The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-24
France.
From the Times.

The French people have surely reason to be
proud of the present position of their country.
No wonder that we read in the Partisan papers
that upon the announcement of the cesson of
Venice to France, all parties. Legitimists or
Bourbonists, 0rleanists, Imperialists, and both
wings of the Republicans, the blue or moderate,
and red or ultra, joined in common congratula-
tons at The great and bloodess victory France
had won. And no one could deny that it was a
personal victory for the Emperor The people
of Paris indeed seem to have considered it so,
which OF course inures to the honor OF France
and increases her prestige and weight IN the
councils OF Europe.
To compare the France of to-day with France
under the nrst Empire would be unjust and I'M
proper Then France was feared; now she Is
respected. Then the colossal power she welded
was the work Of the military genius OF Napoleon;
now the influence she eXerts is the result OF the
moral force OF her diplomacy aud the peaceful
development OF her innate strength. As the
character OF the two Emperors IS widely different,
so there is wide distinction in the nature of
the power the two Empires have unolded in
Europe. In one respect they resemble each
other: the power OF France was under the First,
as it is now under the Third Napoleon, purely
personal, and solely the work of the Emperor.
Modern France dates from the ostbreaK of
the first Revolution, in 1883. From the days of
her Grand MOn0rque, OF her Richelieu and
Mazarin, she was gradually sinking in the scale
OF the worlds estimation. Her military iniu-
enoe in Central Europe was annih'ated at Ross
bach by Frederick the Great, her moral n6u-
ence was destroyed by her own Pompadours
The only great act that the French monarchy
In spite of all the depressing influences OF de-
bauchery, vice, and hbldiSusDess, could nerve
itself up to, was the assistance to the American
Colonies in their War of Independence against
England. The Treaty of Paris in 1888, by which
England recognized the independence OF the
United States, ended this sporadic e2ertion OF
power, and the lite OF France continued to be
divided between the tricks of CaglIostro and
the inCecencies of O Casanova.
The terrible Revolution, with its oceans oil
blood, was a tremendous retribution Tor all the
lust and dlssoluteness that had ruled uppermost
in France for nearly century. The worst pas
sons of the human heart gained control OF the
country. and provoked the whole OF Europe tt
intervention. 1t was then that the whole eXten
of the power of the French people became evi
dent, for in this unequal contest France came
out victorious, and in 1896 her armies dictated
peace to all her defeated neghbors. But these
victories had also brought upon the stage mar
than whom greater had not existed since thC
days OF Charlemagne, and who, after his frs
accession TO power IN lS0O, considered IT hl
mission to revive the empire OF him whom h
considered his prototype. For fifteen years thi
mighty mind swayed the power OF France to IN
will, and the whole OF Europe, excepting Eng
LAND and Russia, was almost literally at his teet
The power of France was then undoubted
great But it was the power OF brute fore
welded by superior intellect. 1t was hated an
feared, aud all its victims, whom 1t had though
advantage of the first favorable opportunity t
throw eff the yoke. And hence the France
the 6ret Napoleon was crushed IN 1916, an
among her enemies she found those whom sh
had raised ana benefited.
A sorry time followed for France for the mex
fifteen years under the "RestOraton.n I'll
BoUrbons had Learned nothing and forgotte
nothing" and gratitude TO the allied po We
who restored them 10 the throne made the Bou
bons their subservient tools. The ordinances
POignac at last reused the, sleeping lion, an
the three memorable July days OF 1880 saw IL
end of Bourbon rule and the accession of Il
Orleans Louis Philippe as "Cidzen King.n Al
what was France under him! Mocked al
sOoffed at in almost every Court of Rurol
towards the latter part OF his reign, troubliI
himself more about arranging marriages for b
sons and daughters than about the best int
rests of France, 10 was no wonder that Il
Revolution ot l948 quietly disposed of hi
amid the rejoicings Of the French people.