Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-07-13

The war.cloud which arose in the European
sky a week ago, seems to acquire greater
magnitude and to be ominous Of a coming
storm. Yet it seems improbable, aud well
nigh impossible, that there should be q war
between France aud Prussia, for so insiguif-
cant a cause as the nomination Of Leopold to
the succession Of the Spanish crown For
two years the Spanish throne has been ped
died in the royal markets Of Europe. 1t has
been offered to a number Of dukes and princes
but no one seems ambitious Of the seat once oc-
cupicd by Ferdinand and Phillip the Second
Difficulties Of oil sorts have hedgod the way
to the royal chair But at last Prim has
found an obscure German prince Of llohen.
zolern, to whom he has made the overture
Of lsabella's place, and as once the Dukc oil
Grammout, without waiting TO ascertain
whether the crown ha. any attractions foi
him, without waiting to learn whether Prus.
STA was interested in giving to him the Span
ISL succession, shakes the red hand of war
full Of It's thunderbolts at tne German coulel
Grafton, and threatens instant hostilities unlcs
King William interposes his authority an,
forbids Leopold to accept the offer Of Prim
Here now the case rests Prussia replies
that she has no hand IN the cauddaturc OF
lIohonzoIlorn, that be is not Of the royal fam
lily, that lac is of age and eau answer for himself
and that Prim is responsible. France de
mands a definite reply and positive assurance
that Prussia will put her foot on the whole
affair, and declares that she will wait only til
there is time to give the assurance, aud if /
is not speedily forthcoming, Marshal Lebuu
will take up his line of march to the Rim,
and disigrb the peaceful vineyards that ar,
ripening their vintage under the shadow o
the grim battlemcnts Of Ehrenbreitstein
She will tread the wine presses Of German,
till they shall run with blood
If it is true that Prussia has had no han,
in the nomination Of Leopold, as she AYERS
then she will have no difficulty in giyinl
France the assurance she desires But if sh
has connived at the measure, she will not, 0
course, yield to the abrupt menaees Of tn
Emperor And from the fact that the mill
tary officers Of Berlin seem to be very quie
and regard war as improbable we imagn
that Prussia has no interest at all in tn
Spanish succession 1t would seem as if thi
was Frenchy spasm. Paris is as excitabl
and explosive as nitro-glyccrinc and we quos
ton whether half dozen way, will not b
found out Of the embarrassments into whic
the Empire has been thrown by the passion
of the nation. Leopold may decline, tn
Cortes may refuse to elect him, Prussia ma,
forbid his acceptance, and France even ma
get cool before she precipitatcs the DEVILS
conclusion of war If it were not for tn
horrors Of such needless strife, we could al
most wish 30 see the arrogance and insolenc
of France chostised She has been lookin
with covetous eyes for many years to til
region of the Rhine. She is ambitious +
rcctify her borders on the northeast, aud ox
tend her lines to the Main. Savoy and Nice
which she ravished from Italy, do not satisf
her nsatiate appetite While we have Il,
particular wish to see Leopold ascend tn
throne of Charles the Fifth, we confess tina
we should like to see the exaggerated proten
sions of France ioicd and humbled. If sh
should precipitate war, we think the victor
at Sadowa would not succumb to the victor
at Soferno. Our sympathies, at least, woul,
be with Bismark against the Second Ma
poleon, as they were with Butcher agains
the First