The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-06
More Vague Reports ON tho European
DificultY.


From the Times
1t was not unreasonable to hope that we
had got some degrees outside the realm of
speculation in estimating the bearings of the
European difficulty.
A late cable telegram would seem to dis
appoint whatever expectations of that sort
may have been formed. Four days ago there
came the distinct assurance that the assent
of the rival powers had not only been OBJ
tanned to the proposition for a Conference, but
that the essential points which were to form
the basis of a settlement had been formally
outlined and definitely agreed to. France
was not to enlarge her present boundaries;
the fortress of Luxembourg was to be dis
manifold the political condition of the Duchy
was to be ascertained and settled by the
assembled representatives; and the powers
represented we're to charge themselves with
the task of giving effect to the provisions of
the treaty, and maintaining these provisions
inviolate.
This view of the progress made towards
pacific adjustment was amply confirmed by
dispatch from London which reached New
York early last Tuesday morning. On the
previous day Lord Stanley made the official
statement, in the House of Commons, that
the proposal for peace conference had been
accepted by both France and Prussia. Yet
Immediately on the back of this came the
bewildering announcement that the silence of
King William of Prussia, in presence of the
Diet, was causing uneasiness throughout
Europe; and yet another telegram the same
day repeating, in effect the statement as to
the ominousness of the Kings silence. Next
there comes, in spite of the foreboding charac-
| ter of these dispatches, the news that the day
! for the meeting of the Conference had been
fixed, followed almost instantly by the tele-
gram, published on Friday giving the 7th
! instead of the 18th of the present month as the
! opening day-an assurance, one would sup
pose, sufficient to dispel any doubts as to the
bona tides of either of the contestants in sub
mitting their case to a European council. Not
so, however. Those not entirely hardened in
their indifference to any and all kinds of
political news reported by the CABLE can hardly
help being more or less confounded to read
again this morning that an uneasy financial
feeling has once more broken out, both in
London and on the European continent, as to
the prospects of the Conference; and that no
less authority than Lord Derby throws dis
credit on the reported basis of settlement,
while struggling to uphold his faith in the
possibility of the Conference being able to
reach pacific solution of the difficulty.
Where these vague dispatches about an
''uneasy financial feeling'-a phrase stereo-
typed till it has become peculiarly Offensive
originate, it is impossible to say. What we
know is that their very vagueness tends more
or less to excite the money market here. That
was at least the temporary effect on Friday.
And as long as the public mind can be kept
confused by throwing everything bearing upon
the European problem into the region of con-
lecture, financial uneasiness will continue to
be felt. If that is the real object aimed at in
dubious dispatches, they serve to some extent
the purpose intended.