The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-15
FRENCH VIEW OF GERMAN AFFAIRS.

Our readers are familiar with the relation
of France to Germany, as viewed from Ger
man stand point Lest we be charged,
however, with giving only one side Of
the question, we publish, from time to
time, the opinions of leading French statesmen
and publioists, that our readers haying heard
both sides, may be enabled to draw their own
conclusions. In pursuance of this purpose,
therefore, we will to-day translate letter Of
NJ. EMILE OLIVIER, one OF the foremost men
in the Corps Legislatif addressed TO his friend
NJ. EMILE DE GIRARDIN. 1t is proper, however,
that we should mention that, since this letter
was written, two important events haye trans
pired, calculated to exercise an influence on
the already much complicated relations sub
sisting between the two countries, viz the
invasion Of the Roman territory, and the pub
lication of BIsMARcK's circular TO the diplo-
matte representatives of Prussia.
The letter of NJ OLIVIER is as follows:
AUGSBURG, September 6, 1867.
My DEAR FRIEEp:-l have 6nished my
German tour. l have conyersed less with the
politicians of the country than with the artists,
the men of letters, philosophers, persons free
from prejudice in matters of state and with
ladies. Everywhere, in every rank of the
social hierarchy, gathered the same impress
sion; and while in France there is not q
single minister who could tell what is our
foreign policy, have not met single German
young or old, ignorant or educated, Eh9 Is not
thoroughly conversapt with and ready to eE-
plain the foreign policy Of his country.
During my short stay in this city shall nat
have time to give you in detail the results Of
nv observations but before l CROSS the Ger
man frontier, will nevertheless give you, in o
few propositions, an abstract Of what have
heard and Yhqt have seen; for think this
will be Of service to olhsfs 10 lsss than ts
myself.
|. The annexatons of Prussia are de6nitive,
whateyer. newspapers in. the pay of the King
of Hanover may say to the contrary, either in
France or elsewhere. Only minority pro-
tests against it, and its ranks are daily be-
cosGng thinner. The masses approve, ratify,
and give proof of their satisfaction. When the
King of Prussia visited Cassel, the city $50
am.informed by an eye witness) resembled a
vase of flowers II is in Frankfort alone that
resistance still ohstipately continues
2. Ehe Northern Confederation is hsing
organized without any serious difficulty; and
whenever Prussia. map raise her finger, this
Confederation will become. changed into an
immense annexation. The petty princes only
continue to exist by the grace of BISMARCK,
who, for the present, seems to be resolved to
leavethem in peace, which is best for the in
tellectualE and d-@artistic development of the
German nation.
8. A patriotic pride, exultant and self-con-
fdent, animatss all hearts. But have seen
nothing which resembles hatred to France, and
still less any desire to have any hostile rem
counter with her. ! have, however, met here
and there little irony, and good deal OF
defiance. This nation desires to live at peace
with us, but fears that in consequence Of our
foreign policy, this will not be possible. They
cannot understand that if we have no ulterior
purpose to 60 to war, we should 'obstlnately
persist in disquieting Prussia in respect to our
intentions, after having been the cOmplaisant
instrument Of her recent good fortune. Nor
can they explain to themselves why our Gov
ernment having concluded no longer to run
the hazard in doubtful search of glory,
should not at last transform itself into free
and constitutional government, in place Of
contenting itself with paying US, from time to
time, small instalments of liberty on account.
z In case of war, they are resolved on ter
rible and bloody struggle. All their sensible
men, therefore, never mention, except with hor-
ror, the eyentuality of such conflict, which
would be an incapable crime against civili-
zation, which would throw up barrier of blood
between the two most civilized nations of the
universe would throw Germany, in spite
of herself, into the arms of Russia, and
oblige her to abandon the great task, which she
ought to pursue in common with us, viz: to
restrain the Slavonic race, which is pressing
threateningly against the gates of Europe, and
already knocks loudly for admittance.
4. In South Germany, Baden is already
Prussi6ed, nearly from one end of the grand
duchy to the other. Wurtemberg is divided
between Bismarckians snd Republicans; Bava-
ria still hesitates. Although there is Prus-
sian party here. also, Bavaria is still much at
tached to her autonomy. Still if the question
comes to be, which? Austrian or Prussian
Bavaria will respond: Prussian. Since this
letter was written, this prediction has been
in measure fulfilled. If, therefore, poll
cy of aggression against Prussia was decided
upon recently at Salzburg, new edition of
the Seven Years War, such policy is folly
The idea-of organizing South German
Confederacy under the protectorate of Aus
tra-is altogether utopan
The hour of all such ineptitudes has passed.
The DEGREES of fate may be retarded in their
execution, but they cannot be averted. The
part Austria played as German power is clos
ed, irrevocably finished. There is only one mis-
sion left to her, which, however, can yet make
her glorious and useful to mankind. It is TO
constitute the centre, around which the
Sclaves Of the West can group themselves, those
who believe in the Roman faith, TO resist the
Sclaves of the East, whose religion comes from
Byzantium. Noble and heroic Hungary, led
by her DsAK, asks nothing better than to as
sist in such an enterprise. In this she can
also interest her German population, and
give herself hold upon them, if she dissolves
the concordat and becomes liberal