The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-03
Republican Or to.saek s--rho Astitudo Of


Our dispatches from Europe again mention
the great diplomatic and military activity Of
the Russian government. Early last spring,
ere there was a sign of trouble directly between
France and Prussia, we repeatedly called
attention to the naannuvres OF armies going on
throughout the latter kingdom, and that, too,
while the remainder of the press, British and
American, seemed to ignore them. We now
remark the very peculiar attitude of Russia.
and find in it growing symptoms of far wider
catastrophe than has already taken Europe by
surprise.
The well known Russian organ Le Nord
has distinctly intimeted that the equilibrium
of the Continent, endangered by the culpabls
ambition Of ono Power and by the blind
obstinacy of another, must be secured by
the Intervention of State sufficiently strong to
make itself respected by both parties, and yet
not liable to be suspected of sympathy for the
passions or the projects Of one or the other.
This is plain and pointed talk. and, to back 1t,
we hear Of the Gear concentrating nearly five
hundred thousand of his best drilled troops
toward his western frontiers and summoning
his terrible Cossack riders to the field. Com
mon sense tells as that this muster is not mada
for the protection of his Prusshn neighbor,
since the utmost that France could hope to do.
for the present, would be to raise the siege Of
Paris. It Is not to shield Russia itself from
Prussian invasion, since the Northern winter.
which no foreign foe would dare to brave, ia
at the door, and, moreover, Prussia has NOT
completed the heavy task that she is unwisely
charging In France. The political wisdom Ok
Prussia, disguise it as she may attempt to do.
has been alarmed, and . rumor came weeks
ago from Berlin that in order to secure the
Cars consent to the Acknowledgement Of
France she was willing to give that potentata
the two duchies of Mecklenburg, and to
compensate the ruler Of these minor princi-
palities by forming the conquered provinces
Of Alsace and Lorraine into one grand duchy
under his immediate control, as governor or
viceroy. But there is another solution to all
this imbroglio, and 1t il comparatively close ut
hand. The secret Of that solution will be-
found in the memorable words of the Great
Napoleon, which we do freely into English
from the exact text Of his Memorial, written at
ST. Helena
''Ere fifty years shall have passed, said tho
imperial political soothsayer, France will be
republican or Cossack. Then, if my son be
alive, he will be called to the throne amid the
acclamations of the people. If he be no moro
France will again become republican, since no
other hand would dare to grasp the scepare
that he could not uphold. as
= The Orleans branch. although acceptable,
is too feeble 1t partakes too much Of the other
Bourbons and it will meet with the same fate.
should it's members not prefer to live the life
of simple citizens, no matter what changes
may intervene. Once again France will bs
republican, and the other countries will follow
her example. Germans, Prussians, Poles
Italians, Danes, Swedes and Russians will
unite with her in crusade in favor of liberty.
They will take up arms against their sove-
reigns, who will hasten to make concessions to
them so as to retain part of their old
authority; they will call themselves constitu-
tional kings with limited powers. Thus will
the fsudal system receive its death blow; Like
fog in the midst of the ocean it will vanish at
the FIRST rays Of the sun of liberty.
''But things will not remain there; the wheel
of revolution will not stop at that point; its
impetuosity will multiply Gvefold, and it's
rapidly will increase in like proportion. Whom
people has regained part of its rights il
becomes enthusiastically inspired by victory,
and, having tasted the sweets of liberty, it
grows the more enterprising in order to obtain
the more. The States Of Europe will for some
years, perhaps, be in a state of continual agi-
tation, like the soil at The moment which pre-
cedes an earthquake; but at last the lava
will burst forth and the explosion will termi-
nate everything.
s'The bankruptcy of England will be the lava
which is to shake the world and swallow up
the kings and the aristocracies, but will cement
the interests of the democracy by its eruption.
Believe me, Las Casas, in like manner as the
vines that cover the foot of Etna aud Of Vesu-
vius produce the most delicious vintages, 90
will the tree Of liberty become fixed and not
to be cast down when it shall have its roots
planted in that revolutionary lava which viii
bloom and flourish for ages! These may
seem strange sentiments for you to hear
from my lips however, they are really
mine. was born q republican; but destiny
and the opposition Of Europe have made me
an emperor: IpQY await ths fgtgrs; g
Such Vas the impressive Language, in many
places attaining the grandeur Of prophecy, in
which Napoleon, from the calm heights Of
contemplation, after having held the fate Of
Europe in the hollow of his hand, announced
the inevitable changes visible to him from tho
summit Ct bis political Psgah. The fifty years