The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-04-18
Prospect Of War Between France
and Prussia.


The indications thicken that there will
be a rupture ending in war between the gi-
gantic nations of France and Prussia, and
that the pretext of the war will be the lit
tie territory of Luxembourg, now belong
ing to Holland, but which she proposes to
sell to France. As this sale gives France
a formidable fortress and outpost on the
German territory, Prussia is determined
not to acquiesce in it.
If the war breaks out, we shall then see
whether Napoleon's late policy of neutral
ity in German affairs, by which Prussia
apparently acquired such an immense ag-
grandizement of power, was founded In
wisdom.
Previous to that war, a { quarrel between
France ard any German State about a Ger
man matter would have brought against
her the whole strength ofthe German Con-
federation, embracing Austria, Prussia
and the minor German States, altegeth,r
having a population of seventy-ive or
eighty millions of people. The popula-
ton of France is less than forty millions.
Prussia is far stronger than she was under
the Germanic confederation, but is she as
likely to have the aid of Austria, after
what has occurred, rs before, when it was a
part of the law that they should mutually
assist each other?
The government of Napoleon believe
not, and are under the impression that
there is now a fend between the two great
German Powers that will leave them weak.
err and more divided as against France
There seems to be but little doubt that
in case of war between France and Prussia
Austria would embrace the occasion to re
gain the place she has lost in Germany.
The only guarantee which Prussia woo
have against such a contingency would be
an alliance, offensive and defensive, with
Russia. Then, indeed, thus protected III
her rear, she might we'll risk any combin.
ations that France or England might form
against her. 1t is natural to suppose that
there is some such understanding between
these great northern Powers. Prussia
never has manifested opposition to the ex.
tension of Russian ambition, in which she
has been ihwarted by the jealousy and am.
bition of France, England and Austria.
On the other hand, it is more than doubt
full whether, in case of n serious war, Prus
sia would long derive much advantage from
the minor German States, which in defiance
of their wishes, as in the case of Hanover
5 and Saxony, she has absorbed and con
!, quered, or Bavaria and Wirtemburg
which she has oyerawed and menaced.-
1t is very certain that she would lose then
in case of any considerable reverse.
II is for the ~interess of France, if she
encounters Prussia, to do SO before she
has had time to consolidate her power il
these new acquisitions. Even q var, sin
gle-handed, between these two MIGHTY
States, would be a war of giants, as they
are both armed with al tho latest applian
ces in the art of war, and both would draw
out, almost en GGasse, their fighting popu
%lations. Bat the contest would bo very
likely to embroil all Europe in it on ont
or the other side, and q spectacle would b,
presented such as the world has not seer
l since the battle Of Waterloo.
F., AS to the comparative merits of tn
t French, or Prussian soldiers. they are eacl
among the best il Europe. They had fire
! quent combats In the great wars of tn
] French revolution. in which the s%uperio
: ability of the French was generally mad,
| apparent. The last time they were il
collision was when Butcher and his Prus
slams, who had been beaten at Ligney b,
+, Napoleon, turned up at Waterloo anl
helped turn the scales in favor of yelling
ton.-Cn. Eng.