Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-30
Ininm and Ameritan.
WEDNESDAY. MAY 80. 1866.
THE EUROPEAN TROUBLES.
AS VIEWED BY AN ENGLIsHMAN.

sia. 1t Is the strongly expressed will Of th
French ruler and his people. The antago
onlsts have almost lost the ability 10 checl
themselves, but if Napoleon were TO BIZ
them pause, If he were 10 utter a warninl
which should be a menace to whoever strucl
the first blow, peace might yet be preserved
Unfortunately the arbiter of the continen
speaks only 10 spread dIsmay on every e1
change by some doubtful utterance. Wha
hs may do none can tell what he is doin!
Is plain to every beholder. His is a cas-
where lnactiOn is interference. The Who'll,
world Is beginning 10 think some grea
scheme Of European change has been formed
which is to be effected by war, and Ufwhicl
Austria is to be the first victim. If the,
are wrong, they may be set right in a day
Napoleon has only 10 disclaim complicit,
with the designs Of his neighbors, and Eu
rope will be once more tranquil; publ,
waste and private ruin will be checked al
least for a time.
lhls happy announcement IS we fear, moi
10 be expected. We must be content tC
look on the saddest spectacle that the world
has seen in our time. If the accounts we
receive be correct, Lord Clarendon's csti.
mate of million Of men in arms falls very
hr short Of truth. Prussia has placed five
rmy corps in her central and south-easter
provinces on a war footing, and four more
IN other parts Of her territory, the whole
amounting to 3650O0 men. Reserves.
which may be called out at any moment,
would add 100000 to this force, or that the
Prussian army, in case of war, may be made
10 reach the enormous number Of j75, 600
men. On the morning Of the % inst an
order TO place all the Austrian armies on a
war footing was issued, and 100000 men
will soon be under arms. The levies OF
Italy will probably amount to 400,O 600 men.
The minor German powers have considera-
bile armies. Such are the forces about to be
marshaled in this strife. The wars Of for
mer times hardly bear comparison with that
which threatens Us. Germany had not half
this number Of men in the field when she
fought for her national existence in 1913.
We can only hope that at the last moment
France will interpose 10 prevent this fatal
war
SEMI-OFFlCTAL EXPLANATION.
From the Paris Constitutional, May 81
VI. de Girardin could only characterize
the speech at Auxerre by saying that it
will resound ia Europe like a cannon shot"
VI VIC did'llll II illHliktl. 1 his speech
will resound in France and in Europe as
the expression of good sense. The opinion
Of the Emperor upon the treaties Of 1915 is
old and well known. lie expressed it three
wears ago before the legislative bodies in the
following terms, which certainly none have
forgotten The treaties of 1915 have ceased
10 exist The force Of things has overthrown
or tends 10 overthrow them almost every
where The great bodies of the State and
public opinion applauded these words as
well a. the proposition Of a Congress neces-
sary for the security of nations. Yet this
language was much more serious than that
held at Auxerre since it is a far greater mat
ter for a great sovereign 10 deny treaties
than to detcst them. And why does the
Emperor dctest the treaties of 1878? He
dctc-ts them for the reason which makes
them an object of hatred for the whole
world. These treaties, hundred times
broken, no longer possess any moral author
ity. The manner in which they have been
set aside is an instigation and precedent
for all who consider they have an interest
in violating them still further
Without checking the ambition Of States
these treaties are a cause of distrust among
nations. IL would be easy to prove that
they cost a million a year 10 Europe in
nothing but armaments necessary TO res
train the antagonisms which they created
and the hatred they kindle. In the trea-
ties of 1915, concerned iH The spirit Of another
age, there is, therefore, a whole cloud of
storms threatening the security of the pre-
sent age, and 80 long rs these treaties are not
rcpiGscdby Il Rcw system of public order suit
able 20 the wants Of the age, international
relations the aspirations of nations and pre-
sent customs, NO government can be secure
of not being disturbed by an ambitious
ncighbor-no private individual can be GER
tain of not being ruined bv financial crisis.
The treaties of 1915 are therefore a pcrma-
ncnt danger for the security of States and
private fortunes Hence the Emperor dcfcSts
them az a sovereign, as q FrHchmdn, as man
0f sense, and such is the Specification with
which the famous speech at AuXcrre was
delivered. The speech says, 81 detest the
treaties Of lSl5,' implying that all those
Nho with or without my aid, desire TO sub
sliutc for them a system of public order
which shall respond to the wishes of mod
cm Europe may be certain of meeting 4
general want and my own ideas. What is
there in this that is not the expression of a
plain truth? What that does not recon-
mend itself to the reason Of every enlight-
cned mind2 But, say certain politicians,
there is in the Auxerre speech an instigation
10 war and an encouragement to the ambi-
tion Of Count Won Bismarck We must he
allowed to say that it requires very pene-
trating vision 10 discover that
What does NJ. de Bismarck want? 1t is
said that he wants the Elbe Duchies, and
4. i - foe fl.r hot
he wants 10 acquire for his own country the
direction and the influence of Germany.
Such projects would proclaim the intention
of again breaking the treaties of 1919 for
the profit of Prussia, but they must he very
clever who could discover therein the formal
Of modifying them for the profit of
Europe. France cannot, therefore, compro-
mise her responsibility by partial and mar
rowing enterprises, foreign 10 her direct inter
ssts. and calculated 70 disturb hc balance Of
ycacral porer The object France has in
view is neither The ambition Of Prussia, nor the
inhibition of iuSirid, nor The ambition Of hGiy;
il is her otrn safety and dignity. Her pro-
gramme was known, and il has just been re
newed; it is entirely comprised IN the words;
s Reform of the treaties of lSl5.' Every en-
tcrprisc that will not march towards tins
end will find her not Indifferent, but atten-
tive yiCilant and resolved. Thus the Aux
rrre speech does not compromise us 10 the
various interests agitating Germany. 1t Is
like last appeal 10 the wisdom Of the Dig
nitaries Of the treaties of 1918 in favor of the
pcace and the security Of Europe Ii is for
them TO see whether it is eNpcdient to leave
tn the alwavs uncertain and formidable
chances Of lrIrd general reform that France has
desired % come 10 agreement ana peace.
Neither has the AuXcrre speech the sense
attributed 20 il 10y the Nlccic and
the .Iouui dcs Dtbuts.
Wee understand that il suits the oppO-
,ition journals 10 depict the majority a
,cuaratcd. however little il may be, from
the general policy of the Government. This
Is not the case: and the Emperor knows
well that he NAV reckon upon the loyal as
sistance and energetic devotion of the Corps
/ IcrisIatir No doubt the majority might be
Letter acquainted with the views of the Gov
srpmeut. and therefore more closely as
socioted with its policy. No doubt also,
,l,orc are in the Corps Legislatif certain
number of members whom perhaps eNag-
a.or,,cd and unrehecting dlleiantism groups
? S.,,,,,5 opnositinn orators clever IN the art OF
spcaking we'll. Ai!er having apPiauu'u "a
Jules Favrc or NJ. Thiers, these honoraolS
IDENTITIES rc~olutclv vote against them' ana
,bev act quite rightly, since iha' Is 'nei,
opinion but little less literary talent ana
a little more political spirit would better
c,nJpce 10 the good order and authority o'
h. sittines. What these honoraeie a'PuuGS
L,ve applaudcd are not the docIr,n's %, VI
Tbiers throwing sarcasm with a IlpeIa. il".,"