The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-07-22
War between France and Prussia.

of the Journalist, and furnishes tho or
dinary topic Of conversation at tho
street corncr-is tho war between
France and Prussia-a war sudden in
its origin; but probably extended in
its operation and dircful in it's results.
Two first class powers like France and
Prussia, can scarcely mcctin the shock
of battle without provoking a general
European war.
Tho ostensible cause Of the war has
been the candidature of Prince Leo
pold. of Prussia, for the Spanish throne,
and which France has charged upon
Prussia with having intrigued to bring
about. This Prussis has denied; but
her reply has been unsatisfactory, and
coupled with the refusal Of King Will
liam to give audience to the French
ambassador, Benedict, has reused the
war like spirit Of the nation. We can
well imagine the jealousy which France
would naturally entertain Of Prussian
interference in Spain. A colossal pow
CT, threatening to overshadow Europe,
and the supremacy Of her ancient ri.
val, she would be doubly dangerous
on tho southwest frontier Of Franco,
controlling md directing the army
and resources of Spain. For the same
reason this government protested a.
gainst French asccndency in Mexico.
and has ever insisted in carrying Out
the Monroe doctrine Of non European
interference in tho affairs of this con-
tinent. Tho position of France, on
this point, is sustained, we see, by En-
gland, and we suppose, by other Eu-
ropean powers, and is very necessary
to the conservation of tho balance Of
power on tho continent.
Tho reply Of Prussia to the demands
Of France, seems to have proved un-
satisfactory, inasmuch as it failed to
furnish any guarantee against future
interference in the affairs Of Spain.
But the real causes of the war lie far
back Of the ostensiblc prctcxt. They
are to be found in the long continued
jealousy between the two powers, and
which has been intensified by Prussian
pre-eminence, quicllened by the &C.
MUS Of Bismark, and dculminatingin in the
victory OF Sadowa. France has no idea
Of becoming q second rate power, and
Of being ovcrshadowcd by her ambi-
tlous rival. She wants to extend lie,
frontier to the Rhine, which she re-
CARDS her natural boundary, and CON-
pla.ns that Prussia fails to carry out
the stipulations Of the Treaty Of Prague
as to Schleswig- -IIolstein. French van
ity is aroused, and finds in war that
which can alone minister to her glory
and restore her lost supremacy. Ma.
po'con also wants the pressure of for
eign arms to still tho dissensions at
home, and strengthen his dynasty, by
uniting as we'll Republicans as Bour-
bons, in the support Of the govern
mcnt.
On the contrary, Prussia too, it is
said, has designs upon Alsaee and Lor-
rainc, the German-French provinces on
Ithe upper and lower Rhine, and as the
Hampton of German unity to wrcst
from France large portion of French
territory. This view is confirmed by
q dispatch from Bismark to Werther,
tho Minister Of North Germany at Pa
ris, in which he tells Werther to make
90 concessions, but to prolong the sit
ustion to the goth July, when he would
bo ready
AS to tho results, it is idle to spccu-
late: The campaign will likely be
brief, bot bloody and decisive. A few
weeks will likely decide tho issue.
France has the dash of movement and
thoroughness Of preparation, which
will likely give her the ascendency at
hrst; but Prussia has persistence and
perhaps superior resources. Each of
these powers has between 100000 and
00,000 men already in arms, and near
the sceno Of action, and can soon bring
each more than q million OF men to
the conflict. Besides coalitions be.
tween the European powers, may rouse
thecwhole Of Europe in arms, and bring
about a general collision.
The effect Of the war upon this
country is already visible, in the de-
1eIine in cotton and tho rise in the
Ipfiees of provisions and BrcadstufEs,
and lead, powder and other munitions
of war. The South will suffer in get
ting leEs for her cotton, and paying
more for her grain. The mercantile,
the maaufaetaring, and the shipping
interests of the North, and the ,agri-
cultpral interests sf tho West, will be
be largely beneftbeds
"a Judge Longstresa died on the
9th inst, at the advanced age of eigh-
lty. ,.fas2 .
b@- Tho telegraph .anD6Ilnces the
4 80 xlo MAR E.oonl 1fs~s.k1.