Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-22
Queen Victoria as Peacemaksr.
Correspondence London Times, May 81


mentioned few days ago the belief
generally entertained in Paris that it was
owing to the personal influence of Queen
Victoria that there is now prospect of
the solution of the Luxemburg difficulty
without a war. The fact is alluded to
in the Journal de Parts, a journal just
started under the management of Nj.
Weiss, formerly of the DebGtS, and M.
E Herve, of the Courier du Dimdnche
The Journal de Paris gives, moreover
certain particulars on the authority of
letters from q London correspondent.
The Queen wrote to the Emperor Napo-
leon before writing to the King of Prus-
sia, and used the arguments most calcu-
lated to divert him from the warlike pro-
iects sscribed to him by public opinion.
The Journal de Paris says:
This letter impressed with the re-
ligious and .lmo:t mystic sentiments
which predominant in the Queens mind,
particularly since the death of Prince
Albert, seems to have made a deep i'm
preston on the Sovereign, who, amid the
struggles of politics, has never complete
ly repudiated the philanthropic theories
Of his youth, and who on the battlefield
of Solferino, covered with the dead and
the wounded, was seized with an un-
speakable horror of war.
The Emperor replied in letter, which,
according to the London correspondent
of the Journal de Paris, had the best
effect on Queen Victoria and on her
principal advisers, 70. he protested
against all idea of territorial aggran-
dizenent for the advantage of France.
He moreover declared, with great
elevation of language and ideas" the
complete disinterestedness of his policy
on the recent occasion. He said, how
ever, that the question, placed as it was,
had become one of national honor to
France; but lie left it clearly to be un-
derstood that when once settled-that is,
when the fortress of Luxemburg was
evacuated-France would be disposed to
give up all thought of aggrsudizement
1t was on receiving these conciliatory
declarations that the Queen addressed
herself to the King of Prussia. The fam
ily ties which unite the two reigning
houses, the personal sympathies which,
as the Journal de Paris says, Queen
Victoria, in opposition to some of her
advisers, has always shown for the cause
Of Germany, since the beginning Of the
question of the Duchies, are known; but
in any circumstances, Her Majesty SEN
timents would have made a serious i'm
preston on the Count OF Berlin. By
lucky coincidence the letter written to
King William on the present occasion
reached him at the moment when M.
Bismarck experienced deeepton-the
more painful that It was unexpected
namely, that Russia was not so favorable
TO the projects Of the Prussisns as he had
reason to suppose. Prince GOrtschakof
had clearly manifested the intention Of
the Russian Government net to engage
itself with any Of the parties in the eem-
mencement Of the war, but reserved itself
to inervene at a later period, whenever
the moment seemed opporiune. This
fact made NJ Bismarck seriously reflect
on his situation. The counsels of the
Queen Of England found not only King
William, but his Minister, in a disposi-
ton less Warlike than people imagined,
and il was then, with the prompt decision
which characteriEes him, that NJ. Bis
marek suddenly modified bis policy in q
pacific sense, thoagh probably be will
astouish the world BY some new change
should circumstances favor him.