The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-14
The Trne Issue In Europe.


The True Issue In Europe,
From the ~ Y. Times.
French Intervention alone prevented the
reconstruction of Germany and the perfect
unity of Italy year ago. French Intervention
has been the chief obstacle to the peaceful
achievement of those ends; but French inter
venton, active as it now is, is poweress to
prevent the early attainment of these devoutly
edly to be wished for consummations. "Ita-
liam unity and "German consolidation" are
predetermined facts; they must come through
peaceful political agitation or through much
boodshed-it is for Louis Napoleon TO say
which, The first notes of a great and bloody
war in Europe or the last cadences of that
warlike strain heard year ago, are now being
sounded in Europe. If Napoleon decides that
they are the prelude to another war, then, in
all human probability when the last notes
shall have been heard, North and South Ger
many, with their forty millions of inhabitants,
and over one million of trained soldiers, will
have become the recOnsolidated German En-
pire Italy will have grown into a formidable
kingdom, with Rome for its capital; the tenn
poral authority Of the Pope will have ended;
and the power of France will have been broken
like that of Austria was year ago.
BY the war Of 1866 Prussia absorbed North
Germany, and but for French Intervention in
relieving Austria of the care Of the Quadril-
lateral, and thus enabling her to concentrate
her troops to meet the Prussians at Vienna
she would have absorbed all South Germany.
French intervention thus prevented Prussia
from debating peace in the Austrian capital
instead of at Prague. 1t prevented Italy
from occupying Rome and debating peace
there, instead of accepting the compromising
and dangerous September Convention" at
Venice, by which to secure the peaceful
evacuation of Rome by the French soldiers
who garrisOned it. Victor Emanuel bound him
self not to forcibly possess himself of the city,
not to allow Italian volunteers to take it, and
through which treaty he has been finally COM
PEELED, in the September of the next year
| following the date of this unfortunate COM
promise, to arrest Garibaldi and his son, and
| stop the invasion of the Papal States by the
| Italian volunteers which the sturdy old leader
| had organized.
But French Intervention which thus brought
the wars in Germany and Italy to abrupt con-
| clusions, was not potent to stop agitation on
| the issues which created those wars. Ever
since the peace of Prague Bismark has labored
| successfully for German consolidation, and the
successful issue of that agitation, begun in
war, continued in peace and threatening to
| culminate in a second war, is near at hand.
| Ever since the September Convention was
signed, amid the protests of Garibaldi and his
adherents, the "party of action" have been
| endeavOring to annul it, and at last, abandon
| ing peaceful measures, the present complicated
| situation in Italy has been brought about.
| And it is not such very complicated coudi-
tion of affairs, after all. Garibaldi's organized
| SaUayion is already failure. Victor Emanuel
has fulfilled his treaty Obligations but the
revolt in ViterbO is, initially, a success, and
the two or three battles which have been
! fought have been victories over the Papa
| forces. Italy has refused aid to the Pope
| NqnOlnOT AZ
| the outset, in reply to the entreaties of the
| Pope for assistance, notified Victor Emanuel
| that he must observe the "September Conven-
| tiOn" and not occupy Rome. Victor Emanuel
, while yet enforcing these obligations, fore
| SEEING the occupation of Rome by the insur-
| gents, has asked to be released from these
| treaty obligations; and Prussia, giving us a
glimpse of the terms of the secret treaty which
it has with Italy, has declared the request to
be just, and intimated an intention to support
Victor Emanuel in his demand. Napoleon
finds that the September Convention" was
faulty in not providing for revolt of the
Pope's subjects; and now he must either see
Rome the capital of reunited Italy or prevent
it by war with Italy and Germany. The last
news intimates that the Frenchman is wise as
well as willy; and that he has agreed with
Francis Joseph-singular alliance of cunning
and imbecility-that Victor Emanuel shall
have his Rome, but that the Pope shall direct
its civil administration as heretofore while he
lives, and that his temporal power shall end
with him. And no doubt in thus submitting
to an uncomfortable and inexorable necessity
Napoleon will endeavor to make it appe n that
he dictates to Europe, and that French inter
vention is still the terror of that continent.
There will, we think, be no war of any
magnitude; but whether there is or not that
cause which this country is most interested in
that cause which this country most in
tently watches in Europe-wll be triumphant.
The liberalism which has reformed England,
united Italy, and reconstructed Germany, and
has given its old Constitution to Hungary,
will pursue the even but vigorous tenor of its
way until it develops into strong and healthy
and true and powerful republicanism, and
imperialism will the no less surely and GER
tainly grow weak and die out, unregretted
and uncared for. II Is already in its dotage,
not merely in Spain and Austria where its
power has long been crushed but even in
France, where it is most vigorous; and the
fall of Pope will virtually mark the death OF
imperialism.
The Victorious and Progressive De-
mOcracy.
From the ~. Y, World.