The New York herald., 1862-10-12

war between them may be expected before
long. 1t will not be in the power of Napoleon
to stave off the settlement of the matter. The
defeat of Garibaldi leaves him without bis for
mer excuse as to the danger Of revolutionary
democracy. The question has reached its crisis,
and it must be solved.
Napoleon will soon, therefore, have upon his
hands war very different from that in Mexico,
and far nearer home. He will have neither
leisure nor inclination to interfere hencefor
ward in American affairs. lie will have quite
enough to do to take care Of France and bis
own dynasty. Italy possesses the elements of
greater nation than France. To Italy is France
indebted for her jurisprudence and all that is
free in her institutions. The Italian republics
preserved the vital spark Of liberty in the Dark
Ages, and the Italians transmitted their laws,
their arts and their skill in arms to the rest of
Europe. The French have been always deficient
in craftsmanship and in the science Of constitu-
tional government. They have always been
and still are . nation Of warriors. They could
pull down, as they did in the revolutions ot
1889 and in ls4s; but they know not how to
who gave them such government as they were
fit for and code Of laws which is the glory Of
France. 1t is the Third Napoleon. of the same
Italian blood, who is able to hold the reins Of
power and to rule France on the principles OF
his great uncle-the principles OF demo-
cratic empire. TIE French neyer had any
local institutions in which they exer-
cised selfgoycrnment. Hence the republic
rapidly failed after both their revolu.
tions. Not so the Italians. They have proved
themselves capable Of greatness under every
form of government-irst under their kings;
then under the rule of a republic for upwards
of four centuries; then under their emperors,
and, when the empire was broken up, in their
Independent republics and contederaces of re-
publics and now again. under great difficulties,
they have fused their petty principalities into
one great kingdom, whose full development is
only arrested by the artful policy of Napoleon.
The great idea of the Italians has always been
unity. It was so under their kings, their repub-
lies. their emperors. their leagues; and the
Papacy itself is but the result of that idea. The
Greeks, with all their wisdom, learning and re-
fncment, never were penetrated with the idea
Of unity, and hence anarchy made them prey,
and they were easily conquered, and lost their
liberties.
According to one of their own historians, the
Romans were eycelled in war by the ancient
Gauls the ancestors Of the French), as they
were excelcd by the Greeks in eloquence, phi
losophy and the arts and certain it is that
Rome itself was captured aud burned by the
Gauls under Brcnnus. after holding it for eight
months. The same historian observes that the
Romans, believing they could conquer all ma
tons except the Gauls, fought the latter only
rest of mankind for glory. In The great wars
OF Rome with Cartlage--or the Punic vars. as
they are called--the Gauls played
most important part Nne-tcpths of
the Carthagenian army under Hannibal were
Gauls, and until his Gaulish troops became
dcmoralized and deserted his standard victory
never failed to perch on it. Their alliance was
sought and obtained in turn by the Romans,
and tl:en victory crowned the eagles Of Rome.
Tie Gauls long held the balance Of power:
but by the great military genius of Crsar they
were finally conquered by the Romans. The
Gauls (or Frenchl. under Chariemagne, re-
turned the compliment. when long tyranny.
corruption and vice had broken down the
Italians. The Emperor Napoleon. who claims
to be q second Chariemagne, initiating his pre-
decessor by sending troops over the Alps into
Italy, and extending doubtful protection to
the Pope. will find the Italians OF the present
day. when he comes to fight them, more worthy
% their ancient Roman fame than were those
who Submitted TO the arms Of Charlcmagnc
4 great struggle between France ard Etaly
cannot Dc fir distant, and we would not be sur
pr.sed TO see Italy come off victorious, rising
like PhGnix from her ashes by the combined
principles Of unity and liberty. wlca are more
than 4 match for unity aud despotsm, in the
Old World or in the Sew.
foolish 10 sag that the war stands now as i.
stood one year ago. What was the situation OF
affairs last October, A grea. rebel army, in
treaehed at Manassas. was building its log
cabins for the winter there; the Lower Poto-
mac river was under a rebel blockade the
rebels were snugly fortified in Norfolk. and at
Yorktown and Williamsburg, and all along the
North Carolina and South Carolina coast; they
held Pensacola and New Orleans, and the whole