The New York herald., 1866-07-26
Tho Complication. Of France Ia tse Present

War. II
BY coincidence which seems to have
peculiar signincanee precisely the same opin-
ION with regard to Napoleon's policy In the
present war and Its possible results was ex-
pressed at three Of the leading points Of the
world ct the same time. The Moscow Gazette,
speaking In manner officially, with the
voice Of Russia, declared that the Czar is ad-
verse to any material change in the balance Of
power in Europe, and 10 not content th3s Prussia
and Austria and Italy should become the tools
Of France. Russia does not choose that venetia
should be quietly disposed Of by cession to
France, remembering that there Is an Italian
question yet to be settled, into which the
future disposition Of Rome and the temporalities
Of the Pope very prominently enter. In short,
Russia recognizes the fact that the French
Emperor has gone too far In his plans for Z
redistribution Of the continent and his am
bilious views in the settlement Of the complex
political questions out Of which this war was
created, and desires to check him. The same
sentiments were expressed almost at the same
time by the London Times, speaking for the
mayhap for the government In the columns
Of the New Yosx HERALD, where the voice
from Russia and from England was since re-
produced. the very same views were expressed
at the moment that they were enunciated by
those two leading powers Of Europe.
Is there not something prophetic in this
factf Is not the idea that the future power Of
Napoleon as mediator and reconstructor is
in tie decline, emanating from the three most
prominent points of intelligence on the globe,
8 nothing remarkables And how do the
facts OF history, as they stand to-day, sustain
tbs opinioni Russia, which of all tie powers
of Europe really holds in her hands the bal.
ance OF power, although quiescent and un-
obtrus.ve, will have The German Confederation
remolelled as she olsases; that is, she wills
that Austria shall not be demolished, nor shall
Prussia obta n predominance IN Germany; but
the events OF tie war in Saxony and Bohemia
have almost made the annihllatiou Of Austria q
ssttlcd question, as far as her controlling in
nuence in Germany Is concerned. Russia will
probably accept The situation. England, there
fore, with her alliance by marriag ), by kindred
and by religion. with the ruling Power in Ger
many, will have friend In Prussia upon whose
good faith she may depend In case of an in
vasion from France--!hat living terror of John
Bull for the last half century-and thus can
play her game against the oycrruling policy of
Napoleon with little more pluck than she
has heretofore been a5lc to show. With North
crn Germany rs an ally sho viii be able to rut
on bold xace in her future dealings with
France. Russia has her own game to play, and
the prize is Constantinople.
When the question OF German supremacy d
settled, which fast approaches completion in
favor Of Prussia, and Napoleon is involved In
The business Of disentangling the web in which
are enwrapped venetia. Austria, tho States Of
the Church, the poor old Pope, the extension
Of his frontier in tho Rhenish provinces, tho
acquisition Of Sardinia, and all the other AFFAIRS
mixed up in his diplomatically muddled brain,
Russia cannot only control the arrangement Of
united Germany and tho balance Of power in
Central Europe, with all the necessary
alliances, but can attend to her own interests
In the direction Of Constantlnople at the same
time. Whether these things should come to
pass or not-and we presume not to speak
with the voice Of prophets seems pretty
evident that Napoleon has fred his diplomatic
needle gun liltlo too high, and Is likely to
miss the mark for once.