The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-11-27

The Prussian party IL laboring assidu-
ously to create an Impression that the Rus
sian coup was mere pretense to effect an
settlement of the French war.
The Prussian minister at Washington ar
CUES that the fears of Europe being aroused
in expectation Of general war, Prussia
will have good excuse for modifying her
demands heretofore made of France and
conceding peace on much easier terms with
the magnanimous view of thus preventing
a general conflagration. We have no doubt
that Prussia is sincerely opposed to gem
eral war at this crisis of her French game.
Things are going we'll enough to suit her
already, and while her position does not
need lettering it might lie made worse by
further complications. She is in the con-
dition of man who has his opponent down
and nearly tied, while a ring of spectators
refuse to interfere. If those spectators
should engage in a free fight, in all pro-
liability he himself would be jostled from
the control of his victim. Therefore Bis
marck, no doubt, earnestly whispers to Rus
STA, ''wait." He knows that it will be i'm
possible for two wars to be going on in
parallel plains in Europe without becoming
fused into one.
But Russia cannot afford to wait. She
believes the game to be in her own hand and
prefers consulting her own interests to the
convenience of her ally. She finds the oc-
casion most opportune. The only power
she really dreaded was France, and we
know her condition. Spain and Italy are
on the very crater of the revolutionary
volcano; neither of them will dare to act if
they can help it. Austria finds her i'm
mense German population highly excited
and it's sympathies earnestly interested by
the: progress of the existing conflict and
knows that she might be precipitated into
civil war by finding herself opposed to
Prussia. England is threatened by Russia's
American ally, Grant and his clique,
while her Indian possessions on the one
hand are at the mercy of Russia itself and
on the other Fenianism plans her dismem-
berment at home. When will Russia ever
fhd a more auspicious moment for the con-
summation of her ambitious schemes SO
long and fondly cherished.
Indeed the complications are SO great and
the prospects SO dark for her opponents
that Italy disclaims any intention to resist,
Won Beust wishes to resign and English
leaders grow Respondent. The warlike
tone of English journals has Gained down
wonderfully as the full danger of the situa-
ton develops before them, and the New
York Herald and Times no longer antici
pate general war, SO confident are they
that England is in no position to inaugu-
rate it.
In coming to this conclusion, however,
we think they do not sufficiently estimate
the element of combativeness in the Earl
Granville's character. No doubt the whole
English aristocracy feels itself to be stand
ing now on dangerous ground and might be
willing to temporise, but the Foreign Min
lister is made apparently of sterner stuff.
There appears to be something of the ring Of
the Andrew Jackson metal about him. When
he feels that his compatriots and comrades
are not up to the mark, he simply takes tie
responsibility and informs them courteous
ly of his intentions, after having put them
into execution. While the frightened sena-
tors will be hesitating over the difficulties
of the situation, while the Queen herself
and her august progeny may be still ex-
pressing their royal disapprobation of his
latest rash act, they may be all suddenly
startled some fine morning, by the pubica
ton, in the daily papers, of an overt act of
war, committed by order of the Foreign
Minister. That is, in fact, the only way to
manage u flock of sheep or other timorous
animals, when there is any question of
danger. 1t is useless to consult their in
stincts.
If this should be the case, however, the
leader in the movement may count upon
the adhesion of the real British public, the
bone and sinew, the strong common sense
of the community. John Bnll, with all his
faults, has never lost his manhood and
won't stand on question of costs or of con-
sequences when his blood is up. He may
lose India and Ireland, too, but he won't
do it without a square knock-down.
Benjamin F. Butler.
This distinguished friend of the South