New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-24
TONE OF THE FRENCH PRESS.

l
TONE OF THE FRENCH PRESS.
From the New York World
| The leading and oldest organ of tn
French residents in this city, the Courier de
Etats Cnis, is attached to the fortunes of tn
reigning sovereign of France, and neglect
no opportunity to make the fact apparent
Its leader Of yesterday, commenting upol
the actual declaration of hostilities, is en-
thusiastic. We translate:
| "wAR!"
| Alea jdetd est the die is cast! War is de
clared between France and Prussia and the
two greatest military powers of the worlc
are about to hurl themselves against eacl
other in a terrific conflict, of which the des
MES OF Europe are the stake. War between
France and Prussia means the most formid-
able collision that the ages have ever
witnessed, not excepting even those gigan
TIC battles Of the Republic and the first En-
| pre- which made as many wounds drip
blood as could be opened in the loins OF
humanity.
But let us for moment silence the tn
| multuous emotions that awake i'll us, IN or
der to contemplate the situation with that
GOODNESS and calmness which an hour SO
solemn requires. Two great nations are
about to rend each other until one OF them
succumbs. We scorn false patriotism, and
are free to confess that the enemy who con-
| fronts her is worthy Of France: that, far
from despising that foe, we regard her as
very formidable, and it is with lively emo
ton that we estimate the gravity of the
| peril to which the rude test that our cOun-
| try is about to undergo exposes us. But
Whatever our patriotic preoGfupatlons may
be, we do not feel inclined to utter harsh
reproaches and offensive accusations. The
conflict now preparing is, in our opinion, a IA
| tai necessity, which had to be met with resig-
nation sooner or later;it is the last instalment
| OF debt bequeathed to the present along
with the heritage handed down by mourn
full past. Unfortunately, in politics, inter
ests at stake easily become transformed to
the condition of anger, and two nations get
to fancy that they Getest each other when
they have in reality only mutual claims to
regulate. 1t is from this point of view, for
our part, that we look upon the struggle
that has begun between France and Ger
many: and, whatever may be the result, we
believe that the two nations may each, on
its own side, defend what from its point of
view it considers its right and its duty,
without ceasing to esteem one another for
the good qualities which distinguish both,
and for the services that both have rem
dered to humanity.
Such. too we trust, is the thought that
will guide other nations in their apprecia-
ton Of the combat that they are about to
witness To this end we appeal particu-
larry to the American people, not for its
exclusive sympathy, but to request OF it an
amicable impartiality which the old ties Of
cordial feeling that unite the two nations
give us a right to expect.
France has no hatred against Prussia; she
has profound atfnities and aspirations in
common with Germany. But France has
her legitimate influence to maintain, her
legitimate pride to defend: The treaties OF
1915 placed her in position somewhat dl-
minished indeed, but which, by balance,
more or less exact, OF the powers who at the
same time parcelled out Europe between
them. at least left her safety assured and
her honor unimpaired. There have been
many changes since then, but none which
seriously affected the equilibrium established
by the treaties; none that could be source
OF uneasiness or threat to France. Sadowa
came. and the advantages which Prussia
reaped were even accepted as the legitimate
and natural fruit of her victory. This situa-
ton. this completed fact, has been sane
toned by treaties and a new setting has
been given by common accord to European
policy.
France as no one will deny, has scrupu
lousy respected this situation; she has nei-
ther Impaired. nor sought in the slightest
degree to impair it: she has not, in any wise.
interfercd with the actien of the Pruss ian
government, or rather OF the Confederation
of Northern Germany, operating on itself
She has even stretched her patience SO Tar
and there, we think, she was wrong-as
to leave unexecuted certain pledges stipu-
lated in the negotiations OF which she be-
came the guarantor, when the execution of
those pledges concerned only third parties,
and did not directly interest her own honor
or her own security. But this patience was
made subordinate to one condition, viz
that Prussia would not extend her power so
far as to make ours undergo fresh curtail-
ment, relatively speaking, and that we |
should not have to behold the limits openly |
laid down for the ambitious tendencies OF !
our neighbor overstepped by successive en- ]
by occult and tortuous wiles.
We will not here retrace the marches and
of Prussia, her stealthy |
invasions, and her persevering attempts to
envelope within the circle OF her influence,
and even of her direct domination, nation
alities and sovereignties not included within
the region Of her recognized annexations.
We have but to recollect the latest intrigue
that she set on foot or, at least, favored,
and which was to deliver up eur southern
frontier to her in contempt of the rights and
traditions that make the independence of
the nation in question an essential condition
Of our safety.
In the presence of this eXorbitant preten-
sion. which is decisive manifestation of
the jealous spirit that anirnates Prussia:
France has but one position to assume, and
that is to demand guarantees against any
possible surprise in the future. Well, these
guarantees could be of but one kind. We
IAN not have our ears consinually on the
,lert to hear in what direction Prussia is
ligginc her mines. and it is out Of the ques-
ion for us to be on hand to check her every
line upon the verge finer cOvetous desires.
There remains to us, then, only to make
sure of an extension of our national bOun-
larry to compensate for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
II our adversary. Such is the meaning OF
he war now opening. The right is on our
,ide, the world can not refuse to see it, but
France feels it and that is enough. At this
lour the hearts Of all Frenchmen beat in
Unison. ITO the Rhine is the cry OF the
whole nation United as it is now, as it has
.lways been and as it always will be in any
.reat question of national honor and securi-
Y, it is invincible. May God protect our
rms. Vive la France.
TONE OF THE GERMAN PRESS.
Tho Ner Yorker Journal of Yesterday