Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-19
France and England.

Louis Blanc, the great French repub-
lican leader, now residing in London, has
published a letter on the condition OF
Europe, of which the following is an ex-
tract. 1t will be read with interest:
And how is it that peace cannot be
considered secure The explanation is
obvious. Does not the maintenance of
peace entirely depend upon the uncon-
trolled will of one who, while interested
in letting loose the dogs of war, can set
in motion by q nod or frown an army
of twelve hundred thousand men?
Every one knows that to England the
victory of Sadowa was matter of almost
boundless exultation. She rejoiced at
the idea that Germany, being fully equal,
when united, to the task of checking the
ambition of France, Napoleon would be
effeotually kept at bay, would no longer
have it in his power TO set Europe on fire.
1t was a mistake. The English overlook
the fact that the resources of France, for
military purposes, are nearly inexhaust-
ible they forget that during her great
revolution, and afterwsrd, under Napo-
leon /, France, single-handed, had been
more than q match for the coalition of
all the States of the Continent. More
over, they did not take sufficiently into
account the necessity under which Napo-
leon might be to go to war, at any risk,
in order to retrieve his prestige, to give
vent TO the restive genius of enslaved
France, to dazzle her into accepting a
new lease of false grandeur as compen-
sation for the loss of the only true one,
and to keep her, if possible, kueeling
down to him by making the world kneel
down to her.
How uugrounded was the rapturous de-
light with which the news was welcomed
here in Londos that the Austriaus had
been routed, and that the aggregation of
ell Germany would no longer be deferred,
peace-loving England now begins to per-
ceive. The army bill has borne its fruits,
France, whom Chateaubriand loved to
call nursery Of warriors, is armed to
the teeth. What was prediction when
| wrote you last is at present reality
Napoleon Ill has at his command more
formidable army than that which, under
his uncle, invaded Russia. According
to the testimony of English observers, so
handy, so murderous, so overwhelming
weapon was never made use of, in the
satanic work of moving down whole
ranks of human beings, as the Chassepot,
which is deadly at twelve hundred yards,
and the efficiency of which an English
correspondent describes as follows: IAN
advance Of any cavalry in the world
against a regiment OF chasseHFs armed
with this weapon would be as chat
against the wind. Even poor Nolan
yould have renounced his faith, and,
| leaving bis baloyed charger, have fought
as a mud crusher from sheer despair !
Nor does France lack the sinews OF
war. The loan OF 9lS, 100000 issued by
the Minister of Finance, NJ. Magne, was
so eagerly taken pp that the Subscription
reached thirty times the amount re-
quired. 1t Is true, the figures paraded
BY NJ. Magus muat not be taken literalyi
and il would be wrong to infer from their
| importance that the nation and the gov
ernment 90 hand in hAha. The fact is,
that the investment was advantageous,
aud was generally considered safe. as no
one need be in fear of bankruptcy In a
country where the bulk of the nation han
pens to consist Of small rsatiers. But,
whatever construction may be put on the
SUCCESS Of the last loan, this much, at ell
events, Is sure, that there is in France q
great abundance Of unemployed money
"A circumstance Lut too well calculated
to act as On incentive to the passions Of
q warlike government
That England should bitterly lament
the duration Of such q state Of ruiuous
uncertainty, is natural esough. But is
she not IN a great measure responsible
for the evils Il entails upon France, upon
Europe, and upon herself7 ] do not
hesitate to Affirm that she is, as Napo-
leon owes to certain extent the power
which enables him 10 shake At will All
the money markets Of Europe to the
moral support bis despoiiim has, strange
to say, received from constitutional Bug
land The fact conveys soieps lee.