The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-08-13

AIds.--A correspondents OF the Neu York
World thus suggests the ideas under
lying Prussian and French programmes:
The actual political condition of both
France and Prussia is the partial reali-
zation of schemes that, like tbe famous
Peter the Great policy of Russia, are
traditional. United Germany has been
the dream Of Germans since Maria The
resa and the Great Frederic fought for
supremacy. The contention was whether
| it should be Protestant or Catholic. The
Prussia of to-day has swept away for
ever the tradition of the Holy Roman
Empire. And it was reserved for Bis
harck to demonstrate the impossibility
of voluntary federation OF independent
petty sovereigns, and tho practicability
Of u welding Of these several minor
powers round the solid core of one great
State, which should give soidity and
cohesion to the mass. The political ten
dency Of the Teutonic mind is to per-
sonal loyalty. The feutlal sentiment
which by the fcrment and change of
nearly century has been oblitcratcd in
the French nation, is still the prevailing
idea i'll Germany. Success always justi-
ties enterprise with tho majority OF man
kind; but this common acceptance of the
fuH dccompi is not tile only motive for
German admiration OF Prussia. She
has realized in German fashion the pre-
conception of German grandeur; her ad-
herents and supporters being the great
masses of the German-speaking tribes;
the dissidents being the sovereign princes
and powers whose characters or person
allties were of no weight with their
countrymen. The French on their part,
wlnfnUnr fboix int
have always retained under every form
of government the idea of great empire
with natural boundaries-t Alps, the
Pyrenecs, the Ocean, aud the Rhine.
This, whether in the days of Francis, of
Richelieu, Louis XIV, the Republic, or
the Empire, has been the French idea
Geographically, it is reasonable; cthni-
cally, the only obstacle is the Rheno-
German provinces. The first Napoleon
himself even favored the idea Of Ger
man unity, and mcdiatized great num-
Der of petty powers which split up Ger
many like tho squares of chess board,
without its equality or regularity. But
lie also would have maintained the Rhine
boundary had not his own towering am
bition and tho forco Of circumstances
been too powerful.
Nice and Savoy wero annexed to
France at the close of the Italian war.
So much was gained towards the dream
OF compact, geographically defined
France. Belgium to the West with it's
ports on the North Sea, and the Renish
provinces on the North will perfect the
circumscription, and tho accomplish
mcnt Of thi, scheme will complete the
vowed purpose of Louis Napoleon S life
tho tearing to pieces OF the treaty of
1915. The Luxembourg business was
but an oilshoot of this great design.
This is the French map OF Europe
Whoever can lay it out and maintain it
will be tho Frenchman for the French
Our own Hudson River has been called
the American Rhine, and there are some
points of scenic effect to justify the COM
parison. The Rhine, from Rotterdam
to Cologne, runs through n flat country
From this point to the junction of the
Moselle there begins q succession
ty and vuriety-hill and dale, uu-
COblcntz to Maxan the Rhine de-
scribes on irregular shallow curyo. Strike
another curve between those two points.
about forty niles wide at its broadest
part; and the area enclosed is tolera-
Die resemblance to the Rheno- German
provinces, or. as it is now called, Rheno-
Prussia. This is the territory for which
France longs. From Basle to CarlsruLe
the Rhine is already French frontier
line. Thence to Cleves, it is German on
both sides. The secret treaty is too we'll
authenticated fact to be passed over MS
a myth, the offspring Of bid for public
opinion. 70 whomsoever its inception
be attributable, it seems sure that tho
old French hankering for Delginm-once
q Spanish province, then Austrian, then
Fr, nch, then part Of Holland, and since
1880 INDEPENDENTS alive and active.
Without Belgium, indeed, the Rhine
provinces, ii assigned to France, would
be militarily nntenablc, running as they
do i'll a wedge shape between trans
Rhcnnl Prussia and Belgium. When the
first Napoleon fought united Europe he
carried the war into the enemies coun-
try. lie passed the Rhine at several
points, simultaneously seized Ulm on
The East burst like thundcrbolt on
Hanover on the North and by the cen
ire pierced Hesse- -Cassel anil the Palati-
nate. jena opened the way to Berlin
AS the groat campaigns for the worlds |
mastery have been almost always fought |