The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-03
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The Peace Question in Europe France
and Spain.

The Peace Question in EurOpe-France
and Spain.
From The ~ y Herald
BY one of our latest cable dispatches we are
made aware that prominent member of the
reigning house in Spain has been sent to
Paris on most important mission. The
Prince Girgenti, by birth and by his recent
marriage prominent member of the house OF
Bourbon, has arrived in Paris. His mission,
1t is said, is to assure the Emperor Napoleon
that in the event of his engaging in war
against Prussia Spain would undertake the
guardianship of Rome and the Holy Father
on condition that the Emperor will bind him
self to protect Queen Isabella and her throne.
If true, it is a funny pro oposal From one
point of view it is ridiculous; from another
point of view it is full of meaning. Queen
Isabella cannot maintain her own position;
therefore her promise of assistance to France
is absurd. But Queen Isabella, maintained on
her throne, will lend all her help TO France.
Therefore her proposal to France is deeply
What is the lesson2 1t is neither more nor
less than this:-that Europe does not believe
in the peace intentions of the French Govern
ment. Spain, the most pless and the most
needy of all the European nations, has not
been able to keep silence any longer. Trem-
bling for the immediate future, it seeks in
advance-and, therefore, betrays the situation
to make the best terms possible with
France. 1t is no business of ours what France
may do with Spain. We have again and again
told Napoleon what he should do with that
country; but the present movement of the
Spanish Government is proof sufficient that
so far as Spain is judge, Europe is on the eve
of great war.
We have no hesitation in repeating what we
have said before-that the necessity of France
and the welfare of Europe equally point
to an early and terrible war. France, which
periodically must let off q certain amount
of blood, has reached that stage once again
in her history when she must either have
civil war or fierce struggle with one or more
of her neighbors. Michelet, in his excellent
history of France, says that his country needs
periodical bloodletting, and that if it has it not
in one way it must have it in another. The
time for such bloodetting seems again to have
arrived and it is not difficult to see which of
the two ways is more to the advantage of the
present ruler of France. A foreign war, if a
civil war is to be avoided, has become an abso-
lutte necessity TO France-a necessity felt
equally by the people and by the Government
The welfare OF Europe is equally concerned
in this matter. War burdens are being borne
by all the nations. The fear of war is felt to
be heavier tax on industry and capital than
war itself. Matters have reached a point at
which there must be either war or general dis
armament. Of the two war is infinitely the
more probable. Whether we shall have or
shall not have war will depend very much on
the course which the elections now in progress
shall take in France. If the early symptoms
are unfavorable forsign war must be con-
sidered certain. Napoleon is bent above every
thing else on establishing his dynasty. Rather
than fail without effort he is prepared for any
struggle and for any result. We leave it to
Napoleon to do what he may with Spain. He
is already master of the south of Europa. dis
dificulty-and the difficulty is not slight one
is with the North.