Litchfield enquirer., 1870-09-08
THE POSSIBLE NEW EUROPE.

It is a very narrow view of the Franco
 Prussian war that regards it only as grand
 duel, the parties to which are the most ml itary in their character of all the nations of
 Europe. Something more than a gladiato-
 rial spectacle is involved in the contest, 1 which goes far to account for the interest felt in the decision that must soon be made, Which some say is already made. It can concern few men whether France or Prus-
 sia is the better hand with the sword; but all civilized men are interested in the con- sequences of the conflict. The question
 at issue is, not whether France or Prussia
 shall govern Europe, but whether European
 nations shall govern themselves or be sub- jected to a German domination. France,
 under no circumstances, could become the
 mistress of the European world. She
 might become the first of European com
 munities, were the fortune of war to be fa- vorable to her, position which she has
 held more than once; but that would not
 make of her their tyrant. At the utmost
 she would be only the first among equals, |-primus anter pares. Her moral power
 would be felt, as it has been felt for centu-
 ries, and to the great advantage of the gen.
 eral cause of humanity; but she never could govern one foreign country directly. The case would be essentially different should Prussia achieve perfect triumph, which
 her blind admirers here declare she has al-
 ready achieved. Her history is we'll known
 and it shows that she has grown to her pre-
 sent dimensions by steady course of out
 rage, such as no other nation of modern
 times, not even semi-barbarOus Russia,
 ever has thought of resorting to, or has
 practiced. Her territory is nothing but a
 patchwork of robberies from first to last,
 the process of making which being famil-
 jar to all, for her doings belong entirely to
 the historical period of the modern world.
 Her existence is the result of pickings and
 stealings successfully made, and as suc-
 cessfully defended, for it is but just to her
 rulers to say, that they have upheld with
 the lions courage the policy which they
 borrowed from the serpent and the wolf.
 Charles James Fox, speaking of her con-
 duct in regard to Hanover, in 1906, de-
 scribed her entire career in one empathatic
 sentance, when he said her conduct was
 "a compound of the most hateful rapacity
 with the most contemptible servility." Such nation, exalted to the highest pitch
 of arrogance by vast successes Tn war, could
 not fail to become curse to Europe. Her course since she triumphed over Austria
 shows that she has no idea of departing from her old and paying system. There
 would be no repose for Europe were she to be successful now as she was in 1866, for the last power that could hold her in check would have disappeared with the fall of France. England, great as she is in many respects, is of small weight in Europe: and the animosity she has dis played of late towards France would render her of less account than ever in new Europe, as the ''cordial understand ing" has been shown to be mere hypocrisy on her side, and could not be revived in the present century. Russia, persuing her grand oriental schemes, and engaged Tn de- veloplng her resources, would have no mo- tive for disputing Prussian supremacy in Europe. The new Europe, therefore, would be nothing but Prussianized part l of the world; and as Prussia is the most ] aristocratic nation in Christendom, her dominion would be that of an aristocracy and of an aristocracy the meanest and | most bigoted that ever has been known l among men, and which is incapable of a liberal idea or liberal action. Such would | be the chief result of Prussian success in the present war, the consignment of Europe to the ascendency of despotic aristocracy, which rules by the sword alone, and which would continue thus to rule, and also to plunder. General Gneisenau, after seeking in vain the Duke of Wellington's assent to the assassination of Napoleon, said that the Prussian nobility had been ruined by the French Emperor. ''Our nobility will never be able to right itself again" he de- clared. Perhaps it will more than right it. self, should it have all Europe for it's field of plunder, and there be able to do what was done by Englisnmen in India, and by Romans both in Europe and Asia. To sup pose that g nation of robbers is to be made moderate by success is to neglect the teach ings that are derivable from history. Lust of dominion and love of pIunder would cause successful Prussia to be in the last