Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-22
From the London Times, March 2.
dDn

This speech is now. before the world It is not what
we had hoped but rather what we had expected 1t
not clear and succn statement Of what the Emperor
is about TO do but il is procession Of big shadows OF
great events TO come He enters softly upon his great
task and undertakes 10 Senators and Deputies
against the fears of war and against the pers of peace
II is pleasant to hear that peace, with all its pers has
the sincere preference of the victor at Soerno and
are ready to believe that it is In something more than
conventional sense that he promises neglect no means
or maintaining IL If this be relied on there will be
peace throughout all the present generation for there
no other Power than France which now shows the least
symptoms of preparation for offensive From this
nrome for the present the Emperor proceeds TO excuse
the mast Oi s'ercuse SdcchSe" say the French and
iudgng him by this canon there three to whom the
Emperor admits that he stands in need of defence
These three are Austria the Pope, and the protected in
eress of France To Austria he says that the Treaty
Viafranca was an agreement whereby the restoration
of the Arcbdukes under constitutional limitations was
promised in exchange for the imperfect independence Of
Veneta The consideration both sides failed and he
holds himself therefore absolyed from this PROMISE and
free claim the performance oil the rest OF the treaty
with these two provisions eXpunSed Turning to the
Pope he reminds him that he alone has Tor eleven years
sustained the power of the successors of St Peter at
Roma but he is content thus TO remind His Holiness of
what he has done and he s careful to talk vaguely of
the future To the protected interests OF France he offers
coincidence rather than hope.
What is to happen TO Central Italy is still as dark as
The light O TINS speech uOeS not extend 10 It,
We may however that the Italian question is
settledhat Sardinia keeps what she has, that Venea
remains in bondage and that Tuscany is a vacant
throne in the gift of the iberatoT OF Italy.
The most important part however of this important
speech is the declaration of the Emperor of the French
that he intends annex TO France portion of the do
mnions OF n neghboring and friendly Power. IL is
longer a rumor. 1t is avowed fact that Napoleon
III. intends to take 10 himself all that portion Of the Sa
vOy Alps which slope from the watershed line towards
l.. = s,I, 49, Al
sake of the safety of his frontiers 10 proceed to this
slight aggrandizemcnt The words 'Tecidmsr' and ere
rendgHs" by which he desgnates this operation of the
Imperial WILL 6stinctiyely suggestive of previous
title aud would rather present the idea that he considers
himself to be reassumng what was once his than
that he is seizing upon the ancient patrmony Ofhs close
ally.
No doubt there is semblance OF French title to these
mountains but it IL title depending only upon the
Of the French Republic There is also as the Emperor
urges a certain natural convenience in the boundary
thus obtained but similar natural conyenences abound
upon other of the frontier lines of France The same
title and the same plea OF natural convenience will carry
the French frontiers very alarming OutpOs and may
even convince the most ndulgent and unsuspectng OF
the Emper0rs heghbors that peace has pers 10 other
countries besides France Il would be curious and an
easy task to cacute how many words in this paragraph
OF the speech would require alteration in order make
the declaration Savoy apply to Of the banks of
the Rhine. 1t is well that the Emperor il careful TO tell
~ that France menaces We sincerely cOngratu
late him upon his resolution allow his progress in an
enlightened commercial policy be arrested neither by
the clamors Of parties by the threats of seshness
and hail with real satisfaction his emphatic acknow-
ledgment of the great truth, that "The greater the
riches and prosperity OF State the more she cOnri
bues the riches and prosperity of all other States"
We will venture however to hope that in future speeches
these and similar excellent sentiments will not be exposed
TO damage by contact with very questionable act
as that Of the annexation of Savoy