New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-09-15
EUROPE AT PEACE,

serted its sway over society. But, thanks to
the energetic nature of the forces which |
science has accumulated for destructive pur-
poses, and to the yigor with which the cam
paign was urged by Prussia, as much has been
accomplished by this interlude of war, as
would have been effected by the weary length
and languid operations of half a dozen years
in the last century. Society is not now what
society was then. For several centuries con-
fiieting and antagonistical forces have been
struggling for the mastery. AT one peeiod in
the history Of Europe, war was its normal
condition; because war was the only intelli-
| gible solution of efinternational pro blems among
nations who had not risen above the maxim
chat might makes right 1t was, moreover,
4 through the clash of arms and the con-
fiiets of natonalities that peace and order
/ were 10 be reached. When Che standing army
was created and the profession of arms was
/ segregated from the professions which astate
I of peacs demanded, progress became posi-
4 Bile. From that moment industry commenced
to contest the field with war; to.assert, in the
first place its existence; in the second place,
its rights. and finally, its supremacy When
this period was reached, the era of great wars
| o. rather, Of long wars, was at an end. If
1 they came, they were no longer the resort Of
ambitious princes; not even the conflicts Of
contending seets. They were the oulnlina-
ton Of political or social commissions; or they
We're waged in the apparent interests of that
great industrial system which has obtained
the mastery in the civilized world.
I7,,,,oI1n
H though sangunary and decisive. Its speedy
termination cannot nationally be attributed To
an exceptional moderation on the part of the
4 victorious powers or to timorous hesitancy
Il onthe part Of the defeated power. 1t came
Il to an end quickly because public opinion de-
Iimanded a speedy conclusion because indus
try will no longer suffer its products to be alb
il sorbed in the outfit and support and transpor-
tation of armies and because the facility of
movement which eharacterizes modern opera
ttions concentrates into period of a few
weeks, the events which formerly might have
4 been spread out over several years.
4 The war which has just come to an end has
had more extraordinary influence on Euro
4 pean arrangements than any occurrence since
1915. Indeed it's result is an entire abroga-
ton of the treaties of Vienna, and the ar
Tangements of Verona and Laybach, and the
elimination Of those treaties and arrange
ments from the public law Of Europe. Any
| diplomatist that hereafter would appeal to the
settlements of the Holy Alliance for any other
purpose than that of historical illustration,
would be laughed at for his pains from Lon
don to Constantinople. This result is3a con
spicuous and suggestive commentary on the
ineaicieney Of political expedients and the de-
vices Of statesmen when those expedients
and devices attempt to eonstrain the course of
events within an arbitrary channel. Itshould
be lesson to presumptuous politicians MOTTO
try the vain experiment Of tampering withthe
future, and not to repeat those abortive efforts
torestrain natural laws by means of human in
ventions, which, among all philosophical
men, have brought the very name OF states
man and politician into reproaeh.
4 The1countries engaged in the recent Euro
pean war were Prussia, Austria, Italy and the
Y ermanic Confederation. The total popula-
ton Of these powers amounted to 95, ,0g0, 700.
The Germanie Confederation which, exclusive
Of the Prussian and Austrian provinces en-
braced III it, contained 1S,000,0Q0 people, has
been totally destroyed literally, ofcouTse,
but politically In name thereis confedera-
tion Of South Germany, still tolerated bg
Prussia, and composed Of Bavaria, Wurtunl-
berg Baden, and part Of Hesse- Darmstadt;
but there seem to be no elements of stabilityi
in this arrangement. Public opinion appears
to tend towards union with Prussia and in
Europe at least the popular opinion Of State
pretty generally controls its political destiny.
1t may be predicted, with reasonable adegree
II certainty, that the South German Gonfed-
ration will endure only as transient Link
between the confederated Germany of yester-
lay and the Prussian Germany of tomorrow.
n the meantime the cofee-houses Of Paris.
nd the lakes Of Switzerland become the rest
ng places of monarchs retired from business,
onle Of whom may become useful citizens,
Thilst others may try to eke out precarious
nd shabby existence on the small capital of
syerence which royalty has still stored up in.
ae popular mind of Europe.
OF tie thirty three German States. saws the
lew York Tribune which, up to June 14th, !
866, constituted the old German confedera- t
on, Austria withdlHws altogether from any
with Germany. Bavaria, Wur- /
9mberg, Baden, and part Of Hesse- Darmstadt, t
J already stated, are to form the South Ger t
lan confederation. The little prineipaiiitty Of I
sunited with Austria, by whose I
ominions it is inclosed. The Duchy Of Linn d
arg, which is part Of Holland, and inhabited n
J Dutch, and not By Germans, viii be re- II
ased from its federal German relations, and il
i'll henceforth belong exclusively to Holland. Z
he Grand Duchy Of Luxemburg, German ii
ependeney Of Holland, is altogether at a loss ii
TO what fate is reserved for it. It is re- al
orted that Bismarck has offered it to Louis N
apoleon- Holstein, and with it schleswig, Ii
ave been fully Incorporated with Prussia. pl
ne same fate tits stated, awaits the States al
hanover, Hesse-C -Cassel, Nassau and Frank a
1rt This would leave the following States m
the German confederation to enter with h
russia into the new North German confede- is
alton u
State States Pop. Ii 1864 States. Pop. Ii 1864 y
@ JSS 9ig SAKE Altenbur. IaI,lG2 ol
rsssas s'tHfs,.,, ~ gS sa&eCuburg J6F527