American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-02-03
Critical Condition of Europe.

the nations of that delectable portion of
the globe. Instead of meddling in the
affairs of America, where they have no
business to poke their carbuncled noses.
they will probably have their hands full
in keeping the peace at home. Napoleon
may talk as much as he pleases about his
unselfshness-his peaceful intentions
the good of Europe, &c.-but it will not
lull his wary neighbors into listlcss in
security. They are pretty well posted as
to his quarreling and grasping disposition;
as well as that no war can occur in Eu-
rope without his having finger in it
He does not love the Germans; neither
did his uncle before him, who had reason
to remember them bitterly to the day of
his death. A big war, in which England,
Russia and France would take the field in
favor of Denmark and against the German
confederation, in the hope that the Rhine,
at least, mightin some way by the fortune
of war mark the boundary line of France
on the North, would be very acceptable to
hisimperial majesty, no doubt. Butshould
war come, and hesigns of the times would
indicate trouble of serious nature before
three months elapse, Napoleon will be
found on some side, actively engaged in
showing off the prowess of his eagles
The French people. live upon glory-that
is sort of glory of their own, in manufac-
turing which they have always shown in
imitable skill and as the supply has be-
come nearly exhausted, they must seek
somewhere to fill their granaries for another
decade.
This glory is not likely to be found in
Mexico, for although their armies appear
to be over-running that Republic with but
little opposition, yet there may arise par
amount political reasons why the original
purpose of the Emperor-the founding of
a monarchy-sbould not be consummated.
The cloud in the horizon of Europe may
be one of them but another, and perhaps
the principal one, is the waning proper
tions Of the pro-slavery rebellion in the
United States. Napoleon knows only too
well that with the traitors war off our
hands, we should not look with composure
upon his occupancy of Mexico atall, much
less the placing of a crowned head in the
halls of the Montezumas, in contravention
of the ideas of Mexican liberty, and in
antagonism to the wishes of the Mexican
people. He knows fartherthat with all his
armies we would drive every French sold
ier out of the country in six months, and
that all his naval forces would be no match
for our own, which would be in the very
height of efficiency.
It is rather remarkable fact that of the
parties to the treaty of London, affecting
the Schleswig- Holstein question, being the
three "great powers" of Europe, Eng
land France and Russia, only the first nam
ed has shown her hand in maintenance of
the conditions of that treaty. and she only
in milk. andwater protest against the oc-
cupancy of Schleswig by the Federal
troops. Denmark, it appears, hasnot only
withdrawn her troops from Helstein, but
was also on the point of doing so from
Schleswig, thus seeming either tacitly to
admit the justice of the claims of the Duke
of Augustenburg, or to obey the sugges-
ton of powerful allies.
Inregard to the Polish rebellion we have
little reliable information by the late arriv-
ais. From some obstacle or other, the
news as to the situation in Poland is of
the most homeopathic description. 1t
comes to us in infnitesimal installments,
and then so vague, misty and unsatisfac-
tory as to leave us as much in the dark as
before One thing is certain, that Rus
sia, with all her powerful armies, has not
put the rebellion down and that there are
still skirmishes, in any case hardly to be
called battles, with varying results.
Then we have Italy, watchful as ever,
with one eye upon Rome and the other
upon Venitia, awaiting the happening of
events which may promote her schemes
with regard to these coveted territories.
Garibaldi, too, is ready to unsheath his
sword with his accustomed valor when the
eventuality shall arise, to strike for ltaly's
own. Being dissatisfied with the slow
movements of the italian government in
carrying out these national projects, he has,
in undissembled disgust, resigned his seat
in the italian Parliament.
Then again there is Hungary once more
in ferment. Kossuth has emerged from
his garret in London, and through Ma
tional Committee, so-called, has issued a
proclamation to the people of Hungary,
and been placed in his former position of
Governor of that uneonquered kingdom or
IA Il IL nun. - ,.ox, 10 !. anl ba