The New York herald., 1870-09-07
BELGIUM THE BATTLE FIELD
or EUROPE.

DELNI v vi TIs f. BATTLE FIELD
OF EUROPE.
With the consent Of the Belgian government the
late Emperor OF the French with suite OF 100 per-
sons, has been allowed to pass a prisoner through
Belgium on his way to the fortress Of Ehrenbreit-
stein. Eugenie, with the ladies who lately served
her at the Tuieres, has ned to Brussels, and 1t is
reported that 900 soldiers OF MacMahons defeated
army have taken refuge and have been dlsarmed In
Belgium. Count Bismarck, according to special
HERALD correspondent ut the headquarters Of the
victorious Prssian army, says he told the Belgian
Minister OF War that so long the Belgian troops
should do their utmost to disarm any number Of
French soldiers who might cross the frontier
he would strictly respect the neutrality OF
Belgium; "hut," he added, 'ff, on the contrary,
the Bclgtans, either through negligence inability
do not dlsarm aud capture every man In French
uniform who sets his foot IN their country, shall
OF once follow the enemy into neutral territory with
our troops, considering that the French have been
the first TO violate the Belgian SOIL" Bismarck
moreover informed our correspondent that ne had
been down to have look at the Belgian troops near
the frontier. 81 CONFESS" ne said, 'they do not
inspire me with very high opinion OF their mar
tial order or discipline; only, when they have their
great coats on, one see great deal OF paletot
but hardly any soldier" Had the ex-Emperor
Napoleon been successful in yielding to Tie trad-
tlonary impulse OF France for foreign conquest he
would doubtless have shown as little regard for "the
faith Of treaties" as Bismarck thus manifested by
implication, ana Belgium, despite the protests Of
England, would have fallen q comparatively easy
prey into his hands.
The geographical position OF Belgium Is such that
whenever the nations OF Europe 60 it Is open
to all ana ready 10 subsst the hostile armies that
may be engaged. 1t is at any moment Liable to be-
come what 1t has so often been the arena of war-a
great European Goaotr, the battle field Of the Con-
tinent. The character OF the Belgian people is
peculiar 1t differs from that Of any other European
nation. Together with the Kingdom OF the Neither
lands, 70 which it was imper;ectly united from
1s14-15 to 1880. belgium consisted Of the most
heterogeneous and ilcomposed elements. The dis
ointed provinces which constituted In former times
the appanage OF SO many distant and powerful
States oered in the character Of the people motley
patchwork difficult to be defined. Historians have
discovered in 1t the pride and bgotry of Spain the
Industrious dulncss OF Germany, French bluster
and susceptibility, Dutch order and avarIce,
inasmuch as these traits are all commfngled
in the Belgian character. The opposing principles
fOstered by various changes Of allegiance during
several centuries have given to 1t this kaleidoscope
aspect. The territory OF the Belglans has been
fought over inch Dy inch. Their population been
massacred, their crops destroyed, consumed or
trampled upon. From time immemorial, says one
chroncler Of their civil wars and foreign invastons,
they have been kicked until, in the words OF Hudi-
bras, they know Spanish from neats-f. e., Dutch
leather. without being extremely irritable, the
Begians never forget on injury. They somewhat
resemble the Irish in the more savage parts OF tho
Green Island character. but are far inferior to
them in fancy ana vivacity, Oonhonaafe heartiness
and hospitality. On the other hand, II well treated,
they are industrious, saving, contented, peIse-
but indifferent friends; superstittous almost always,
put ready 10 pay proper respect to authority.
Of republican refugees from from every Country in Europe
and especially from France, there are very few
native republicans in Belgium And 1t is altogether
mistake that annexation to France 1s generally
favored by the Begians. Grattan was right In as
serting that Junction with France was never popu-
sturdy burghers or Flanders again and again re-
PEELED the whole French chlvalry, to those Of 1923,
union was erected with Belgium Il coups de sabre.
Almost the first acts Of the revolution or 1880 were
the rejecting OF the French trlcoor and the hoisting
In the days OF the Romans the southern half Of
the Netherlands was inhabited by Beigians, and the
northern half by the Pataylans, on whose northern
boundaries lived the Frleslanders. Julius Cesar
subdued the BelgIans and the Frieslanders, and es,
tho year 54 before the Christian era. With the de-
cay OF the Roman empire the Netherlands came
| under tho sway OF the FiankSs by tne treaty Vi
Verdun in SAB the northern, and after SS7 the re-
naming, part OF the Netherlands was annexed to
| the German empire. Although the German en-
perOrs appointed dukos and earls governors OF the
| Nctherand PROVINCES yet gradually the latter
| had made themselves independent so early as IN
| the tenth century. Thus arose the earldoms OF
Flanders, holland the duchy OF Brabant and other
| lordships. in 1869 Margaret the sole heiress OF
| Flanders, married Philip the Bold, who then came
! into possession OF that earldom. About the same
| time the line OF the ancient dukes OF Brabant
| became extinct and tho duchy was bequeathed by
Johanna OF Brabant 70 her giand-nephew, Anton OF
| Burgundy son OF Philip the Bold. Other parts OF
| the Netherlands were In course OF time annexed TO
these possessions, UNTIL In the latter half OF the
| fifteenth century, nearly the whole was under the
| sway OF the duke OF Burgundy. subsequently
the renowned Emperor Charles " inherited oil these
| immense possessions which the only daughter or
the last duke In the male line OF tho House OF Bur-
gundy, had brought as dowry to her husband, the
| Austrian Archduke Maximlian. Charles v. be-
queathed the Netherlands, together with Spain ana
its colonies to his son. Philip ii. OF Spaln During
the reign OF the latter the northern provinces OF the
Netherlands separated themselves from the southern
| provinces and became o separate State, under the
name of the Republic OF the United Provinces. The
| southern provinces continued to be annexed TO
Spain UNTIL by the treaty Of Rastadt March l7l4
| they were ceded to Austria, which IN 1877 ceded
| them to France. In 1914 they wero restored 70
Austria. She however, relinquished them In favor
| OF an arrangements by which the northern and
| southern provinces were reunited under the name
OF the kingdom OF the Netherlands: But dlscordan
elements proved too strong Tor the establishment
fhA Af