, 1866-01-03
FROM EUROPE.
Our London Correspondence.

cy. Tho change Is wonderful In America, but
events In Europe haye kept pace with those
in the Western World, although, to careless
observers, their proportions may not seem to
possess an equal magnitude. The world-0ld
or New-seldom produces really great man,
but 1865 has harvested into the tomb four Of
the greatest Of the front rank, four who wcro
representative men and types Of their respec-
tive periods What more eminent men can
be found In history than Abraham lincoln,
Richard Golden, Lord Palmerston :and Leo
po1d of Belgium and what better represent
atires Of !" old time. ideas than the two lat
ter, and Of real progress than the two former,
On your Continent and our own, "old things
have past away" and the future bids falr to
to make all things new.
King Leopold Of Belgium has been strangely
mixed up with European politics during, the.
past thi1ty.hFe years.. He may BE- said 70 b
the Last, the very last, Of that cra Of states.
cnna. and breathed ont It's last sigh With him
self md Palmerston. The dead moparch's
role was peculiar one. Personally related
TO all the rcignfng dynasties OF Emope-eren
remotely with that Of France, he came 10 be,
during the latter .yeass Of bis life, kind OF
and-let 1t be recorded to bis crcdlt-au nn-
swerEng pcace-maker. nl-natnred critics
might assume that his love Of peace was dll1o
to bis fears for the safety Of hla crown, Bel
gium having always been the "cockpit In
which the contenaipg armies Of Eurnpe set
tied their little differences. But think the
life OF Leopold l. proves very concluaisoly
that personal considerations had but small
influence upon his policy or opinions; and
that, so far as hts oTn Kingdom uas con
cerned, be sought to rule In constitutional
md liberal manner, and thereby gained the
good will and confidence Of all bis subjetts
and the esteem Of the ontside world. Peace
Of Leopold as that OF ono Of the few Kings
terity.
Now TINT ne have buried him, let III look
at the condition Of his country, and what Is Of
more Importance, Of Europe generally. The
door 10 change. giving. in fact, an oppostunl-
y to certain parties who have probably e1-
Pccted that dccease for long time past, aud
whose plans could not be completed until
Leopold !: WAS removed. The apparent
drawing together" of France and Prussia
has very much exercised the political mind Of
Europe during tho past few months sud
when. as every school boy knows, the destiny
Of France is to reach the Kline, and that Of
Prussia Is to unite a1l Germany, there rises
growing fear that the two Governments may
help each other on In the realization Of their
Belgium OF course stands In the way OF French
annexation :; but Monsieur de Bismarck is re.
ported 10 have saId TO the Emperor Napoleon
during his late visit to France, What more
easy tlan to create & French party In that
country s''-and Belgium herself is quite half
Gallo eagle. With the exception Of the peas.
antry. the mass Of the Belgian people use the,
French language, the pleadings OF the Courts,
the discussions In the Legislature, and tho
majority Of The newspapers are al In the
same language. Still the Belgiana will not 80
orer unless some valid reason exists for their
40 doing. They know that the French
tike' such liberty as themselves, that theft
taxation Is very much larger, that, in tine,
France is fourishioe for tie moment under
an enlightened despotEsm, Il may be per-
misted the expression while Belgium is pro-
crossing IN an equal, II not superior: rattor
ment. II the better portion Of the Belgian
people maintain their late prepondtranco In
the councils Of the sovereign. theif country
will preserve lts Independence; but II the
clerical party obtain the upper hand, Belgium
Will be rsckcd and tom. and soon become 40
nctghbors. There Ia every danger that such .
crisis Is In preparation; for the Duke Of Bra
bant, soon to be known ns Leopold the Sec
ond, Is everywhere regarded as the tool
OF the ultrnmontanIsts, and support Of
the Papal power in Rome and elsewhere.
know the religion Of the majority to be that
Of ANYTHING -arianism," which Is 80 pzcva-
lent in France; md any attempt on the part
Of Leopold II. to change the policy OF his fa-
ther. and TO reduce his country to The level OF
spsin or A1st!ia, mnst tnevi1aoly allenate the
good will Of his subjects md compel them to
seek absorption into that Empire where the
Church is the vassal Of the Grown, not the
Government the vaseal of the Church.
The European press, With strange unanimi-'
~. commenced the discnsaion Of these
cventualities almost before tho breath WAS
out Of King Leopo1d's body; and a. though
TO put The mind OF Europe at ease, the Rn'
| peIor Napoleon has been most enthusiastic In
his expressions Of coincidence to the son Of
the deceased monarch, calling tho latter his
friend" md hoping big successor VIII take
his footsteps. The ordinary European rend-
ers Of ofnewBpapers arc evidently delighted At
thia expression Of royal comity and good
faith; but the privileged few who know that
friendship has little to do with pol,tic1 aud
interest very much, smile. at the Emperor's .
kilograms to Brussells, and nn1iously look
| arc obviously on the best Of terms together,
und good understanding, between two such
/ powerful military governments Is not good
prognostic for The peace of Europe when
both have an Avowed destiny to accomplish.
The alliance between Prussia and Austriahas
simply broken down, ~ everybody expected
it would, who knew that German leadership
was the ambition Of either government alike
and Austria, to saFc herself from threatening
dismembersuent, Is nsW strenuously endear-
oring to unite the different races under her
crown In firm alliance for her oWn safety. The
gear OF 1865, is by no means IN envsable one
but If rumor lie not, she has taken advice from
our government, and Is now seeking to re
place entanglinr alifances' With other Pow
ers by according free institutions to her peo
pie, thereby earning their gratitude at ths
iutnre. We hare all been greatly surprised =
the visit Of thu Emperor to Hungary, his lib
eral policy towards that conntry, snd the en-
thusiam manifested towards himself In con
sequence. The question Is, will this polio,
last: to which must be added another, Hha
VIII Austria do 10 recruit her finances! III
only chance she has lies In the sale Of Venlt{I
to italy, and If this policy be adopted by th
Emperor, coupled With the granting Of re
form TO the different races under bis sove1
eighty. there will then be some chance Of hi
wenthering the Continental storm which ev
crybudy expects to break upon us with th
spring Of l6t8. The political horizon blacken
GUM, and leads Engllshmen to rejoice tha
Nature has removed us far sway from tn
turmoil and ambition Of the Continent
Hn BRIGHT AND THE MINISTRY.
Mr.. Bright has been making speech TO hi
sanstituents nt Birmingham, which, IS usual
e1cites the auimosity Of the Tories and free
dom-h -haters in the Kingdom. On this occa
sion, however, be has t'Eilcdn them NOR
than ever by representing our Queen as Per
konslly desfrous thtt tho suffrage should b
extended to other classes Of her subjects thal
nows pnssess II; his representation heinl
couched in such language rs to lead the PEG
pie to suppose either that he hAs been In per
| sonnl Communication with Her Majesty, o
! has learnt her opinion from her constitutions
advisers. But what has most startled th
: country lis the following declaration which
cut from the Morning Star, and which has ap
peared so far as know, In every paper In th
kingdom, driving some Englishmen out Q
thefr sensee. The observations we're made t
his constituents: and when he speaks Of 'thl
present Office, "'hs must Of course be under
stood as meaning only the office OF represer
tative Of Birmingham and Senator of drea
Britain.
Mr., Bright said he had not been ambition
OF Office. II office had been the chief atnb
tion OF his political Life he thought that prot
ably, long before the present time, he shoul
have been In some office of dignity and emo!
ument. His present Office WAS not ono c
cmo1umant; bnt IL was one of great dlgnit
by the favor OF his constituents, Of whom b
hoped he was the honest and, in some degree
| rcefi11 servant ff.heef11 He had not bee