The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-07-02

The Equilibrium OF Europc-Thc Game
OF Napoleon.
In the recent very instructive aud important
letter of Louis Napoleon to his Minister OF
defeated) European Peace Conference, he says,
If the Conference had been held "you ON.
Drouyn dc Lhuys) were 10 have declared In
my name that reject oil idea of territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT as long as the balance OF
power in Europe is not broken;" and again he
says, ain the war which is on the point OF
breaking out we have only two interests-the
preservation Of the European equilibrium and
the maintenance of the work which we have
contributed TO build up in Italy" But in view
Of the Conference, the Emperor had contem-
plated rectifcation Of the European cquili-
brium, which, with tho cession Of those Danish
Duchies, &C., would have mado Prussia the
most powerful Of the German States; which
would have taken the beautiful and important
military province of Vcnetia from Austria;
which would have reformed the smaller Ger
man States into . sort of Independent confede-
ration a. against Austria and Prussia. and
which would have restored the eastern bound
airy Of France at least to the left bank Of the
Rhine.
This was the European equilibrium contem-
plated by Napoleon as peace arrangement
Now that war has superseded or Is to super
sede the rejected Conference, while holding
himself pledged to support the cause Of Italy
Inc Anal ho hos oih Int khu,
the preservation Of the European equilibrium,
which he broadly intimates must necessarily
involve the balance Of power to France. He
does not mean the equilibrium Of the old
dynsstics and the Bourbons, which was broken
up by The first French republic, the consulate
and the empire; nor the equilibrium re-estab-
lishcd by the Holy Alliance In 1915, for he
"detestsr those treaties; but he means a Ma
poleonic equilibrium. subject hereafter to the
judgment Of imperial France, ~ the arbiter Of
the Continent.
The equilibrium contemplated by Napoleon
the Third Is most probably something like that
which existed under Napoleon the First, in
1871, when his son by Maria Louisa was pro-
claimed in his cradle, with salute In Paris Of
hundred guns, King OF Rome. At that time
the French Empire was ct the meridian Of its
glory. n addition TO the eighty-six depart
ments Of France proper, il embraced three de-
partmenls along the Alps, fifteen beyond the
Rhine, fifteen beyond the Alps, In Upper and
Central Italy, and seven nlyiian provinces, be-
sides exercising control in Spain, in the Italian
kingdoms, In Switzerland. and In the Confedera-
ton Of the Rhine. Al The same time French
codes and French ideas were predominant at
Warsaw. at Milan, at Naples, In Holland (an-
nexed to France in ls1O), in Westphalia, Ba-
varia, and in Sweden, to whom French king
was given In the person Of Marshal Berna-
dotte. In BRIEF at that day Of his imperial
splendor, the equilibrium" held by the first
Napoleon comprehended the whole Of Europe,
between England and the Mediterranean in one
direction aud England and Russia in the osher
by The treaties OF 1915 this magnificent i'm
pcrial establishment, with the Emperor himself.
was utterly ovcrlhrown and cast out, and
France was reduced back TO is comparatively
modest limits OF France under Louis XVI,
while the Kingdoms and principallties wrcsted
equilibrium under he Holy Alliance. Those
treaties Of lsl6 have been pretty generally dis
regarded by the parties concerned IN reference
to the extension OF thelE own boundaries but
the allied Powcra, except in The gracious per
mission TO Boraparte 70 return 70 the throne
Of France and the empire, aud IN permitting
the spolintiOn Of Austria tor the benefit Of the
new kingdom q Italy, aud eNcep, IN their con
scnt given TO the annexation q Savoy TO
France have held the empire to the humilia-
tons imposed by the Congress OF Vienna and
Paris In fact, the ouilawry Of 1915 against
the Bonaparcs, though practically recognized
as dead letter, slill remains treaty unro-
pcalcd.
The European equilibrium, therefore, result
ing from those treaties OF 1915, so naturally
and justly detestcd by Louis Napoleon, is not
the equilibrium he desires. lie wants some
thing nearer the imperial status OF France Of
1911. 10 this end be has gained an important
poini in the rupture fomentcd between Austria
ard prpssit On M onr hand ani Austria asd