New-York tribune., 1867-04-26
THE WAR eUuORS IN EUROPE.


The first in the series OF sensational Cable
dispatNhes which, for several weeks, have
been filing America, as well az Europe, with
fear Of an imminent war between France and
Germany. turns out 10 be base invention
The dispatch stating thai Bismarck. III IN on
ergotic note, had demanded of Louis Napoleon
the reasons for his armiDg, and had made France
responsible for all the consequences 0f such
a step, was dated Berlin, April II and appeared
in the morning papers Of The United States on
the 12th We have now London papers OF the
18Th, and Paris papers of the f2th, and they
neither contain the dispatch. nor any reference
to it, Ii is hardly conceivable that one of the
thousands OF rum0rs which were constantly
alarming the capitals of the Old World should
have betrayed the author of tho dispatch into
so gross an exaggeration of vague report.
Such an example of counterfeit dispatch is
certainly well calculated to throw doubt upon
all the announcements of like character
which have since appeared, and which state
that war is now regarded as imminent, IA IA
most certain, that Prussia and France are
making great warlike preparations, and 80
forth The impure source from which the
first of these dispatches emanated may have
given birth to all the others.
We do, of course, not mean to deny that
serious disagreement exists between France ana
Prussia on tho Luxemburg question; that ne
gotations of an unfriendly character have taken
place between the two Courts, and that very
large portion of the populations of both c0un-
tries were exhibiting the most feyerlsh excite
mcnt and clamOring for war But all this indi-
Gates neither an imminence nor a certainty OF
war, and those whose pockets are interested III
the truth or untruth of the Cable dispatches
would do well to learn from the exposed blum
deIings of the Cable not to be too lasty IN their
belief
AT The date of our latest steamer dispatches,
negotiations between Paris and Berlin were ac-
lively being carried on. The French Minister OF
Foreign Affairs had declared on the Sth of April
that France had no desire TO annex Luxem-
burg without having previously received the
consent of the people OF Luxembourg, OF the
King Of Holland. and of the Great Powers OF
Europe. On the 10th the MonitcW Published
an article assuring the French people that the
Government would know how to reconcile the
cxigencc3 of the national dignity with the in
tercsts of peace and with every sentiment OF
moderation and justice. At the same time 1t cx-
pressed wish that no Interpolation on the
Luxembourg question might be sanctioned in
the Chambers.
The Prussap Government declared. through
its official organ. that il had requested the
Guaranteeing Powers of the Treaty of 1899 to
communicate their opinions on the subject IL
gave the strongest assurances OF ItS pacihc
intentions: but at the same time It's organ
gave the most glowing description of the en-
tn usiasm and determination with which the
whole Of the German nation would fight for
the integrity of German territory
The Government of Russia expressed through
its official organ the hope that peace would be
preserved. Several propositions for COM
promise had been made. IL was pro-
posed that France ~ well aS Prussia
should abandon all claims to Llxem-
burg; that Luxcmbug should be con-
stituted an Independent State, or that 1t should
be incorporated with either Holland or Bel
gilm The latest Cable dispatches indicate
that one of these propositions was recon-
mcnded by the Guaranteeing Powers, and that
Prussia refused to comply with their advice.
Public opinion in Germany was expressing
itself on this point with great force and
uflinlmltN, ana NOtln 'ffIInulf WIS even ulDit
emphatic in its protest against the abandon
ment of Luxemburg than North Germany.
Prussia, and with her Germany, claims that
the fortress of Luxepburg is garrisoned by
Puissian troops by virtue of treaties which pre-
ceded the establishment of the German Con-
federation; that, therefore, Prussia has Il right
to keep under control place which is of so
great strategcal Importance that, at all events,
this is an affair between Prussia, Germany, and
Holland, and that Germany cannot cOncede to
any foreign Power, like France, the right of
interference.
The excitement at the date of our latest ad
vices seemed TO be on the increase, and the
opportunity for ock-jobbng speculation was
most tempting But in France, as well as in
Germany, many of the most competent judges
of political affairs continued to he Of opinion
that war would yet he avoided.