Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-22
THE FRENCH VIEW.

Alea jacta est! the die is cast War
is declared between France and Prussia,
and the two greatest military Powers of
the world are about TO huri themselves
against each other in a terrific conflict, of
which the destinies of Europe are the
stake. War between France and Prus-
STA means the most formidable collision
that the ages have ever witnessed, not
excepting even those gigantic battles of
the Republic and the First Empire, which
made as many wounds drip blood as could
be opened in the loins of humanity. But
let us for moment silence the tumultu-
GUS emotions that awake in US, in order
to contemplate the situation with that
GOODNESS and Calmness which an hour so
solemn requires. Two great nations are
about to rend each other until one of them
succumbs. We scorn false patriotism,
and are free to confess that the enemy
who confronts her is worthy of France:
that, far from despising that foe, we re-
gard her as very formidable, and it is
with lively emotion that we estimate
the gravity of the peril to which
the rude test that our country
is about TO undergo exposes us.
Blu. whatever our patriotic preoccu-
pations may be, we do not feel inclined
TO utter harsh roproaches and offensive
accusations. The conflict now preparing
is, in our opinion, fatal necessity which
had to be met with resignation sooner or
later; it is the last installment of debt
bequeathed TO the present along with the
heritage handed down by mournful
past. Unfortunately, in politics, interests
at stake easily become transformed to the
condition of anger, and two nations get
to fancy that they detest each other when
they have, in reality, only mutual claims
to regulate. 1t is from this point of view,
for our part, that we look upon the strug-
gle that has begun between France and
Germany; and, whatever may be the re-
suit, we believe that the two nations NAV
each, on its own side, defend what from
its point Of view it considers Its right and
its duty, without ceasing to esteem one
another for the good qualities which dis
tinguish both, and for the services that
both have rendered to humanity. Such,
too, we trust, is the thought that will
guide other nations in their appre-
citation of the combat that they are
about to witness. To this end we
appeal particularly to the American peo-
pie, not for its exclusive sympathy, but
10 request Of it an amiable impartiality,
which the old ties of cordial feeling that
unite the two nations give US a right to
expect. France has no hatred against
Prussia; she has profound afinities and
aspirations in common with Germany.
But France has her legitimate influence
to maintain, her legitimate pride to de-
fend. The treaties of 1915 placed her in
a position somewhat diminished, indeed,
but which, by balance, more or less ex-
act, of the powers who at that time par
celed out Europe between them, at least
left her safety assured and her honor un-
impaired. There have been many changes
since then, but none which seriously af-
fected the equilibrium ests blished by the
treaties: none that could be a source of
uueasiness or a threat for France. Sado-
wa came, and the advantages which Prus-
STA reaped were even accepted as the le-
climate and natural fruit of her victory.
This situation, thus completed fast, has
been sanctioned by treaties, and a new
settling has been given by common &C
cord to European policy. France, as no
one will deny, has scrupulOusly respected
the situation; she has neither impaired nor
sought inthe slightest degree, to impair it;
she has not, in any wise, interfered
with the action of the Prussian Govern
ment, or rather of the Confederation of
Northern Germany, operating on itself.
She has even stretched her patience so
far-and there, we think, she was wrong
as to leave unexecuted certain pledges
stipulated in the negotiations of which
she became a guarantOr, when the eXeCu-
ton Of those pledges concerned only third
parties, and did not directly interest her
own honor or her own security. But this
patience was made subordinate to one
condition, viz: that Prussia would moi
extend her power SO far as to make ours
undergo a fresh curtailment, relatively
speaking, and that we should not have tc
behold the limits openly laid down for the
ambitious tendencies of our neighbor,
overstcpped by successive encroachments,
by occult and tOrtuous wIles. We will
not here retrace the marches and counter
marches of Prussia, her stealthy invasiOns,
and her persevering attempts to envelope
within the circle of her influence, anC
even of her direct dOmination-natiOnalt
tiles and sovereignties not included within
the regions of her recognized anneXa
tons. We have but TO recollect tht
latest intrigue that she set on foot
or at least favored and which wa
10 deliver up our Southern frontier to he
IN contempt of the rights and tradition
that make the independence of the nation
in question an essential condition of on
safety. In the presence of this eXOrbi
tant pretensiOn, which is a decisive mani
festation of the Jealous spirit that ami
mates Prussia, France has but one posi-
ton to assume, and that is to demand
guarantees against any possible sarpris
in the future. Well, these guarantee
could be of but one kind. We cannO
have our ears continually on the alert T.
hear in what direction Prussia is digginl
her mines, and il is out of the question
for us to be on hand to check her ever
time upon the verge of her covetous de
sires. There remains TO us, then, only I
make sure of an extension of our natiOna
boundaries to compensate for the ag
Crandizement of our adversary. Sue
is the meaning of the war now opening
The right is on our side; the world can
not refuse to see it, but France feels
and that is enough. At this hour tn
hearts Of all Frenchmen beat in unison
$50 the Rhine" is the cry of the Who'll
nation. United as 1t is now, as it hj
always been, and as ii always will be
any great question of national honor an
security, it is inyincible. May God pre-
tcct our arms. NiYe Ia France.
THE GERMAN SIDE.
The N'C1r- Yorker Stats Zeituylg say
The anxious fluctuation between fears {
war and hopes for peace is atan cad. TIL
dice are cast; France has declared W,
against Prussia, and the armies of bot