New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-12
TILE FRENCH MVALTD.

Europe is q great infirmary, as Mr. Emile
Girardin has just remarked, and We agree with
him that most of the nations are so sick that
only Liberty will cure them. Italy
through demonstrations in her principal
cities, has been faithfully initiating the dis
tempers of France, not to repeat her recent
scandal of Parliamentary corruption. Spain
has government with anarchy growing out
side. Austria is only over one Of series of
crises which her polyglot empire is bound to
undergo South Germany has tendencies to
Bismarck, and antipathies to Rome, which
Prince Hohenlohe is striving to put in logical
and even hostile array. France, at the head of
the Continental infnnary, has called in her
doctors for consultation. She has not only cho-
sen them for herself in part, but she insists
on q certain form of cure.
Both schools Of political treatment have been
heard, with many advantages of power and
prejudice in favor Of the worst of them. 1t
was claimed for the Emperor that he had
restored universal suffrage, granted amnesty,
and liberty of the Press, and Of public meet
ing; that lac had abolished capital punishment,
imprisonment for debt and ameliorated the
pententiary system that he had proposed new
and good laws on associations, and made
an advantageous treaty of commerce that he
had built at his own cost many cheap lodging
houses, and reduced the taxes on small shop
keepers that he has founded cooperative
societies, and charitable banks, and asyums,
and soup-ktchens that he has succored the
poor, provided for sick children, and dffused
gratuitous instruction mt the capital and,
finally has beautifed Paris. Invalid France
replies that her EmperOr's charity is cruel,
since she has to pay a hundred fold
for all the aims she gets, besides having to
support the immense pensiOnary system of an
empre-to pay for soldiers to keep her quiet,
and officials to keep her Disguised. The En-
pire absorbs two billions and half Of francs
every year, and yet gets into debt. 1t gives
100000 to each of its Councillors, and $4,000 to
each of its Senator's; to all of the Imperial
connection annuites, and, since 1852, about
one hundred and sixty million dollars to the
Church. The Crmean war cost France about two
hundred aud sixty millions more; the Italian
war about seventy-fve millions; Rome nearly
ten Millions; China sixty Millions Syria four
millions, and Mexico two hundred millions.
Sick France has to spend neuly $1S00OO,OOO
on her army every year, and in short-says
one of her most earnest Radicals-the Empire
has cost in fourteen years, without counting q
deficit of four hundred millions, no less than
five, and very nearly six, billions of francs
The general objection TO the Empire
may be- resolved into the fact that it is too ex-
pensive and at the same time of too little
worth to be paid for with Frenchmen's lives,
liberties, and purses at one and the same time
These things being understood, there could
be no mistake as to the verdict of the late cleo
tons. The Emperor did not fail to catch its
meaning. But the process of imperial
bending, the ceremony of imperial con-
cessiOn, is supposed TO be matter of nice
calculation as to time, tone, and occasion. After
talking to bourgeoisie and cures at Beauvais.
and soldiers at Chalons; after whispering with
Prince Napoleon, and reading apublc letter from
Duke Porsignyi after writing to NJ. Mackau and
NJ. Schneider, meanwhile fnng score of
presses and directing sentence against goodly
number OF their writer's, including Henri Roche
fort, the Emperor has approached the ground
of surrender. He said that the Empire could |
not yield to passion, but we knew that all no |
wanted was a ceremony, with proper discounts |
of feelings on either side, and then the En- |
pOror would yield like the usurer of liberties |
that he is, lending them out with avariciOus
tact and upon good interest.
But the least concession which the Emperor |