New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-03
THE IMPERIAL MANIFESTO.


We publish this morning the text Of the circular
which the Marquis dc Lavaette, ad interim Minister
for Foreign Affairs, has addressed to the diplomatic
agents Of France. We received an abstract of the
circular two days after its publication in tho MOneHr
! on the 10Th of September-and on that occasion
presented our views on the subject, in which now,
when the full text of the circular is before us we hnd
nothing TO change and but little to add to.
| The manifesto of the French Government-for this
character the circular undoubtedly hasis emphatl-
cally pacific in its professions. 1t expressly under
takes to alay the excitement of public opinion IN
France by arguing that in the important changes
which have recently taken place in Europe there Is
nothing at which the French people have the remoes
reason to feel alarmed. For France, with Algeria
| il SAYS twill soon number 40, 000 600 inhabitants
Germany 81 600 O0O Austria 49, 600, 000 Italy 26OOo
600 Spain 49, OOO, OOO" France, therefore, will con-
tinue to rank oil these States in point of population
and has no reason for being alarmed.
The circular, on the contrary, finds some obvious
advantages in the arrangements. Heretofore inc
Holy Alliance united all the peoples Of Europe from
tho Ura to the Rhine against France. There was no
nation in Europe with the exception OF SPAIN Win
which was poSsblefor France to contract an alliance
Now the spirit of the Holy Alliance is broken frusS"
having adopted the nationality principle Oh "nlch
| heretofore France has been the only chamPon hao
become the natural friend and ally oil France Inc
same holds good, to still higher Degree oil italy'
Austria relieved of her Italian and German eahngS,
has no longer any interests contrary to those oil
| Franco The disappearance of secondary states the
circplar looks upon as the result of an irresistible
mower and. in view Of Russia and the United States,
each of which may within the next hundred years
count hundred million of men, it thinks it not for
the interest of the nations of Central Europe to remain
broken up into little States without either force or
public spirit.
The latter part of the circular extols the glorious
mediation of France in the late war; and points out
as the mission of France in Europe to strengthen
the accord between all those powers which desire at
one and the same time to maintain the principle OF
authority and to favorprogress The opinion waich,
both in France and abroad prevails of the signal fall
ures of the Napoeonc policy during the last six years,
will hardly be improved by this part of the manifesto
But it ID impossible to deny that there is grea dea
of truth in the former part By raising the standard
of the German nationality. Prussia has formally
broken with the spirit which established the Holy
Alliance. and entered at least into alliance
with the democratic principle of popular and
national sovereignty The Prussan- Govern
ment cannot now retreat; it must carry through
the work once commenced. and how can it carry
through its task without new attacks upon the divine
right Of some Of the princess The views of the old
| King and Count Bsnark about monarchism and
democracy have probably undergone but little
change but both have shown on several recent occa
sions that they would comprehend the imposSiblity
of completing the task without the hearty sympathy
of the Liberal party. As long as Germany is not
fully united there is no danger of Prussia uniting
again with Russia aud Austria for the establishment
| OF a Holy Alliance ..
The remarks Of the circular on the impending disap-
/ pearance of the secondary States in Europe are
equally true. Whelherit is just or unjust, better for
the people Of the secondary States or worse the fact
! is undenable that they are altogether at the mercy
of their powerful neighbor' that they are even now
hardly sovereign and that they will cease to exist
whenever the great Powers come TO an agreement
concerning them. II would certainly be great
guarantee 10 the future peace of Europe If, with
regard to these powerless States, the principle were
generally adopted that none Of them should be
annexed to q larger State against tho outspokcn will
| Of the inhabitants.
We believe therefore, that the former part OF the
manifesto contains words which are capable of right
construction, and which would, faithfully carried
out, be conducive to the preservation of peace in
| Europe But neither France nor Prussia have thus
| far awakened any belief in the sincerity Of thor
1 official professions