New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-10
THE ERRORS OF FRANCE.
MR. GLADSTONE ON THE WAR.


view contains remarkable article on Germany, France
and England" which generally attributed in London
the pen Of Mr. Gladstone. We are indebted for an
early copy this article TO the Leonard Scott Publishing
Company, which has the reprint OF the review now In
press The following are some OF the most Interesting
passages:
Though II IL painful TO lay open dismal chapter IN the
history OF u great and famous nation, yet truth com
pes the admission that spirit OF perycrse and constant
error seems to have governed from the first the rfing
powers Of France in the conduct ~ the diplomatic con-
troversy, which preceded and ushered in the war We
shall state the facts they appear on the face OF the
papers presented by Parliament. IL appears IA though
an adverse doom were lowering in the air, and lying
spirit had gone forth from the courts OF to possess
and misgnde with rare and Intellectual exceptions, the
prophets Of the land. The late French Government.
Tor whose faults that gallant people Is now paying suc
tremendous forfeit, selected first its own ground
OF quarrel In this 1t had no small adyan-
sans penr has assrcdly not been sans reroehe One
stain upon that policy scarcely lay IN he power Oh the
Rritish Government proposed combination OF the two
Powers prevent any violent settlement Oh tno quStU
OF 5chleswig Iiosten, their pi0er was Iey ~
course sill 10 is believed that acuteness ana skill iat
less than France has always AZ nGr rnnnds Of com
paint against Prussia for her proceedings III a sic
1906 and 10 represent some or them as cohsutulnE
otIl ,es again the law and to the ranquyOf
Europe BE this IA II may, that chapter Oh aIgu"Jh,
r,@ins unonened Prior misconduct Of Prussia, though
A. might have been brought into the account yet aciy
constitutes part Of the resgs@ when aid 6ne SV
for the war III was the candidature OF the Prince Leo
pold of Hohenzolern for tho crown OF Spain ON WHICH
and which alone, the Imperial doVerhmeht c"o'o W
Nav. viewing the case with cold impartiality, and
deeply impressed, have ever been win the value
and importance not only of friendly RELATIONS put even
of something the nature OF special amty, between
France and country, we soriOwfully pace upon
recn tbe conviction that the whole proceedings Of the
French ooyernment In the conduct OF its controversy
constituted series Of unrelieycd ana LaeItdDlo
errors errors so palpable and wanOn that when men
int Inc
perhaps the most richy-endowed nation IN tho Woiiu
they appear so wholly nnacconape upon "y a.
that they are almost perlOTce REFERRED ~ oe"Iiu'i
The first question in order which arises Is up
on the orgHai theme or iuarI @ aeceptance
by SPAIN afford such cause OF complaint to FrInce,
% would have Justified the resort 10 arms uPoh
this point it may certainly be d gha eNe ,g in 6e
light OF European history and tradition. Involves no
yolent oIense 10 the common reason and feeling OF The
world And yet, perhaps, it might be falry asked
whether II France IN $50, was entitled 10 oDleei 10
Hohcnzolern IN Madrid Europe might NO %m IN
much reason have objected, In 1852, 10 NaPoieOh III
However we assume "a the British Government as
srmed that on the whole the French demand Tor The
withdrawal of the canddaturc far Legitimate as
to entail very heavy responsibility on uioSe VINO Shouu
But, at the very first moment, the demand had been
associated with proceedings tending Ill the hlShe-l u-
The case in which the Imperial GOVerhhs,hI
ought evidently TO have invoked the aid Of friendly
state and for the time to have placed their cause III rs
hands Or if they were not prepared to make over s
advocacy to Others they ought at least to have
their request through the usual channels to the two
Powers complained OF. Prudence anu Principe aIike
enion the rlilo that when injury is alleged by the
Marty surprising himself wrOnged and redress Is Ge'
manded without any prior PROOF OF the casp DcluIc n
impartial authority least the manner Of requiring the
removal OF the alleged wrong shall be such ~ wl Ot
inict public shame on the person, whose Su ~ '!ter
all only proved to one side. But instead Of TINS
rational mode action, it was to the Legislative Cham
Der that the very first OF me 1Tv
eminent was made with an ntnaoh thal, u tn. ~,
complied wththe quarrel must De carried lotne
last extremity Thus The Oiiyier Will
urging reqnisition III tSel open 70 ConLoseisy VI
caYi did all 1t could, by its unwaIrantabe e.nod Ol
procedure to make concession dlincut lOr tne To"es
IRON whom it was required.
The aid however Of the British Ministry, and that Of
other Powers had been requested by France. Whether
because of the advantage OF proximity or OF more us
embarrassed prOmpitude OF acton or because tne "Vo
has been more fully informed OF national part III the
proceedings than of that taken by other countries me
British Government appears To have been PIIhclpay
concerned in obtaining the WlhdlaWal OF uc cd'iua
ture by spain, ani remuneration Dy tnc ineI vi To
Prince in and tne behalf OF his SON sp IN
which She acccded 10 the demand and the so, be-
all the difficulties which she hat encountered
In her Europe Tor King, IL was no small
sacrifice to the general good which enc made Weh she
surrendered AN arrangement which for her own pur-
poses, among which do not suppose she rcckOncd
war with France, she had reason to think eligible.
81 far all well. But Prussia, by act OF the
Sovereign. If not of the state, had been consentiAs
party 10 the proposal that Prince Leopold should take
the spanish throne II perfectly just u expect that
she should also declare in the manner her consent
to his withdrawal without this indeed, the with1.rdwh
might some future contingency. have made It ground
for the revival OF the design matter OF controversy
quarrel But this point Also outstanding TIE Ill
starred mode in which the demand had been preferred,
gained and the King became party To the cancel
Ing Of The whole arrangement. What vas, htreupOn,
the conduct of the French Government They dd de-
fined for themselves the cause and limit or their com,
plant. IL was now mlly removed. Ihey ackhC"ieuStd
the removal and they declared the quarrel 10 be closed
regarded spain. But. t. the astOnishment OF the
world, they imported new term INTO thc cohtrONcSl,
and thereby gave some warrant 10 IA suspicion that
they determined not to pant with their grievance,
but to turn IT TO account. The DUO de nrainoDt
announced that the communications with Prussia were
yet at end; and lac required OF the King en-
eagenent tat under no circumstances womb lie c9hsehJ
the revival Of the HOhenZOleru canddature lt was
not possible that any one e1versht WIN she LAVE Oh
just sclircSpeet to say nothing OF those OL puhGto,
could suppose King of Prussia would or ought TO-
budcr the Government OF France overlooked the fact
that view of the world Prussia could at most lie
only regarded as an accessory 10 the unnse whereas
spain was the principal 1et tne pllhchi was dosO ga
upon the mere abandonment OF the caLddature, while
the accessory required 10 declare he never would
receive in the eyes OF the world only one expanaton-
years, the start supposed to have been gained
over Prussia were too good things To- be
motive SO indeseribably wicked was CONSCIOUSLY
and deliberately entertained by the Emperor or b. the
ting aside this odious supposliionr what picture OF
folly Inconsistency, and temerity Is presented to our
view in the France of 1870 she has been unworthy
represented by the Imperial Government!
The British Government evidently felt that, having
entitled and in duty bound to pass Judgment
though in the mild and measured terms required by
ally; and, accordingly, without losing moment, Lord
Granville represented at Paris that the demand
made on Prussia by prospective engagement could
not be Justified and ought 10 be withdrawn. This rep
resentaon was nj once parted by the reply that AN Ill
suit had just been offered by the King of Prussia
Count Benedett the French EmbassadOr which rem
dered il impossible to consider the British representa-
ton. The grounds for this plea was paragraph ia
newspaper considered To represent the Prussan Govern
nent shortly after, It proved 10 be But
what think OF those who could declare the APP
pearaucc OF such paragraph 10 be reason not for
explanation apology but for the refusal 10 consider
the request of friendly Power, and lOr inme-
date resort 10 the arbitrament OF wari
Yet another effort, however made by the Govern