Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-07-14

Retributior.

to be gathered upon our dissolution. hav
had bitter disappointment to endure, ans
arelikely to have sad time of it in correct
ing the errors which they were led into b,
their rapacity. Spain has already had {
foretaste of the sorrows which she has drawr
upon herself in her eagerness to participate
in the division of the dead mans effects. Re-
pulsed from St. Domingo, after wasting mil
lions of money and thousands of lives, she
has again been checked, on the Pacific coasl
of South America. and now is likely TO lose
the possession of the last of her American
dependencies by the revolt of the ever-faith-
full isle of Cuba. France has not bs~p much
more fortunate in her experience. The ex-
pedition to Mexico, and the attempt to extin-
guish its republican form of government. and
to establish in its stead, upon French bayo-
nets. an imperial dynasty after the most i'm
proved European pattern. and the acknowl-
edged failure to accomplish Napoleon's pet
ted Mexican programme. have been a drain
upon the resources and honor of France,
such as none but indeed most powerful
government could survive. The sagacity Of
the French Emperor in retrieving an error
will perhaps save him and France from tn
consequences which would probably result
| fIom his Mexican failure in less able hands,
and in the arena of European politics and
wars. Napoleon will achieve profit and glory
sufficient to compensate France for her losses
in America. France and Spain, though they
have lost heavily through their mistake in
American affairs, were not prompted by any
especial ill-will toward the United States,
but with the usual selfshness of governments
sought simply to gather for themselves any
advantages which our dissolution might
bring within their reach, and their punish
ment. though severe, viii be temporary, and
in the next generation forgotten. England,
in her unfriendly actions towards us, was
instigated by the most ignoble motives. and
her punishment is likely to endure for the
rest of her national life. She hated us be-
cause we conquered our independence from
her, had put the first check upon her pres
tige, and Iivaled her upon the ocean-and
because our democratic institutions were
standing menace to the power of her privi-
legged classes. The most telling arguments
of her reformers for the safety of placing
power in the hands of the common people,
were drawn by them from American prece-
DENTS and the failure of the American sex
pertinent" was to rivet the bonds of the peo-
pie, and give new lease of life to the priv
ileges of her aristocracy. She hoped and in
trigued for the success of the rebels, and gave
them all the assistance in her power without
actually declaring war upon US. In her ca
serness to do us injury, she was driven to
overstep the bounds of her habitual prudence
and to establish precedents in maritime law,
which are fatal to her power. The examples
she gave us of what might be done by a neu-
tral, have bound her hand and foot and are
perpetual bond for her future pacific be-
havior toward all nations, for all time to
come, because now she dares not go to war
with the meanest of civilized nations without
our consent, for fear of having her lessons of
neutrality exemplifed and improved upon
by Yankee ingenuity. Henceforth she is
doomed to be snubbed by any nation that
will threaten her commerce with American
Alabamas; and through her own miscon-
duct and blindness. and without single de-
feat in battle she has been compelled to ab-
dicate her position of first-class power
From the days of Cromwell until within the
last two or three years. England's voice was
potential in the affairs of nations, and what
she would permit or prohibit. was control
ing consideration in European politics. Now
all that is changed, and none so poor as do
her reverence. Had she not fettered herself
by her course toward us in our rebellion, she
never would have permitted Prussia and
Austria to have broken treaties with Den
mark to which she was herself party, and
to have despoiled that weak and unfortunate
kingdom. Her veto would have saved Dem
mark. But she was afraid to exercise it, be-
cause it might have cost her the possession of
her provinces. and her mercantile marine
Her weakness encouraged Prussia and Aus
tria to rob Denmark of territory, about the
division of which they have fallen out and
entered upon war which threatens to in
volve all Europe, and which already has
produced a financial crash in England un-
paralleled in history. by which she has lost
more money in a weeks time than her mer-
chants amassed for years by running the
blockade with rebel supplies, and by rob-
bing US of our ocean commerce. under the
gui>e of neutrality. She has gained nothing
by her perfdy toward us, but has lost our
friendship. her prestige. her honor, and
what is nearer and deartr still to her heart
her money. She is now hated and desplsed
in America and Europe. and In Asia new
trial awaits her. for she is brought face to
face with the power of Russia, and already
trembles for her possessions in India Turn
where she WILL none treat her with their old
respect, no nation seeks her alliance First
by her arrogance, and then by her selfish
folly, she has alienated her friends and SUBJ
verted ner own power. so that now she stands
"a monument of the emptiness of her vaunted
craftsmanship. -s9a As g7f- r-s'
Proceedings of the Board of Trustees
MoKELuMSE HILL, July 9th.
Board met pursuant to adjournmedt, at W.
H. Leavitl's office. Present, N. Shaw. A.
F. Adams and w. Fl. Leavitt' The returns
of the School Election, held June Both, were
again taken up. and discussed, whether we