The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-15

and might? First, o grand confederated
German constitutional empire, embracing,
along with the greater States which already
adhere, Alsace and Lorraine, by right Of
reconquest Luxembourg, by necessity, and the
Germanic provinces Of Austria and Russia, by
political gravitation, the former Power dis
appearing ultimately from the list OF first
class States, and the latter receiving, In COM
pensation for her German duchies, the undis-
turbed facility of marching southwark and
eastward, by such arrangements Of war or
peace as her strength or her diplomacy, or
both, can win from her Slavonic and Ottoman
nelghbors.
And what of France? The situation of the
hour plainly reveals the fate intended for her
to wit either direct occupancy by the Ger
mans for an indefinite period, or the restora-
ton of an Orleans or Bonaparte, backed by
such portion of the three hundred thousand
French veterans now prisoners in Germany as
would follow and support the home-returning
standard.
King William, Emperor Of Germany and
Protector of France-the latter held down in
her place of penitence and service, as Caesar
held her, when she was Gaul, in the iron clutch
of his Roman legions. And as Caesar placed
his garrisons in the chief centres of each Of the
seventeen Gallo provinces so may the German
conqueror maintain an adequate force in the
main French marts of trade and ma nufacture-
at Havrs, at Cherbourg, at Lyons, at st.
Etienne, at Bordeaux, at Marseilles, at
Teulon, as well as at Paris and in the great
fortresses. Thus could he sway the industry
and the commerce Of forty millions of French
men to their own great material benefit, per-
haps. at last, but by magnificent free system
so far as Germany is concerned, yet protective
as against the rest of mankind, to the vast
profit Of his own race and realm.
Should he restore prince of either of the
fallen French dynasties to the throne he will
be but returning the compliment conferred by
France when she placed the usurped crown Of
Mexico upon the head of German Macmillan
but he will not, like the French empire,
leave that prince to perish. Protection from
such fate would be the safe pretext for re-
tanning heavy armed contingent in the
French capital and leading cities. Above ALL
order, law and the peace of Europe would be
the rubric of the new continental system
by the weight Of the sword and the ''grace of
God'-viz.: Russian pennons futtering from
the Dardanelles to the Danube. and the Ger
man imperial tri-cclor and eagle combined
waving proudly from the Danube to the At
lantic
And the end? Empires rise and fall and
nations change; but the one eternal, grand
design prevails. He who studies deeply may
answer the anxious cry, ''Watchman, what Of
the nigbt?" with cheerful accents. These
very combinations, this drawing together and
amalgamation Of peoples, uniting them in
struggle and disaster first, in common effort
and recuperaton afterward, is but beating
down the barriers, opening the way, pointing
out a glorious common alma mutual under
standing that shall precede the final peace
which is to give birth at last, in the fulness
Of time, to the confederacy of Europe and to
enduring, because broadly founded, and uni
yersal liberty