The Portland daily press., 1870-12-31
FRANCE

things have happened TO france. Ane Ills l
carriage of the Mexican expedition, the quar-
rel with Prussia about Luxemburg after the
war of 1866, the defeat of Garibaldi at Menta-
ma in 1867, the cession of Venetia to Italy as
the agent of Austria, the Exposition of 1867,
the declaration of war against Prussia in July
last, the defeat and surrender Of the Emperor,
the establishment of Republic, the complete
overthrow of the French armies and the De-
seigiDg of Paris are all events of the first his
torical Importance the true significance and
final result of which we must leave the next |
decade to teach us
GERMANY.
Ten wears have made the Germany that the |
Great Napoleon so easily conquered, the first |
military power in the world. Beginning with |
the Schleswig Holstein war of 1864 it has
marched through the W. ole decade in triumph. |
Duppel, which speedily brought to an end the
first war, Sadowa, which at the end of three
weeks of fighting in the summer of 1866 hum
bled Austria and compelled her to retire from
the Germrn confederation, and Sedan, which
on the I'd Of last September crushed the power
of France, have vastly enlarged the Prussian
territories and more than doubled its popula
ton. Schleswig- Holstein, Hanover, Electoral
Hesse, Nassau and Frankfort were taken full
possession of in 1866. The formation Iof the
North German Confederation, which is syn
onyn for Prussia. now gives place to the union
of all Germany. The German Empire, which
was overthrown by the first Napoleon in 1906,
is to be reestablished and king William is to
be the Emperor. Baden, Bavaria, Hesse,
Darmstadt and Wurtemberg, States not here
tofore belonging to the North German Confed-
Grafton, have given their consent to this ar
rangement, and Alsace, Lorraine and perhaps
poor little Luxemburg are to be swallowed up.
If Belgium aud Holland, also, do not have to
succumb to this hungry giant they may think
themselves fortunate. Sure enough
Dear Fatherland. no longer thine
Firm stand thy sons to watch the Rhine.
SPAIN.
Whether Spain has done we'll or ill during
the decade must be decided, like the similar
question touching France, by the future. That
the Isabella whom the people, led by Prim Of
the army, Topete of the navy and others, de-
posed in the autumn of 1868, was q bad woman
and bad sovereign there is do doubt. The re-
gent Serrano has been far better ruler than
his predecessor, and the world will look with
great anxiety to see whether the Duke of
Aosta, who on the first of January begins his
on the Bourbons. The adoption of'a constitu-
ton that abolishes slavery and recognises lib
erty of conscience is certainly gain.
ITALY
When Gen. Cotona entered Rome on the 21st
of last September and overthrow the temporal
power of the Pope, Italy, for the first time in
many centuries, was united under one govern
ment. The plebiscitum of Oct. I'd by which
the people Of the Papal States ratified the new
order of things, consummated a movement
that was begun by Garibaldi when he gave
the two Siciles to the King of Sardinia. At
the same time Napoleon Ill, after humbling
the Austrians at Magenta and Solfereno, added
to Victor Emanuers domains all but Rome
1866 Italy formed an alliance, with Prussia
against the Austrians, and though jealousy of
Garibaldi and other causes resulted in an
Italian defeat at Custozza, Venetia was re-
united to the rest of Italy as result of the
Prussian victories. The overthrow of Napol-
con this summer compelled the withdrawall Of
the French troops from Rome, but for whose
presence there the the old hero of Caprera
would thave finished the work of Italian unfit
cation in 1867. The Italian capital will now
be removed from Florence to. Rome.
OTHER COUNTRIES.
The overthrow and death of Salnave, Presi-
dent of Hayti, on the 18th of December, 1859,
and the succession of Saget, the defeat and
death Of Theodore, King Of Abyssnia and the
pacifcation of Hungary in 1867 and the am
nesty to Kossuth and other atriots of 1S4S,
are deserving OF passing notice, and so per-
haps is the futile war that Spain has waged
during part of the decade Against the South
American republics.
MsCELLANEoUs.
The sale of Alaska by Russia to the Uni ted
States is an event of considerable import lance.
In the religious world we have to note the
Romish Ecumenical Council which ibegan its
sessions at Rome in the 9th of December, 1869,
and adopted before its adjournment creed
and the dogma of Papal infalliblity, the de-
lection of Father Hyacinth, the eloquent
French Carmelite, from the Romish church,
freedom of Protestant worship in Spain, the
Union of the Old and New School Presby-
terians in this country, and the failure of the
attempt to .reunite the Methodist church
North and South.