The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-08

nc AAACAiNAOu, huu may 6ApECl W DS DlCU6n
badly in his turn. If there be validity in the
precedent of Porter (renominated now be-
cause an Irishman kicked HIM, Judge Smith
has bitten the ear of the nation, or at least of
1.-The loyal North. He will get off easily if
he be not set up, like Puritan Prynne. in the
pillory. and have not his ears or a part of his
cans sheared off close to his head. We hope
they are long enough to bear the operation.
SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THE WAR.
From the n, I. Nation.
In his ''Idee Na~poleonienne," Louis Napo-
leon quotes from his favorite history of the
First Empire, Bignon's, the following
Zone day people will ask, Why did Napoleon,
in the last six years of his reign, show him.
self SO pitiless towards Prussia? The reason
is:-Prussia was the power that harmed him
most, for she compelled him to fight and de-
stroy her, while his desire was to extend, to
strengthen, and to aggrandize her." We do
not know whether the author of the 'Idee
Na~poleonienne, who has now with so much
vehemence drawn the sword against Prussia
old, infirm, and generally passionless as he
is-has either the desire or the ability to treat
her pitilessly and to destroy her; but, grant
ing Bignon's view to be correct, we cannot
fail to notice the analogy between the Prus-
sian wars of the two imperial reigns arising
from the fact that Napoleon III, too, sees
himself compelled to fight Prussia after some
endeavors Ito extend, to strengthen, and to
aggrandize her"
The object of Napoleon I in giving Hanover
to Prussia, after Austerlitz, was, as Bignon
expresses it, ''to ensure, by her aid, the i'm
mobility of Russia and Austria, to give to the
Continental system an irresistible develop
ment, and thus to force England to make
peace" Besides, Napoleon received some
territorial compensations for what he took
from the King of England and gave to
Prussia. The object of Napoleon III in
conspiring with Bismarck for the aggrandize-
ment of Prussia-by the absorption, among
other territories, of the sam Hanover, as
chiefly required for her consolidation-was
to bring about a final disruption of Ger
many, which would render her powerless to
resist the natural expansion of Francois the
French call Clsrhenan conquests-whether at
the expense of Belgium or of Prussia herself,
should a protracted war have crippled her
resources equally with those of Austria. And,
low though our opinion be of the unselfsh-
ness of the living Napoleon, we cannot refrain
from acknowledging that his intentions con-
corning Prussia were more sincere than those
of the great conqueror. For the latter aimed
at universal empire over Europe, and could
therefore tolerate no respectable power be-
sides his own, while the former would be fully
satisfied to be acknowledged mightiest among
the mighty.
Prussia compelled Napoleon l to fight her
by refusing to be his abject slave. She has
compelled Napoleon III to fight her by her
victory at Sadowa. This victory, by its sud
denness, has frustrated the schemes of French
expansion, and made Prussia almost the equal
of France in power. 1t has eclipsed Sevas-
topol, Magenta, and Solferino-which were
the dearly-bought compensations in qLOSre
for endless sacrifices of Werte-and partly
effaced even the remembrance of Jena and
Wagram. 1t has aroused the vanity of the
French to a degree which makes them both
restless and FESTIVE. TIL trophies of Mil
tiades will not allow Themistocles to sleep:
from the day of Sadowa France has enioyed
no rest. She has actually begun to doubt
whether she is, after all, Ia grande nation.
A great revolution and great victories longago
procured her that glorious title; she sees it
now rapidly becoming vain glorious merely.
She must have new victories or else a new re-
v~olution. Napoleon has not been slow in COM
pretending the changed situation, the
changed temper of France. And where revo-
luton or war is the alternative, he cannot
hesitate in his choice. While playing or
struggling with an i~ncipient revolution. he
has prepared for war-and Europe will be
drenched in blood. 1t is idle to speculate
how far, in throwing down the gauntlet to
the rival of France, he is actuated by motives
of personal interest, looking to the preserva-
ton of his dynasty, and how far by feelings
inspired by the interests of the nation whose
ruler he is. Whether equally imperative or
not, regard for the safety of his throne and
- r gGIz l--w - I.-z