The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-17

of widening this intrinsic variation In the
natural cndowmcnts of various countries by
animositics and denominations. the mission
of the dawninr era is manifcstly to har.
monlc these differences by education and
liberty all over tho world. But all political
aud educational institutions arc dead fail.
uros, unless they tend TO curb the power of
the privileged few, and to promote the hap.
pincss Of the people nj large.
The new Republic in France, too, will
soon be doomed TO confusion and shame.
unless IL applies itself to cmaucipatc the
French pcasantry and laborcrs from the
curse of ignorance, and to consolidate tho
power Of the nation by elevating the culture
and the prosperity of all its members. The
degradation ofthe people, the Generalization
of tho upper and middle classes, and tho
bcnightcd condition of tho laborers c1nsti.
tuted the cause of NAPoLEoN's successful
generation, az well as of the defects Of
the French armies. Soldiers are drawn from
the people ; and the German people are edu-
Gated and the French are not. How then
could they hope to cope against an immensely
superior array of numbers as well as of
knowledgeH The secret Of success in our
civil wnr-was II not rather in the intelligence
and spirit Of the masses of our citizen
soldiers than in the prowcss Of one or the
other genernlS 1t is evident that nations
are strong and powerful only in proport on
as enlightenment prosperity, and the spirit
Of independence pervade the whole people
Under NAPOLEON, tht real estate specula-
tors stock exchange gamblers and moneyod
gentry of Paris took the place of the arts
tocracy of birth. Their supremacy was even
more noxous than the frivolty and reckless
ness of the old mobiles. 1t is difficult TO say
which was most disgusting, tho rottcnncss of
the fashionable world, the cowardicc aud
scrvility of the middle ranks, or the dcbase-
ment, ignorance, and superstition of tho
French Five Points. Tho professional
classcs-the journalists, the literary men, and
a few of the lawyers-sccmcd TO stand alone
In their protest against the general degrade
ton but they could hardly tell the full
truth without being subjected to persecution
Society controlled by vile, corrupt mon, and
facile, feeble minded, aud hearilcss women.
became ono putrid mass of debauchcry and
corruption and when the Empress, on tho
news OF her husbands captivity, fed in de-
spair from tho imperial palace, there was not
even one woman among the thousands who
had been pampered at the Tuilerics with
soul enough left to give parting blessing
TO the deposcd mistress of French fashion.
Nay, worse, the army. which had ever been
the boast Of France even in the direst hours
Of her misfortuncs, was infected by the gen
ernl Generalization No wonder that the
Germans are proud Of their superior civiliza
ton. The masses Of their people are edu-
Gated; their public service is free from cor
ruption; hard labor and unainching
integrity. and mental and moral
culture, are the order of the day
among high and low and so blessed
is this elevnting influence that not even all
the evils OF monarchy aud u semlieudal aris
tocracy can mar us direct.
Whatever may be the future compiled.
tons ofthe Franco-German contest this much
is certain, that the ruling classes all over
the world are sternly admonshed by the col.
lapse oftheir fellows in France to pause in
their selfish and grasping career, and to do
justice to the masses of the people before
they too are overtaken by provilcntial jus
tice, like the Emperor BoNAPARTL and his
innumcrable parasites