The New York herald., 1867-02-18


NapoIeon's Speech at the Opening Of tho
French Legislatsre.
We published yesterday a full synopsis, trans
mitted by the Atlantic cable, Of the Emperor
Napoleon's speech At the opening session Of the
Corps Legislatif ON the l4th instant But this
speech SO ingeniously defines the position Of
the Emperor, it so finely illustrates his amazing
dexterlty in adapting himself to the most "in-
auspicious concurrence of circumstances" IN
seixing and presenting the issues out Of the
most perplexing complications, and 1t is, more
over, of such significant Importance in refer
ence to the domestic and foreign policy Of
France and to her past and future relations
with Europe and the United States, that it
demands some special examination.
How adroitly does Napoleon escape from
his recent discomftures in Europe by taking
refuge under the shadow Of his uncle's mighty
nama! He does not hesitate to claim that
German and Italian events have lately "almost
fulfilled the great Napoleons idea to unite all
the great homogeneous nations hitherto separ-
ated, and which is the only possible balance
Of power in Europe" He thus makes "the
great Napoleon" responsible for what we have
not forgotten was his own programme as set
forth in the famous de Lavalette circular. Of
course he makes no allusion to the first Napo-
Icons habit of absorbing nationalities to
the advantage of imperial France instead of
uniting them. The success of Germany and
Italy, according to the Emperor, "cannot dis
turb France" He adds, ~ stood aloof and
helped the peace which Rrussia and Italy made
without dismembering Austria" But he does
not intimate that he was at all Influenced in
standing aloof by the gigantic proportions
which the war speedily assumed, with Russia
looming up in the background. Nor does he
refer to his correspondence with Bismarck by
which we learned that he arranged himself
the coalition between Prussia and Italy with
an eye to certain Rhenish provinces on the one
hand and, perhaps, Sardinia on the other,
by way of compensations for connivance in
wrestling venetia from Austria aud extending
the power of Prussia. II the marvellous and
unexpected growth Of Prussian power enabled
Bismarck to snub his imperial ally and disap-
point him of his anticipated compensaiions,
France might well make virtue Of necessity
and be sJust and neutral"
Turning to "another part of the globe" the
Emperor admits that the "happy results at
first obtained" in his .'endeavors to redress
legitimate grievances and to raise an ancient
empire" were compromised by an inaus-
picious concurrence of circumstances" He
expatiates on the elevated character Of "thc
guiding idea of the Mexican expedition" It
was to regulate people and implant among
them ideas of order and progress; to open vast
outlets to our commerce and leave the recog-
milton of services rendered to civilization to
mark our path" He does not deem it worth
while to allude to the instructions which Forey
received to develop the Emperor's grand idea
OF pitting the influence of the Latin races
against that OF the Anglo-Saxon race in the
Western hemisphere nor does be mention
that both he and Lord Palmerston agreed
in thinking that it would be an auspi-
cious moment for establishing commercial
and political-particulari an anti-repubii-
ambulance OF power in America while the
United States were engaged in the midst of q
civil war. Nothing is said OF any idea having
ever been entertained of absorbing Texas and
Louisiana and securing the mouths Of the Mis-
sissippi, as we'll as converting Mexico into
French protectorate. Napoleon declares, how
ever, that as soon as it appeared to him that
the sacrifices of France were greater than her
gains in the dsinterested Mexican project
which he had inaugurated, he spontaneously
determined upon the return of the French
troops "in order that the United States might
comprehend that it was only the absence Of
Cancellation in policy which had embittered
relations which, for the welfare Of both coun-
tries, should remain friendly" We heartily
appreciate the friendly disposition towards the
United States which the Emperor manifests in
this paragraph. But we cannot refrain from
saying that the word spontaneously" suggests
by not unnatural association, OF rather con-
trast of ideas, the persistent Efforts Of Mr..
Seward during nearly two years, and backed
BY the unanimous sepsjmsnt Of 2. American
people al REPRESENTED in Confrss, In the
press, in public meetings and in private con-
versation, to urge upon his Imperial Majesty
the conviction that the Monroe toctrine was
an insuperable obstacle to the carrying out Of
his Mexican plans. We had presumed that this
pressure Of universal opinion in the United
States might have had some slighiinnuence in
convincing Napoleon that at lat he must
spontaneously" withdraw his troops and
abandon hia schemc Al all evens n rnrst ha |
admitted that as soon as the mperor was !
convinced that this must be doe he did II |
very gracefully and in true Napoeonio style. |
The opinion expressed by the lmperor that |
"the great Powers ought to actin concert to |
satisfy the Christians in the Eas protect the
rights Of the Porte and prevent cnplications," |
probably decides the Eastern qustion, at least
for the present His views viii IL is likely,
prevail, and the Western Powerwill unite in |