thereby con-
veyed to the world is less explicit than it would
have been if the Emperor himself had impaired it
by word of mouth. The last exposition of his
views is from the lips of Count de PERsIGNY
an abstract of whose speech to the Council of the
Department of the Loire, we Published yesterday
The object of the President of the Council, or
rather of the Emperor, for we presume the former
spoke by authority, was not so much to Justify
the policy which the French Government has here
totore pursued, as to convince Europe that it has
nothing TO fear for the future. Count de PERsIGNY
assumes that the Eastern question was settled by
the capture of Sebastopol, the destruction of
which city put an end 10 Rassia's hopes of taking
possession of Consantinople; and that the Italian
question has been to all ntents and pur-
poses disposed of because the Austrians
have been driven from the greater Dor
ton of the peninsula, and the kingdom
OF Sardinia has been so far strengthened that.
with the aid of VIcToR EMANUEL the Italian
people are now in condition to take care of
themselves. He discaims, in the name of
France, any intention on her part of
extending her territorial limits to the
Rhine, and even asserts that she has no de-
sire to make that river one of the boundaries
of the Empire. He family hints that the anxi-
ETY. and alarm which the English people have
lately manifested are attributable solely to their
jealousy, Sin view of so many great results OBJ
Claimed by France and the lustre they throw
"around the French nation" and he repudates
the possibility, or at all events the probability
of war with England. But the assurances
given in this speech that the Emperor will not
permit himself to be lightly turned from the
paths of peace upon which he processes to have
entered are more important than this vicarious
defence of his previous acts. France, says Count
de PERsIGNY, ''no longer threatens nor is threat
tened" "The military role of France, in Eu-
''rope, is at an end" We confess we do not
generally attach much importance to such decla-
rations whether they come from Emperors or d.
plomatlsts, because, like other politicians, they
are not apt to be over scrupulous, and they are
moreover, seldom able to control the
course of events where there are so
many conflicting interests to be har-
monized. But in this instance we are disposed TO
give credence to the words we have quoted and
we can not doubt that as far as in him lies, the
Emperor will, for the present at least strive 10
prevent any collision between the great European
Powers He has already gained laurels enough
on the battlefield to satisfy him for some Time and
he probably recognizes the fact that his uncle
played at the dangerous game of war little too
long. He has also kept faith with other nations
ever since he has been upon the throne, and we
should therefore be inclined to trust him now even
II the aspect of affairs in Europe was not such at this
Juno'uie' as to lead US TO the conclusion
'na' nc really intends to preserve with his
neighoois Ills present peaceful relations We
hope tnat we not only judge his intentions Alright
but that we do him simple Justice when we be-
lieve his words, for Count de PERs,cxv n,edoes
him to adhere to 1.-THE principles Of non.;nte
svention," which, he says, is ''now recognized
ssrule of international policy" Sympa,hz;no
as we do, with the hopes of the italian people
and the efforts of VICTOR EMANUEL and Gam.
BALDI we cannot wish them any better fortune than
to know that the French Emperor means what his
advocate says he does. We are glad, therefore,
that Count de PERsIGNY has spoken out 30 clearly,
and we are still more glad to feel that we can,