The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-17

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engagements 70 English ports were fair.
The French Emperor's Speech-The savoy
Question.
1--WE have received by the Asia the text Of
Lonis Napoleon's speech at the opening Of the
French Legislature, brief telegraphic sum
mary of which we published yesterday, from
the Chcassians mails. The passage relating
10 iSe annexation of Savoy, although moderate
in tone and referring the question to the great
fowe,s, shows fixed determination on the
part of the Emperor to push this point of his
policy. Whether he be sincere or not in re-
garding this acquisition as necessary to the
safety Of the French frontiers, 1t is certain that
he means to make Of it the pivot on which is
to tuin the whole scheme Of his Continental
diplomacy. Although he no doubt considers
1t but just that France should receive some
| quid pro quo for the sacrifices she incurred in
the Italian war, we believe that he would
hardly press this matter, in antagonism to the
strong feeling manifested in England, if he
bad not more important objects to gain by it.
The fact is that he is using this question as
means of forcing on Congress; for, in the
present copjuncture OF affairs in Italy, there
is no probability that Austria can be In
duced to enter into conference If their
settlement on the basis of the English pro-
positions be made the only object of its
meeting. BY bringing up this Savoy question
now, and imposing on the other Powers the
alternative Of either tacitly acceding to the an
| nexation of that territory or of deciding them
selves on the justice of, the claim, he is certain
of efIectiDg what he has in view; for he we'll
knows that the jealousy of the other European
governments will prevent them from quietly
submitting to its seizure.
From the time when Louis Napoleon began
to feel himself firmly seated on the throne of
France, it has always been his policy to bring
about such complications in Continental affairs
as would compel the recognition of his newly
founded power by the Continental sovereigns,
and enable him to wipe out the wrongs and
insults offered to his family by the treaties of
1915. Thus, the Crimean war, which was the
work Of his agent at Constantinople resulted
in the Congress of Paris and in the humiliation
of Russia-the two first great steps towards the
rehabilitation of the Napoleon dynasty and the |
punishment of one of the original wrong doers |
Again: in taking up the cause of Italy
it is certain that Napoleon was as
much animated by desire to pay off !
the old family debt Of vengeance to Austria, as
by sympathy for the wrongs and suferings Of
the Italians. He would have effected that OBJ I
iect by diplomacy if he could, for personally
he had more to gain by Congress than by en-
barking in costly and hazardous war. The
proposal for conference on the part of Rus
sia, previous to the campaign, was made at his
instgation, and it was only defeated by the re-
sistance Of Francis Joseph, who rightly conjec-
tured that he had as much to lose by this mode |
of settlement as by venturing few battles.
Since the termination Of the war repeated ef-
forts have been made by the French Emperor |
to bring about the assembling Of another Con- |
gress. Obstacles raised by Austria and the
Pope on one hand, and by Russia on the other,
have hitherto interfered to prevent it. Austria
will not consent to yield diplomatic sanction
to the existing state of things in Italy; the
Pope cannot be brought to listen to any
arrangement consistent with his altered
position, and Russia does not care
TO enter any Congress which does not include
the treaties Of 1896 in its proposed work of re-
vision. II is far from being the object of
France to curtais the scope of its labors; but in
view of the limits imposed by the questions ina-
mediately calling for settlement, she requires
some decent pretcxt to compel the other
Powers to forget their individual objections,
and to meet her in conference. That pretext
has been found in the proposed annexation Of
Savoy, and the project fiuds some show of con-
sistepcy in the fact that il was mooted previous
to the Italian campaign.
This we believe to be the true view of the
question which causes so much present uneasi
ness abroad. We do not look upon it ia the
came grave light as il is but means to an end,
and that peaceable one. Louis Napoleon is
clearly bent upon having another Congress, in
order to still further vindicate his family wrongs,
and If possible to recover some portion of the
territory wreeted from France. Should this
body meet, as there is every reason to believe
il will, we shall probably witness another re-
distribution Of the territorial limits and
boundaries fixed by the treaties Of 1915. For
what each Power asks, it must be prepared to
yield something, and it will be fortunate If in
this general exchange the rights of nationa-
lilies are not bargained away. Austria
will probably demand the guarantee OF We
META and Hungary, Russia will require re-
formation of her boundary in Dessarabia, and
Louis Napoleon may exact something more
than Savoy. If general revision of old d.