The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-01
The New Principle In European PoIitic

The New Principle In European Politics.
From The Tribune.
Old Europe, as it was constructed by the
Congress of Vienna, is fast crumbling to pieces.
Until the great movements of the year 1S4S,
the leading statesmen could delude themselves
by the belief that partial changes like the con-
stitution of an independent Greece and Belgium
might yet save the structure of the whole.
Since then, the decomposition has been going
on at a rapid rate, and the irrepressible char
acter of the national tendencies has become
more and more apparent. The French revo-
luton of 1948, and the establishment of the
Second Empire, the liberation and the consoli-
dation of the Italian States, the demolition of
the old German Confederation and the aggran-
dizement of Prussia, were not mere repairs of
local defects, but a reconstruction of very
large portion of the edifce foreboding, more
over, the speedy collapse of the remainder,
and the rearing of a European State system
upon an entirely new basis.
Heretofore, the relation of the European
States to each other had not been regulated
by any fixed moral principle. The sovereigns
generally held to the opinion thatth frontiers
of every State ought to remain as they had
been fixed at Vienna. When changes seemed
to DO unavoidable, the principle which guided
]
was the preservation of the balance of power,
! which meant that each of the Governments of
! the five large States-Russia, Prussia, Austria,
| France, and Great Britain-was anxious to
prevent an increase of power to any of its
rivals which would injure its own rank in the
family of nations. As to the grievances of ma
tions like the Italian, German, Polish they
were either treated as entirely imaginary, or
only used as a preteXt for making political
capital, or effecting the aggrandizement of the
| power which volunteRed patronage of the
| oppressed natiOnalities.
The principle of nationality, which was first
openly advocated by Louis Napoleon, was a
startling novelty. If carried through, it
might seriously affect all the great powers
1t naturally quiclened the revolutionary
movements in most of the European countries,
and in case of war France might expect graft
tude from the nations which it had aided in
establishing their national unity. The effects
| of the new principle during the last fifteen
years lie open before the eyes of the world.
Every one knows that it has had large share
in promoting the unity of Italy and Germany.
If, therefore, Louis Napoleon, from advocating
the novel principle, expected radical changes
in the map of Europe, his anticipations have
been realized. But if he at the same time
anticipated that, by means of it, France would
attain higher position in Europe, he has
been wofully disappointed. Italy and Ger
many have both become more powerful than
can be agreeable to Napoleon; and the pros
poets of his administration for the future are
anything but favorable.
During the past year, in particular, the
foreign policy of France has been so unsue-
oessful that it was expected that the opposi-
tion would use it for powerful attack upon
the Government The speech of Thiers
does not fully realize this anticipation.
he undertakes to establish two points =;
hrst, that the principle Of nationalities which
Louis Napoleon is endeayoring TO carry