The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-04-29
Will There be War?

Every telegram, and every mail, from Eu-
rope, grows more and more ominous in its
character. There is, of course, no sign from
the master spirits Of the two great powers
now so prominently before the world.
1t is difficult, from our American stand
point, to estimate the exact value OF Europe
an influences. One can foresee almost any
thing in this country. Great events grow,
as it we're, from out the people, and the pro-
cess is clamorous and full of warning. What
ever is to be, first comes up from stump, pull
pit, caucus and newspaper We advise each
other and the world, not only of what we are
doing, but Of what we are about to do. Like
our rattlesnakes, we alarm before we strike.
Such state of things is natural conse-
quence of system of government in which
action originates with the people.
In Europe, these conditions are reversed.
There, action originates with the governing
powers. A single man plans. There is no
body to whom it Unnecessary to communicate
the incipient stages of any proposed opera
tons. He resolves and when he is resolv-
ed he calls upon the masses to execute. The
first certain knowledge that a people will
have that there is to be war, will be infer
red by them from the movement of troops.
For this reason, it is extremely difficult
| for any one outside the Tuileries or the
Schloss to attempt to say definitely that there
will or will not be war.
There is just barely one thing which may
| be used as an indication. Usually, the ruler
of a European nation commands war or
| peace. There are, however, times when the
nation becomes aswollen flood, and overleaps
| its boundaries, carrying rulers and govern
| ments with it. A-@
Such food seems rising in France Pub
| lie sentiment is swelling like spring fresh
| ct, and. NAV -inundate~ Prussia, whether Ne
poleon will or not enter upon contest. This
is about the only thing in the situation upor
| which one can found an inference as to the
| future. Taking into consideration the rapid
| rise of French hostility, war seems unavoid
able. Without distinction of party, the sen
| timent of France is swelling like rising
| tide, and threatens to inundate the Prussian.
| lied confederacy
| The influences at work to excite French
| feeling are not limited to this Luxembourg
| question. That alone is menacing, for the
| reason that Napoleon cannot withdraw his
claim to Luxembourg, or permit its occupa
| ton by Prussia, without seriously compro
missing the dignity of France. He cannot
do this at a moment when the liberal senti.
ment of France, led by Theirs, Faver aud
Girardin, is denouncing the policy by..whicf
he allowed Prussia to assume its present di
mansions.
Luxembourg, apart from its menacing
aspects, is likewise a spark which threatens
tosfre the infammable feeling which exists in
the French mind in regard to Prussia
trenehmen never can forget or forgive the
treachery of Prussia in the early part of the
present century. AT that time, excited b,
the infamous intrigues of Great Britain, i
joined IN coalition against and assisted to
crush man to whose magnanimity it but a
short time before owed an escape from be-
ing blotted from existence. France has not
forgotten, nor will she forget, the ingratitude
shown by Prussia to the first Napoleon. The
memory of Leipsic and Waterloo is sti II fresl
in the souls of Frenchmen, and forms the in
Hammable material which the Luxembourg
spark may set in blaze.
Taking such aspects of the case as ALLOW
us legitimate inference, and their in,lica
tions are that there will be war. The Whole
thing looks as if. France would carry Napo
leon east of the Rhine, whether he wishes tt
go or Chicago Times -YIbsg94