The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-17

vlded with Suoh an advantage. Count Bis
marck went pretty far in 1866, but he hal at
least an historical or clinical theory to help
him to the persuasion that he was obeying a
higher morality than that of more scrupulous
politicians. He owes the world reparation
for having contributed to produce the doc
trine, different from his own, and yet di-
reotly descended from il, that the obligation
of promises between nations is a fiction and
chimera.
Professor Won Sybel, who was lecturing the
British public the other day on its failure to
apprehend the German feeling about Alsace
and Lorraine, has made it the labor of his
life to show that it is an error to suppose
France exclusively the evil genius of Ger
many. Germany, we are told by him, has
had two permanent enemies since their re-
spective appearance on the international
stage-France and Russia. 1t was Russia
which by her intrigues in Eastern Europe
paralyZed the efforts made by Prussia to stem
the fiery flood of revolutionary passion which
France in the throes of the First Revolution
was pouring over the world. II was uneasi-
ness respecting Russia which led the Prussian
Government into that alliance with revolu-
tionary France which first disgraced aud ulti-
mately ruined it. And it was the desertion
OF the European cause by the uncle of the
present Ozar which made il impossible for
Prussia to escape earlier than she did from
the depths of humiliation into which she had
been thrust by the First Napoleon. French
force and Russian fraud are thus declared to
be the twin sources of German calamity, and
the twin obstacles to German unity. And it
is certainly curious that the evil influence
possessed by Russia over Germany has always
been exercised not through direct aggression
on her interests but by distracting her atten-
tion to intrigues at once dangerous aud OBJ
scure, or by tempting her to share in iguoble
advantages foreign to her true sphere of am
bition. III Prussia was not sooner the great
Teuton1c power, it was because Russia seduced
her into making herself a Slavonic power;
nor is it possible to doubt that she will long
bear the burden of her Polish acqui-
sitions. II is all very we'll for Count
Bismarck to say that Poland is
dead and buried. While respecting the
maxim of the great moralist, ''Never pro-
phesy, unless you know" we may admit this
to be probably true SO far as armed revolt is
concerned. But Posen is not the less the
weak spot in the German armor. The next
age will be one of international theories, and
men will grow more and more sensitive to
their accurate application. Just as the annex
alton of Alsace and Lorraine will assuredly
compromise political liberty in Germany by
forcing it to contend against the innumerable
difficulties springing from the discontents of
q subjeo population, SO the possession of
part of Poland will always disfigure that ma
tional unity and compactness with which the
privileged classes in Germany hope that their
oountrymen will be satisfied in lieu of politi-
cal freedom.
Another gross temptation is now held out
by Russia to Germany. In return for it, she
is asked to connive at the abrogation of the
international code, and to renounce all influ-
ence over the destinies of Eastern Europe
Perhaps the most insulting part of the rela-
tions of Russia with Germany consists in the
oaricature of the German pretensions which
she offers to the world. Panslavism is a ira
vesty of German unity. The proteotorate
claimed over all Christians Of the Greek faith
is ludicrous distortion of the interest felt
by Germans in all the outlying fragments of
the Teutonic family. But the most CALLING
caricature of all is the ex-
aggeration of the Prussian morality of
1866 in Prince Gortschakoff's circular. From
moral law which permitted the most trivial
| pretexts to be seized for making the express
engagements of treaties bend to the great
object of consolidating German power, we
descend to an actual disclaimer Of moral law
and the announcement that promises no
longer bind nations, unless it is convenient
to keep them. The inertness of Prussia
under Russian influence gave Europe the
great war at the beginning of the century,
we have now to see whether she can be
bribed or coaxed into helping to obtain for
Europe perpetuity of truceless wars.