The New York herald., 1870-08-28
Tho Downfall Of Nnpoieon-spain, Prussia
and the Pope.

| what, IN lew words, were the causes OF tle
downfall OF the first Napoleon, replied, "Spain,
Russia and the Pope" And so they were.
The military power of Napoleon was crippled
in Spain; it was all but destroyed in Russia,
while the original devotion of the great body
! of the French people to the Emperor was lost,
to great degree, and his relations with the
peoples Of Austria and the Italian States were
turned against him, among other causes, be-
cause Of his harsh and cruel treatment Of tho
Pope. II Talleyrand were now living, and if
asked the causes of the downfall of Napoleon
the Third, he might truly answer, they are
Spain, Prussia and the Pope.
| When the revolution came off in Spain,
which sent Queen Isabella as an exile to the
hospitality of France, il was generally thought
throughout Christendom that in the recon
struction Of the Spanish government Napo-
leon would be the master spirit behind the
scenes; it was even apprehended that
the Spanish difficulty through the schemes
OF Napoleon, might result in a European
war; involving the whole Continent; but il
was never imagined in the wildests speculat;ons
OF the widest political dreamer tha. the
nomination by Prm Of German prince for
the throne of Spain, and a Bonaparte at that,
would be the downfall OF the Napoiconic
empire and dynasty or cause Of war TO
France. Ii was never supposed that the main
tenance of French army by Napoleon in
Rome for eighteen years. in the protection OF
the Pope in his temporalitics, was due to the
pious devotion of ''tte eldest son OF the
Church to the Holy Father; but there are
| very few of the faithful who expected that on
| the first convenient preteXt Napoleon would
| turn over the head OF his Church to the tender
| mercics of that arch hereto King Victor
Emanuel, and without any compensation
whatever to France.
BIT the downfall Of Napoleon in consequence
of the nomination by General Prim of Ger
man prince for the Spanish throne, and the
abandonment of the Pope to his enemies by
the Emperor on the first convenient pretext,
may now be called established facts in history
1t would have been better for Napoleon, and
doubtless better for the Pope, If that French
army had never been stationed in Rome;
or il it had been recalled with the original
expulsion from the Holy City Of the Garibal-
dian republicans in 1919, or with the
union Of the Italian States in 1859, under Vic
Tor Enamel or even with the incorporation
Of Venice in 1866. But through all these
years and all these events the popular aspira-
ton Of young Italy" for Rome AZ its capital
was held in cheek by Napoleon, until in 1866,
when the Incorporation Of Venctia, through
the triumphs of Prussia over Austria, turned
the public sympathy of Italy from Napoleon to
King william. Since that day The retention
of the French army in Rome has wdcned the
alienation Of the Italians from Napoleon, while
in adhering to his instructions from Paris the
gallant king" of Italy himself has lost the
admiration of his people. Through all this
long period of his armed occupation Of Rome
| Napoleon has only waited for the opportunity
| for another ccssion OF Italian soil to France In
exchange for Rome and the States OF the
Church. Now, after relinqushing Rome to
the care of Italy, he gets no equivalent, and,
in asking for the aid of Italy against his power
ful enemy in the field, he gets no response but
| that of a thankcss neutrality.
Thus, through his offensive and persistent
occupation of Rome, Napoleon has lost in
Italy an ally that might have turned the scale
in this war; and has left the Pope in anything
but grateful frame of mind to France.
Indeed, excepting the acquisition of Nice and
Savoy for his services in behalf of the Italian
union, Napoleon, in all his great schemes for
Strengthening his empire, has weakened il.
His Crimean war drove back Russia from Con-
stantinoplc, but the expense in men and
! money was enormous his Mexican adventure
| entailed a heavy loss Of prestige and cash,
and his schemes with Bismarck looking to the
Rhine frontier have resulted in bis ruin-the
loss OF his empire, family prestige. dynasty,
everything. In diplomacy he has been COM
he has been utterly demolished by Moltke,
whatever The reparations for Napoleonic blum
! ders that may yet be made by France.
| But the time has come when France herself
must relinqush her imperial r6le of master Of
the Continent. She need not expect again to
arrange the boundaries OF the German States
or the terms of ''the Confederation of the
Rhine )" nor to say to Spain that this man
or that man shall not reign over her !;
nor to say to Italy that she must
do this thing or that thing, or take
the consequences of her disobedience. Nay,
it is probable that the Pope having had
enough of the dangerous protection of France,
will hereafter look rather to protection from
Prussia, if Italy shall fail to deal with him
Justly. As Spain was disastrous blunder to
Napoleon the First so she has proved to Ma
polcon the Third; as Russia brought destruc-
ton upon the uncle SO Prussia has brought
ruin upon the nephew; and as the Pope, after
all the humiliations he bore from the first en-
pre, recovered his position with the En-