The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-25
REVOLUTION In EUROPE.


There is in Paris an International PEACE
League which designs to have its branch, or
auxiliary associations all over Europe, but we
fear all their efforts for the present will re-
main without success. True, the people OF
Europe desire peace, need peace; and no
Government will maintain that it is not better
to husband strength and industry for the arts
of peace, rather than exhaust them in prepara-
tious for conflict, or in actual war. Never.
theless is perpetual peace ohimera, as long
as the fate of the peoples of Europe is at the
mercy of the ambitious designs Of few
prinoely rulers and their equally ambitious
cabinets. There is no sure basis or guaranty
for continuance Of peace, for it is not de-
pendent upon the wishes of the people, but
upon the will and the calculations Of the
Sovereign princes, and worse still, upon the
requirements of their internal policy; and all
this nowhere more true than in France. The
French people, we have the best Of evidence to
believe, have become more and more peaceably
inclined with every year, as their increasing
prosperity, and widely extending manufaotur-
ing and commercial relations made them dread
war more and more, because they had more at
stake. But the Empire needs war (even
though NAPOLEON said Empire e'est la pairb
and during the fifteen years Of its existence
there has nearly always been some war, either
on the tapis or else in actual progress singu-
lar it is, that almost coeval with the birth
of this Empire, the balance of power in Eu-
rope has been completely destroyed, and mere
chance has seemed to control the policy Of the
several states and monsrchies.
I The plausible means to this unjustifable end
(of making might take the place of right
we're the recognition of the "nationalities,"
and the "plebiscite," vote by quasi uni
versal suffrage: Concomitant with these, al
though utterly at variance in spirit, we have
seen the constant increase all over Europe, Of
standing armies, and the almost total abroga-
ton Of Constitutional government, and steady
tendency to unlimited Capitalization Of power.
As long as this, the foundation-stone Of the
NApoLroN1c system Of government continues,
NO political progress, in the direction Of
q, greater degree Of civil liberty is possible,
and hence also no lasting peace. Only gene
raj revolution, which revolution Of course,
as always heretofore, would originate in France,
could give the people the supreme power,
and make them the arbiters of peace and
war This is the reasoning Of the would
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
We cannot say, that we desire to see such
subversion of order, peace, society, and Of all
men hold dear, upon the mere chance that
order may perhaps spring from the chaos
The experiment is too hazardous We know
there have been great men and good who
strenuously believe that with oil its horrors,
the first French Revolution in the emu resulted
in more good than evil; that tho end justified
the means. To men cast in such heroic
mould, revolution ut this time is the only pos
sible solution to the vexed problem of Euro
pean policy. And this solution is precisely
the one they most desire. We have, however,
too little faith in the capacity Of the average
of mankind, black or white, Celt, Frank, or
Hun, to govern themselves in decent and
respectable manner, and at the same time will
ling that their neig ghbors should do the same.
This experience is the result Of what We
have seen both in this country and in Europe
in former ages, and in our own days. We
should be slow, therefore, with the lights be-
fore us, to counsel deliberate effort at revo-
luton; for when government is subverted, and
society is reduced toits original elements, what
guarantee have we, or the authors Of the great
crash, that their particular pet constitutional
dream will be realized in the reformation of
the State? How do they know that worse
spirit will not enter the swept and garnished
house, and bring seven other devils with him
even worse than himself? An absolute may
take the place of o limited monarchy, quite as
likely IS representative republic. Have we
not an example Of this in the first French reyo-
luton? Was it not so in Rome And how
will it be in Mexico?
Your prater for revolution and political
change will generally be found to be some dis
appointed aspirant for Office, some needy
editor, or some individual soured from what
ever cause, almost in every instance pursuing
such course from base and selfish motives,
having nothing to lose by revolution or an
archy, and hoping to gain much in the rchabili-
tstion of the State and Government
France, however, if we can read passing
events right, is in no imminent danger ofrevo-
luton. The imperial policy endangered its
power both and its popularity in Mexico, and
at Sadowa, but the Exposition, with its atten-
dant glories, of bringing the sovereigns Of
Europe to Paris to do honor to the Emperor,
will 90 far to counteract those little conretemps,
if, indeed, they will not leave balance in the
favor.