The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-01
The London Conference.

From the Herald.
For the present, then, we are not to have
war. Prussia and France are not going to
fight. Luxembourg is not to be cdSuS betG.
The gentle voice of England's Queen has in
terfered; and like true chevaliers, as they
are Napoleon and William and Bismark have
consented to a conference. This is as it ought
to be. The Luxembourg difficulty, for reasons
which the Herald has already explained,
should never have been allowed to have had
even the appearance of disturbing the peace of
Europe.
Seriously speaking, however, it is well that
a conference is to be held. Great dangers,
and even catastrOphes, have more than once
in the worlds history arisen from little
causes. The threatened cause in this instance
was undoubtedly trifing and although we are
not to have war, war was never more immi-
nent. Nor is it too much to say that if the
torch had been applied to Luxembourg the
conhagTatiOn must have grown until
Europe, from the North Sea to the Mediter-
ranean, and from the EUxine to the Atlantic,
would have been wrapped in its destructive
embrace. In a recent speech Sir Archibald
Alison, the world-renowned historian of
Europe-than whom, Notwithstanding the
many and even serious faults of his history, no
man living is better qualified to speak of the
conflicting elements of European society-well
and truthfully showed the dangers to be ap-
pretended from the inOrdinate growth of any
one power. Absorption might go on, annexa-
tion might follow annexation, until the nation
alities should disappear in one powerful and
grinding despotism. We apprehend no such
danger until Europe throughout all her bor-
ders becomes welded to republican institu-
tiOns. But then we shall have nothing to
apprehend; for when that change shall
have passed over tho public mind
of the various nationalites, unity and centrali-
zation will be blessings rather than the reverse
In the meantime, however, the inordinate
growth Of any one power is to be looked upon
as a real source of danger. It's certain effect
would be to fOment heart burnings and ealou-
sizes among the different powers, and TO keep
the entire continent in a state of continuous
excitement and terror. If, in spite of the
civilization of the nineteenth century, the
reign of the sword were to be resumed and
might were to become right, the weaker
powers would have good cause to be alarmed
for the continuance Of their separate and in
dependent existence. They would one by
one be absorbed; and although the conflict be-
twixt the greater powers might be long and
doubtful, that very conflict is the thing which
the European populations have to dread. 1t
would ruin their property, cramp their ener-
gies, decimate their population desolate their
hearths, bring sorrow to their homes, and
throw their civilization backwards for a long
and indefnite period.
II is well, therefore, that conference should
be preferred to an open appeal to arms. 1t
may be instrumental, not only in averting pre-
sent dangers, but in establishing the peace OF
Europe on more solid and enduring basis.
The treaties Of 1915, it was supposed, had, if
not permanently, at least for period Of II IN
balance of power. France had been for a
season the scourge of Europe. France was
accordingly narrowed in her boundaries, and
in variety of ways crippled in her strength
The events which have transpired within the
last few years have to many minds rendered il
doubtful whether, after all, the balance o
power was not too much in the hands Of France
! With disunited Italy on the one hand and