New-York tribune., 1870-09-05

and found statesman bold enough TO dispute
preensions should have slackoned severe control
imposed upon bis nature and INDUCED his strange
visionary moods. We cannot properly account for h
course without giving prominence to this
A physical evil had also declared tself-ono OF those
wearing tncurabe maades. which not only rack ths
body with pain, but shatter the energy
cloud the operations OF the mind. In when we saw
him in Paris he sti appeared vigorous, and his eod
heavy face wore almost cheerful expression IN iss
he was haggard, gray sunkeneyed, and hs mpsssige-
ness seemed 10 cover continual distrust
FRANCE AND PRUSSIA.
While he was ohafng under the overthrow of his plans
in Sico but the last sad act Of the tragedy had
been performed there came second and far seyerer
blow The Prlssan campaign OF 1866 drew broad black
line across his calculations Bismarck had been Prusan
ambassador Paris lin S6l) and the Emperor Imagined
that in him e had secured another UNCONSCIOUS ally but
Bismarck is one OF those who, naturally hones
able to dissmuate for the sake OF deieatng ds'muli
ton His plans concealed for ten times the length
OF Napoleon Ills comp tat but they were realized on
open in the sight OF the world not through
perjury darkness, and slaughter
The Emperor was so completely and narrowly Hspo
eonist that his impressions OF Prussia seeHed 70 nave
been derived from wOrd-Jena. When war became
inevitable he repeated the blunder he had made IN tho
of Mexioo-rusted implicitly in the victory Of the
side WHICH defeated. The issue Of the s,x weeks
overwhelming The world, for the first time,
heard the creakng OF the shaky props Of his throne
Forced to become the convenient gobetween by which
VeDetia transferred to Italy, free from the
Alps to the Adratic" against his will-to hear Europe
ringing with victory which made SOlferino tame-to
see the map Of Germany changed without the slightest
regard to the sympathes interests Of France implied
loss OF power which foreboded growing opposition at
home His personal government" responsible for
all but II this not humiliation enough he en
posed himself to rdicule by demanding the surrender OF
Rhenish Prussial II almost Incredible that he
icould nOfD re-
Prussia and the utter mpOssbity of her granting such
a claim.
His efforts were next directed toward preventing any
nearer approach Of Bavaria and Wurtemberg towards
the North German Confederation bur, a. he only dis
covered some months aferward, the military alliance Of
those States had already been accomplished Luxem
burg by secret arrangement nearly fell into his hands,
but here again Prussia stepped in the way, and although
she did win the prize IT lost 10 France. The
sensitive French people began TO grow very restiye
under the humilations to which they were
exposed by the Emperors reckless diplomacy
The REIMBURSEMENT OF the personal government"
(which after ALL was more in than in fact)
accepted without any great show OF gratitude ana
without materially altering the attitude OF parties ID e
Legislative Body. The instinct OF the people had been
corrected by experience they mstrusted him. even pear
ing gifts The truth H. what he gave in some ess"n
tia particulars much than had been hnted IN a."
vance and hoped by the nation, that the concession wa
shorn OF the air Of fankness and confidence "hch shou
have distinguished it, In the minds of Intelligent ana re-
hectng Frenchmen, 1t excited a new doubt The ehief
result which Napoleon Ill attained was to detaeh from
the opposition some strongest and most influential
members-such olivier. Labouaye, Provost
Parado and Ohers-and to east upon the remainier OF
the party the unpopular character OF treeoneiabiss
Throughout Europe the concession generally
recognized evidence that the Emperor, although
weakened in personal power by his bunder still r.
tanned hisshrcwdnessand his presumed prudence. He
ad avad Rorne tn no pnuei In
| well-beloyed so OF the Church His influence wa
strong in Spain; he had the friendship of Ansra, the
subserviency Italy, and the guarded respect of En
gland and Russia Moreover, the military organization
of France was considered-athough without any very
definite grOunds-to be the most complete IN Europe
During the Crimean il had been shown 10 be very
superior to that of England; in Lombary in 1852 It had
apparently worked efficiently, and since then it, ieye
opment had been the special care Of the Imperial GOV
ernment The lesson of the Prussan campaign Of 1856 had
been seemingly turned TO good account Inc Iame 1i
| the needle-gun Opportunely reutralzed On the
French newspapers by the adyanages claimed 9f t1e
ChassepOt rifle. and correct instinct among The people
that secret preparations were foot for maintaining
the ascendency OF France had become new element Of
strength for the Government. In snort de-' the
blunders OF Napoleon Ills policy; despite uing
health. his increasing weakness and yaest' char
acer. aud the boder front of opposition to BIS yNdsy
very few persons nj the commencement OF the present
year. doubted that he would die in the purple.
TIE PLEBIsCHUM
The Pe5iscite of May evidently meant to accomplish
twofold purpose Il was AT the same time g,l ~ ne
the restoration OF hi, "personaI goyegument"-tm
smooth modern for what used to be called despot
that possessed organic force; the army scented
wal, and the people, have sad. began % md that
the vindicatiOn Of the national honor now inter
woven with their support OF the Government. We can.
not know what further influences were employed II
any pressure brought 10 bear the population, 1t
was carefully conceaed the vote seemed 10 Ice and
fair. The returns-Yeas 1864, Nays l.SO7C9--
disappointing, il appeared 10 both sides. Although
the Government majority large the aggregate
(Which the opposition had not expected the opposition
in the principal cities and in the Army Navy wa.
very emphatically pronounced (Which the Government
The PsJisciie. NJ least demonstrated that there was
sufficient power for bold stroke of policy and moier
ate necessity for such stroke-prOvldlng u should be
successful The disclosures which have since been made
show not only how long Napoleon III. had been pre-.
pairing for "a war win Prussia, Dgt also now amazingly
he had miscalculaed the political elements which he ex
pected such war TO set IN motion The subsequent
course the spanish Regency justhes in suspecng
that the candilturc OF Prince Leopold of Hohenzoern
was arranged with the secret c0nnvance ~ France m
order furnish the required pretext II not the Regency
i plsllanmOus instead Of base. division between
federation was positively anticipated the alliance OF
Denmark md Italy, with the later assistance Of Austria
To the Emperor and the Dulle de Gramont, the cacu
ation doubtless seemed 10 be- perfect Bur they bad
omitted the important factor which governed the
mathematical reSult-the very element which
iter se1sb and skeptca of every unselhsh quality of
human nature and none Other-wOud easily overlook
TIE dey eOpmeHt of public sentiment IN Germany hid
been HoiioaI in France the entire education and dr
plue ~ twenty years had been directed toward making
II OF personal attachment Napoleon III. supposed
that Barbarosss German Uny) stin slept bui when
the ravens ceased flying around The tower-or they had
all gore Rome 20 vote for Papal lnialby-the old
Emperor forth hung his shield on the Yithetcd
tree. and il burst INTO bloom thai d1zAed thr world
II WAS all very well t. talk OF the cidB N the Furnct
soldier aud 20 hold before him thin Nayerng phantom
of glory" The German soldier went To waI. ell al ma
panopy of willing sesaciice, quietly AMI even wins
religious solennty recognizing the grandeur oi the
crisis. although he could not perceive tie profound AM
versa principle underlying the external form Oi tn
struggle. He had been made 10 feel tILt ."mefimes
heavily the iul weight oi h, duty 10 the Government
but his independent strength had been exercised. his nm
selfish sentiment developed ana his wachWOrd was, mol
King william" but " fhr German FitheriIud." In
France. the development of personal government
seems to have been carried far that weakened thai