The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-01

france and the Peace Of Europe.
Inc great question which now agitates the
pubic mind of Europe is whether the condi-
ton OF France and the spirit and conduct of
the french government are compatible with the
continued peace of that Continent. All French
officials, from the Emperor downwards-not
even excepting the reluctant and bellicose
Marshal Niel-are crying out ''peace." Some
of the journals follow the example of the gov
eminent and cry out with equal vehemence.
Others Of the journals, more cautious, taking
their text from the Emperor's peace speech at
Troyes, discover no casus 6elH in the present
state OF things, but restrain themselves from
giving an opinion as to what may happen in
the immediate future.
1t is undeniable looking at the entire stu
alton both within and without France, that Q
pretext for going to war might as easily have
been found by Napoleon any time since 1866
as at the present moment. No special provo
cation has been offered him since Bismarck
snubbed him on the Rhine boundary question.
He has been allowed to have his own way
with Italy. If any one has questioned,
at least no one has interfered with his policy.
From variety of causes the proud position Of
France among the nations of Europe-a posi-
ton from which it was supposed by MANY
Sadowa had dethroned hers being recog-
nized more and more. All this is unoues-
tionably true but it is at the same time fact
patent to all the world that the French govern
ment is uneasy, that pretext for war is
eagerly desired, and that the attitude of France
towards at least one of her neighbors is an atti-
tude which may without much improperly
be pronounced menacing.
French officials and French journalists may
disguise things as they please English jour-
nalists honestly and earnestly DESTROYS of peace,
may remove the painful probability as far as
they can into the indefinite future but the fact
still remains that France is in that peculiar
condition which justiies the conclusion that the
peace of Europe is not secured. We are not
disposed to pin our faith to the adage which is
so flattering to Frenchmen-that when France is
contented the nations have peace; but we cannot
in present circumstances resist the conviction
that the French government, If not the French
people, is so thoroughly discontinued that pro-
longed peace in Europe is impossible. We
are not deceived by these cries Of ''peace."
They remind us only of the deceptive policy
which is characteristic of the house Of
Bonaparte-a policy with which the first Ma
poleon made the world familiar and in the use
of which the present head of that house cannot
ho 70 ho ali Tn Of OF 10
said the great fact stares us in the face that
France is prepared for war as she never was pre-
pared before. At no previous period, not even
in the palmy days of the first empire, when the
army was recruited from Italy, from the Tyrol,
from Belgium, from Holland, from the Hanse
the army more numerous than now. When the
first Napoleon set out on his disastrous expedi-
ton to Moscow the army of France was esti-
mated rather under than over one mill
lion two hundred thousand men. Europe
had never before seen anything SO mag
niicent The armies Of Charles the Fifth
and of Charlemagne dwindled into insignia
canoe in comparison. II is curious and not
altogether Insignificant fact that the third Ma
| poleon is at the present moment at The head OF
| one million two hundred thousand drilled
persons. The standing army is little short Of
nine hundred thousand men and, according
| to the testimony of Marshal Mel, never was an
army in better condition, more perfect at drill,
more thoroughly equipped. What does this
huge armament mean if it does not mean war;
! This state of things would be the less alarm
| ing were it not known that the rebuff which
| Napoleon, and France through Napoleon, re-
| ceived at the hands of Count Bismarck at the
| close of the German war in 1866 is still pain
| fully remembered. Nothing but the unpre-
paredness of France to encounter victorious
| Prussia prevented war at that time. Now,
therefore, that France is armed to the teeth
and pronounced ready for action, what moro
natural than to conclude that the trial Of
strength which ought to have taken place in
| 1866 should take place in 1852 That war Is
| opinion justified by the recent loan, and also
| By the amount Of specie which lies in the
| Bank of France. 1t is the want Of confidence
in the peace policy Of the government that
explains the amount Of unemployed capital.
France is altogether i'll at ease. A thousand
signs are visible that the empire is less popu-
lar than it once was. Nothing would 30
effectually revive the waning prestige of the
Emperor as a brief, brilliant and successful
campaign. Now that he has given up bis
crotchets about the Latin races, and has re-
solved to allow the Yankee to settle his own
| affairs, we are not unwilling that some mea-
sure of success should attend him. II he in