The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-22
War News from Europe,


War News from Europe,
From the Herald.
Our latest news from Europe, both by cable
and mail, is unmistakably warlike. The Lux
embourg affair, small at first sight and insig-
nifcant, threatens to become a much more
serious matter for Europe than the long talked
of Eastern question. The situation to all
lovers of peace is truly alarming. No one
who has the slightest knowledge of the state
of feeling in France and Germany can for
moment doubt that it is the Paris Exhibition,
and that only, which hinders the French
troops from crossing the frontier and plunging
into the very heart of Prussia. We say this
not because we are at all certain that in con-
test between France and Prussia victory would
be ultimately on the side of the former power,
but because we are satisfied that the first blow
must be struck by France. Prussia will not
make herself responsible for the actual COM
mencement of hostilities; nor is it necessary
she should for she is already in actual pos
session of the fortress regarding which the
difficulty has arisen.
Pity it is that matter of this sort could
not be settled by peaceful means. Should war
break out, it is impossible to predict where or
how it may end The flame once lit, the con-
~ 10 dll DJI C6IIdll1, Will sweep WlCn
devastating force over the length and breadth
of Europe, destroying property, cramping the
springs OF industry, cutting down the lower
OF the population by thousands, and forever
eXtinguishing ancient and cherished land
marks. Heavy will be the responsibility of
that power which shall take the initiative in
such a war. Yet it is not easy to determine
who is to blame for matters as they now
stand. Prussia perhaps, exceeded her rights
when she garrisoned the fortress of Luxem-
bourg during the late German war; but it
would not be difficult to discover reasons
numerous and important. enough to Justify
such a step. Abstractly she may be wrong in
maintaining her occupation, now that the war
has been ended; but abstract rights have never
been allowed to rule when the game of poll
tics or of war has run high. No one can blame
France for seeking to acquire by honorable
purchase frontier fortress Of so much i'm
portance. The chief vice in the whole affair,
to our mind, consists in the cool and impudent
determination of the King of Holland to barter
away his duchy without regard to the wishes
of the population; as if in this nineteenth
century the inhabitants of an ancient and
highly civilized European province were to
be bought and sold like so many cattle. 1t
is a little too much for a grand duke or
even a king to attempt in this age of
public opinion. Efforts in all likelihood
will be made to make the question a sub
iect for European intervention. This seems
to be the desire of Russia. The duchy of
Luxembourg was confirmed in the possession
of the King of Holland by the treaties of 1889,
when the kingdom of the Netherlands was
split up and the separate kingdoms of Hol-
land and Belgium were established. Were it
not that for some time past we have been in the
habit of seeing European treaties made of but
little account, we should certainly say that
the great powers who signed these treaties
should be again consulted before any future
disposition is made. If they be consulted, we
should not be surprised to find that war had
been averted by an agreement to the effect
that the duchy of Luxembourg should be pro-
claimed neutral territory.
If some such arrangement is not come to
war is inevitable. The collision, if it do take
place, will be fearful. If war alliances, as is
by no means impossible, be formed on both
sides, Europe will present to the world a spec
tacle such as she has not presented since the
days of the first Napoleon, and another and
more lasting peace may date from another and
grander Waterloo. If however, France and
Prussia are allowed to fight it out alone, twill
be one of the brietest and most brilliant, one
OF the shortest, sharpest, and most decisive
wars which the world has yet seen.
Stewards Policy towards Canada.
PFom 1,e World.
When out of Office I-,.sremoved from the
immediate temptations of ignorant and self
seeking followers, Mr.. Seward advocated
towards Canada precisely that course OF policy
which we and the majority of the Democratic
party have pursued with unwavering con-
sistency. In his letter written in 1857 near
the coast of Labrador, he said:-
"The policy ofthe United States Is to propi-
tiate and secure the alliance OF Canada while
1t is yet young and incurious OF It's future But
on the other hano, the policy which the United
States actually pursues is the infatuated one
of rejecting and spuTning vigorous, perennial,
and ever. growing Canada, while seeking to
establish feeble States out of decaying Spanish
provinces on the coast and In tie Islands In the
Gulf of Mexico.
"I shall not live TO see It, but the man is
now living WHO win see the United States
preparing the way for ultimate danger and