The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-29
the declaration of war by france against

premeditated war. This dire CALAMITY, tohtch |
ouertohelrns Europe soih dtsnsay, is, 10 is noU |
too clear. the act of Frdnce-of one man IN |
France. IL is the ultimate result Of personal
rule"
The Times of the same date, in discussing the
grievances of France, condemns her course in
the following emphatic language
mo dispassionate person will now doubt that
France has carried her fancied advantage too
far, and she will find 1t extremely difficult to
screen herself from the suspicion that the aim of
her policy has all along been to force quarrel
upon Prussia, with settled purpose either to
fight or to humble her, II she perseveres IN max:
ing demands upon her after the resignation of
the Hohenzollern Prince has removed the last
shadow of pretext for hostility. The part as
signed to NJ. Benedetti at Ems Is only too much
in keeping with the violent language in which
the Due de Gramont first introduced the subject
to the legislative body. However deeply France
might resent the ahront put upon her by Prim's
unwse proposal, nothing can justify the delibe-
rate provocation with which the discourtesy of
Spain has been visited upon Prussia, If the in
formation conveyed by the Berlin dispatches
yesterday be confirmed, If NJ. Benedetti urged
upon the King of Prussia any demand what
ever beyond the renunciation of Prince
Leopold and if he did so in the unbe-
coming manner described. France must
not only expect to see the tide of opinion SET
ting in against her. but she will also forfeit the
sympathy which had been bestowed upon her
on the first announcement of the alleged griev-
ance. She will stand forth as the disturber of
the public peace, and justify those charges of
which we were to the last desirous to acquit
her. By going so far out of her way to seek one
Quarrel, France can scarcely anticipate how
many more she may bring upon herself; for, in
our days, the manifold relations which bind
States in community of interests cannot be
partially deranged without giving rise to unfor-
seen complications. 1t is questionable whether
any advantage in the cabinet or any success in
the field be worth obtaining at such price; and
possibly, now that the French statesmen have
wilfully brought themselves to the brink OF
war; they shudder at the prospect their own
rashness opens before them"
Napoleon Making Var y, TT :. Insure the Success
The London Spectator of July 16 comments
on the declaration of war in the following
forcible terms:--
"War was formally proclaimed by the French
Government at 2. NJ. on Friday, in a mani
festo to the Chambers, which, according to Reu-
ter, makes the pretext for war o circular from
the King of Prussia, justifying the affront to NJ.
Benedetti, and releasing Prince Leopold from
all obligation to decline the throne of Spain.
sand soldiers against the empire, is Of course
not mentioned; but Paris has gone mad with
patriotic pride, the French army is moving on
the Rhine and Europe must pass through ayear,
| perhaps years, of misery, IN order that one
single man may secure The career and the posi-
| ton of one single child. This war has no cause
no motive, no justification, save the fear of
| Napoleon Bonaparte thai. without 1t his boys
| succession would not be clear.
"The Emperor Napoleon has succeeded, by a
| series of insults almost without precedent in
| diplomacy in forcing Germany to war;"
| sadOwa Must be Avenged.
In commenting on the causes of the war, the
! Spectator says:- A-
"The orators of the opposition made much of
| Sadowa. Sadowa reappeared 100 often in the
| projects reports. Fifty thousand soldiers voted
against the empire, and the main cause was be-
leved to be the loss of military prestige France
| haA ffara in, sin lodi thn
dynasty were to last, If the soldiery were to be
always ready to fire upon Parisians, If the
weakly lad now riding velocipedes was ever to
| ascend the throne, Sddo,Dd must be Avenged
| That was the Emperor's conviction, and accord
iDgly, with that supreme selfshness, that callous
recklessness of human misery which in all great
crises he has invariably displayed, he resolved
on war-war with Prussia, with the Rhine for
the prize!
"Sadowa was not avenged because Serrano
| led there must be at least some open humlia-
tion of Prussia; and accordingly France de.
manded that King William as King should
| pledge Prussia never to allow any member of
her royal family, however distant, to ascend the
throne of Spain-that Is, should acknowledge
that he had commenced and had failed in a
gigantic intrigue To make sure of a repulse,
the French ambassador, M. Benedetti, received
instructions which induced him to assail the
King on the public promenade of Ems
with this demand, affrent which, even
in the history of French diplomacy, always
able but so often arrogant is almost
without q parallel. 1t was met with
naughty dignity, the King locking steadily at
NJ Benedetti, ordered the aide -de-camp by his
side to inform him that he declined to receive
him. having no further communication to make
and the Emperor had at last succeeded He
had aroused the German heart at last. 1t was,
then insult that he meant to be accepted, under
penalty of war, and Germany stood up ready
for the inevitable conflict Cool, cynical Berlin,
which believes in no one, Hohenzollerns and
Providence included, no sooner heard of this
incident than it rose storming for war; and
before these words reach our readers the orders
will have been issued which call into the field
the army which won SadOwa.
This is, we believe the only true, as it is GER
tainly the only Ineligible, explanation of the
astounding il cidents of the week, and we ques
tion if in history there is such another instance
of an attack on the human race in the interes
of an individual. France was not only no
threatened by Spain, but knew she no
threatened; for from the first it was understood
that Spain, whether she persisted or not woulC
be permitted TO be neutral. Prussia, on the
other hand, was not only not threatening France
but rather than wage a purposeless war sub
mitted TO see her dynasty refused permission Il
accept o compliment from friendly nation
Napoleon, unproyoked, or victorious over thi
provoker, deliberately plunges all Europe int
J war, in order that by the seizure of the Rhine
or the visible humiliation of the Prussian king
he may regain shattered prestige with the sol
diery who support his throne. r-, -
s"France enters on war in her owh strengt
only, amid the disapprobation of Europe, unde
the leadership OF a man of sixty-two who ha
never shown any capacity for generalship, an
who sets before him an end to do what has neve
vet been done-to turn nations history back
With France in the field it is folly to predic
! defeat or even repulse; but If past history eve
justifes prediction about the future, German
will not be unmade, aud the Napoleons will b
= found to have wea-ied the patience of Heaye