The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-08-01

!
ligion. if anything could be more de
porable tnan the sight of nations @
the highest civilization, with institu
tions nearly perfect. and famous il
every department of history. aud the
admiration of the world. rushing int
conflict and mutual slaughter? TIL,
issue was difficult to state or appre
ciate. and no intelligent mind coulC
suppress horror at the spectacle
Gladstone then spoke of England'i
position on the war. as follows
-" The first idea Of England is neu
trality, and her second idea is prep
oration for the worst. Her neutral
ity is not Indifference, nor is il selfish
isolation. 1t is dictated by necessity
| in mitigating the evils of war, con-
fning them within the smallest pos
sible circle. and of retaining the
| power to intervene at the proper mo-
ment. Nothing will be done to for
felt friendship Of either party. and
nothing will be omitted to retain their
confidence. so that we may avail our
selves of the first opportunity for re-
neWIng our efforts at mediation In a
| quarrel, the most mournful and mis-
erable ever witnessed by mankind"
LONDON, July 31.-The excitement
over England's position continues,
and the governments policy is de-
nouuced.
It is thought that the government
will introduce a supplementary war
budget.
There are rumors of fighting to day
| in the vici nitV Of orhaoh
BERLIN, July 81. - The Anzeiger
publishes a circular, addressed by
Count Bismarck, on the 20 h inst
to the representatives of Prussia at
the Courts of neutral powers. The
document gives the following expose of
the secret negotiations between France
and Prussia: " Before the Danish
war" says Count Bismarck. THE
| French Legation at Berlin urged an
alliance between Franco and Prussia
for the purpose of mutual sggrandize-
| meut.
France anticipated war with Aus
trIa as consequence of the Danish
war, and made Overtures relative to
the restoration Of the Luxemburg
frontier of 1914, and the acquisition OF
Saarbourg and London, while a
broader settlement of the boundary
question on the basis of language was
not to be excluded. These instances
in May 1866 took the form of a prop
sItlon for an alliance. offensive and
defensive, the manuscript original OF
which is In the Foreign Office here,
The propositions are as follows:
First. Should a congress of pow
ers assemble. Italy to have the We.
netis and Prussia Duchies.
I'd. Should Congress disagree, an
alliance offensive aud defensive will
be made between France and PIus
sia.
"3l. Prussia to open hostilities
against Austria within ten days after
the dissolution of Congress.
18th Should no Congress meet
Prussia to attack Austria within
thirty days after the signing of the
| present treaty.
9th. Napoleon to begin hostilities
| against Austria as soon as Prussia
begins to send three hundred thousand
men. during the first month, across
the Rhine.
9Th No separate treaty shall
be made by either power with
Austria. When joint treaty is made
the following are to be the conditions;
Il. Venetia to so to Italy.
-. Prussia to select German terri
tory at will for annexation, the mum
Der of inhabitants not to exceed
eight millions of souls. The territory
thus acquired to becomea part of the
kingdom of Prussia without federal
rights.
}. France to have liberal share
of the Rhine Provinces.
"A. A military and maritime al
lance to be made between France
and Prussia, to which Italy may be
a party should she desire"
This programme. the circular states,
was repeated in June, 1866, in spite
of the threatening urgency of France
The proposals were necessarily re-
Dewed, with notifications, sacrificing
Belgium and South Germany, but
were seriously entertained by Prus-
sia. For the sake of peace, how
ever. it was thought best to leave Ma.
polean to his delusions. No word i'm
plying approval was returned.
The time was counted on to revo-
lutionize France, and extinguish the
scheme, hence the long delay and
silence. The attempt against Lux
embourg failing. France repeated her
former propositions, making the
specifications clear in regard to the
acquisition of Belgium by France
and South Germany by Prussia
These last propositions were formu-
lated by Count Benedettilhimself, and
it is improbable that he wrote them
without the authority of the Emperor,
as they are the same which were
made four years ago, under threat oil
war as the alternative of their re.
fusal.
Any one acquainted with the ante.
cedeDts must have known that had
Prussia acquiesced In the seizure o
Belgium, France would soon have
found another Belgium in Prussiar
territory.
LONDON, July 31.-A special cor,
respondent writes from Saarbruck
on Wednesday, that the French auc
Prussian forces are IN sight of eact
other, and that, on passing through
Creu Snach, he found that the En-
glish residents had fed from thl
place, for fear of the French, thi
British government refusing then
protection.
The French are now ready, hostil
tiles having commenced. On the 21s
of July Fusileer named Kraus sho
the first Frenchman killed in the wai
Continued skirmishing has been goin
on since Saturday. A Prussian patro
went some distance beyond the Dor
der, finding no enemy. On the sam
. day some French cavalry were re
: pulsed, losing an officer and thirtee
] / men.
| The destruction of the French raj
: way at Bitche was complete and th
{ viaduct blown up. The Prussian force
are partly armed with new lighte
| prns with shnrfer harrnI and smalle