The New York herald., 1862-11-23
..mak1nr a Great PeopIe."

sagaclty taught by experience, ana WITHOUT
delay
"Maktng a Great People,"
The Opinion Nationole, the organ Of Prince
Napoleon, has a very sarcastic article which
we print in another column. upon the pretended
object OF the Emperor of the French, in his war
with the Mexicans, to make them a great peo-
pie" This is rathera novel idea in making
war to "thrust greatness upon people. Many
wars have been undertaken to destroy great
peoples but it is the first time We have ever
heard Of a war waged against people for the
purpose Of making them great.
It is true that war sometimes does develop the
greatness Of a people; but, then, that is not the
case when they are conquered, but when they
come off victorious. To subjugate people by
force of arms. and impose upon them govern
ment, is not to make them great, but only to
enslave and degrade them. But this is the
greatness meditated by Louis Napoleon for the
Mexicans. He does not, Of course, intend that
they should conquer his armies, and thus be-
come great. But it is quite possible that after
all the Mexicans may become great in a way
that the Emperor least designs. Their military
qualities. their heroism, their patriotism. may
be developed, and they become what they have
not been for many years-a united people-and
they may whip the French to their hearts con-
tent. In this manner they may become as
great as the heterogeneous and hybrid races
of which they are composed will permit them.
But, as the French journal suggests, if there
be any infallible receipt for making people
great, why should not General Forey begin at
homee The elements of q great people are
great virtues, great characters and great talents
But the French do not possess those in such
superabundanee that they can afford to export
them to Mexico. 1t required Corsicsn to
eliminate the elements Of order out of chaos
after the first French Revolution; and it seems
that it needed man of the same blood to hold
the reins after the Revolution OF 1S48. Had
the French been abundantly blessed with great
virtues, great characters and great talents, such
lame and impotent conclusions could never
have resulted from those two revolutions. The
truth is that peoples greatness must spring
from themselves: and their institutions, which
are test Of their greatness, must. II worth
anything, spring from the same source. lnsti-
tutions imposed by conquerors, and not spring
ing out Of the national life Of a people, cannot
make them happy or great. The idea that any
people can be made great to order by suffering
conquest at the hands of another people, is one
Of the most absurd notions that ever entered
the head Of a statesman
To subjugats people cannot make them
great but the attempt and the failure have
often done so. Is this the sly meaning that
turks in the words Of the Constitaionnel9 If it
is, we hope the Emperor's project will be
crowned with success. The seven United Pro-
vinces Of the Netherlands were made great on
the same plan by Philip H.; and George ILL.,
was eminently successful in making his North
American colonies great by seven years. war.
Perhaps the Emperor Napoleon may do the
same for the Mexican people.
MORE LIGHT.-Several days since we called
the attention Of the city authorities to the fact
that carriages were allowed to circulate through
the streets after dark without having lighted
lanterns. We earnestly recommended that strict
measures be taken to enforce that rule or regu
lation which. must exist-to the effect that all
vehicles passing through the streets Of the city
after nightfall should bear in some conspicuous
place light. This measure is one involving
life or death, and should meet with the earnest
attention Of those whose duty it is to watch over
the public welfare. At Central Park such .
measure has become an imperative necessity.
Each day we hear Of some accident having
occurred from the fact that in the evening ear
riages unavoidably come in contact in the
crowded streets and avenues leading from the
Park. They remain in the smooth, pleasant
drives Of that great rendezvous Of the fashion Of
New York until 1t is dark; then comes general
rush for the city, and crowds Of carriages get
mixed In almost inextricable confusion. The
drivers shout and swear at haphazard; for they
have no lights and cannot distinguish where they
are going; they dash on and come in violent con-
tact with other vehicles, jeopardizing the limbs
and lives Of our wives and children, to say nothing
Of our own. Why should this danger be daily
or rather nightly, incurred, when, by simple
measure Of police regulation, il may be easily
avoided Let but the policemen arrest each
driver whose lanterns are not lighted at night
and 6ne him for the offence against public
safety, and we shall soon see one and all attend
ing carefully to the lighting Of their lamps at
the proper hour. We shall thus be saved from
a danger which is greater than is perhaps sup
posed, and shall hear less of accidents caused
by want Of attention to municipal regula-
tion which Is called for by common sense and
law. We are determined to keep up this de.
mand for more light until IL has been duly
attended TO- and appeal 10 the city authorities
: sid ~ u MS rla'ter Involving as IL does the
uebiic stfetr snd velt'Fs