Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-09-21
Frnedorn or DespOtism.

lies nearest TO the hearts and hopes
of freemen in the Old aud New
Worlds. They are not interested in
the fate of men, dynAsties or empires,
only as human freedom is strength
ened by their fall. They care nothing
for Napoleon, for the Orleans branch
of the Bourbon line, for William or
Bismarek. disconnected with liberty,
freedom, equality To them it mat
ters not whether the boundaries OF
France are at the Rhine or nearer
Paris, so long as despot rules the
land, whether il be large or small
The extension or contraction OF terri
torial limits means nothing when hu-
man rights are in question. Nor will
men who believe that all governments
should rest upon the freely expressed
will of masses, see in the heightened
grandeur of Prussia under its presnt
system of rule anything to create an
enthusiasm in their minds. Suppose
Germany is united under a military
despolism, what will be the advan-
tages TO the people ? How will they
be gamers? viii theirvoices be heard
when laws are to be passed or DEGREES
promulgated Will n strong govern
ment bring any blessing TO their
hearths, homes or workshops 7 Will
they be raised nearer to those who
hold the purse and sword, to the men
who declare in what channel the laws
and ordinances shall rum If not,
then how can the masses profit by
victories gained by despc,sl They
fight the battles They are called in
to the field TO prop the fortunes Of
kings. They are slaughtered by tens
of thousands 10 order that one man
may put his foot upon the necks of
millions, and their brethren called up
on TO shout when Napoleon falls and
William rises, when France is turned
back in her career and Prussia pushed
on with accelerated speed.
But we repeat, the Republicans of
Europe and this country will not look
al The question in this light. They
will watch carefully the course of
events, as they point towards freedom
or despotism. If Prussia is willing
that France shall select her own form
of government, the laws TO govern
her people, the men TO execute them,
there will be something for the mas
ses to approve. But ii the Bourbons
are forced upon an unwilling country,
if France and Frcnchmen are cursed
again by restoration Of this family
TO power, then the victory at Sedan
will certainly bring no joy to the
hearts of freemen, no matter where
located Already the despotic organs
Vt Europe are declaring that pru"~ia,
Russia and England are considering n
treaty of peace 1t rests upon the res
toration of the Orleanists to the throne
of France, the establishment Of Ger
man Empire under King William, aud
the abrogation of all pledges made by
Napoleon to the Kings of Austria and
Italy. Austria is to be turned into n
mere province of Prussia, and Italy
treated as circumstances may demand.
If Prussia demands French territory
as a compensation for the expenses Of
the war, ancient Lorraine and Alsace
are to be turned over to William
These are the provinces most suited
for her purpose. United with Baden,
they would form convenient gov.
ernment for the Grand Duke Of Baden,
who is the son-in-law of the King Of
Prussia Lorraine is now represented
in France by the following Depart
ments Meuse, Mosellc, Vosges and
Meurthe. The first contains a popu-
lation of 3O5,540; the second, 446, ,457;
the third, 4l5,4s5, and the fourth,
42S,643 "a total of l.596,l25. In
Alsace there are two Departments
Haut- Rhin and Bas- Rhin. In Haut-
Rhin there are 5l5,S02 inhabitants,
in Bas- Rhin, 573,574 pcoplo-total,
l,00S,376, or a grand total in all the
departments of 1860, SOL Baden has
1865, POI, which united with that Of
Lorraine and Alsace, would give the
Duke of Baden 4,05s7O2 subjects, all
Of whom would be vassals Of the En-.
peror of Germany. If that general
arrangement is carried out Europe will
be bound hand and foot and turned
over TO unrelleved despotlsm. There
viii not be a hope left for Republican
ism in Europe The wheels Of pro-
gress in that direction will be reversed,
and men lose what rights they have
rather than acquire others. For some
years the leading governments of
Europe have been bending in the
direction of liberalism Russia, Italy,
France aud Austrian have made con.
eessions to the people. They have
aided the masses in getting nearer to
tho fountain Of power They have
lightened the chains by which men
are bound to the thrones of power
But the indicated current of events
flows now in an opposite direction
Capitalization is The leading idea. A
few great powers are TO rule Europe,
and this war is to be the lever 10 move
the machinery Of such a consumma-
ton. Against such a consummation,