The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-07-29
Matters Pertaining to tn. war.

is getting very much into cloud, and
sympathizers and neutrals, for once, are
dumb.founded. That alleged tfeaty has
done the business, and the meagre in
formation regarding it has only added
to the confusion. Nobody knows when
the treaty was proposed by Napoleon
whether month or six months ago. or
within the past week-and we are eounl-
~ in the dark rs to what was done with
it. Did Prussia accept, and are nil their
formidable war demonstrations mere
sham2 Are we to have no fight? Did
she regret it, and then elbow" on Trance
in order to draw the sympathies of Eu-
rope to herself? All these questions are
asked and nobody seems equal to the
task OF answering them. The whole
thing is IN mist. Germans and French
men are, alike, "obfuscatcd," aud even
the sportsmen are ut q loss whether to
be or not. Do, Mr.. London Times
throw little more light on the question,
and relieve us suffering mortals on this
side Of the big waterl
But seriously, we arc disposed TO re-
gard the proposed treaty as an ndmira-
BILE piece of diplomacy, indeed wonderful
and cannot SEQ how Bismarck made up
his mind to reject it. It was n godd
thing for France and good thing for
Prussia. Both gained and neither lost
anything. France recti6ed her bound
aries and Prussia held on to her con-
quests, which We're always in danger of
being wrestcd from her. And they we're
in position to preserve the Integrity
of the treaty. True, other European
nations would have objected, perhaps
the strongest of them, but what could
they have done? Absolutely nothing but
raise row and get whipping, which
would have left them worse off instead
of better md tho treaty still in force.
France and Prussia, armed as they are,
would have paralyzcd oil opposition.
The arrangement would have stopped
the terrible war now brewing, saved a
half million lives and many millions of
treasure, besides the total loss of pres
tige by one Or the other of the belliec-
rents, should the war go on. Therefore,
we say the treaty was good thing, and
II 1T has been defeated, so much the
worse for Europe.
Savannah Republican.
ANTI NAPOLEON. The Jl,orld thus re-
ports the sentiments of resident French
mnn. who was once the friend of Marc
Caussidiere:
"Ah, ma dear sair, you know re apho.
risme-quem deus Uuh pertlerc-eh? That
IS it.. The gods have made heem-heem,
this Imperial canaille-whnt you say,
dog!-have made him mad Eef ho was
not mad, do you teenk he sail let dem
seeng LIE lNdrseiAaise? ALI, bah! 1t is
hee's requieml"
NAPOLEON FoILED. London
Times, of the Oath, argues from data
that the marvellous rapidity with which
the Prussians had rallied, and the
celebrity of their concentrations upon
the Rhine at the critical points, have do
teated Napoleon's plans for the conquest
of the Rhine Provinces and the disinte-
grafton of the German States. It says
that the plan upon which Napoleon pro-
posed to wage the conflict was by rapid
movements to hurl the various corps
d'drmee which had concentrated at the
camp of Chalons into Central Germany,
thus dividing the North and South
German States through their very centre.
The wonderful rapidity of the Prussians
in covering their exposed points, has
foiled this mannuvre. Prussin now has
q powerful army arraycd upon the
Rhine, between Mayenco and Cologne,
with powerful force occupying the
Rhine fortress. She also has strong
force in Southern Germany to repel
hSSnult upon thht quarter.
BELGIUM.-The cable dispatches have
lately directed considerable attention
towards Belgium, and the Importance OF
the preservation of her neutrality in the
existing struggle between France md
Prussia. The history OF Belgium, MS an
independent State, dates from 1880, ut
which time it was separated from the
Kingdom of the Netherlands England
is one of the nations which has guarnn-
teed Belgium independence, and the
royal family Of BeIgium is connected
with that of Great Britain Leopold,
Of SnxeCoburg, who accepted the
crown in 1881, holds the balance between
France and Germany, while his rela-
tionsbip to England, as widower of the
Princess Charlotte, was enough to in
sure his independence of continental
intrigues, yet not to implicatc him too
deeply with British politics In 1882
he married the Princess Louise, daughter
Of Louis Philippe, by whom he had
three children, the first of whom, Leo
pold, is now the King. The relation
ship of the family with the English
court is peculiarly intimate, owing to
the first marriage Of the late King with
Princess Charlotte and h;S rnj,t ch; ,,