The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-25
SPIRIT OF TRn PRzss.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current opics-Compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.

II
From the a. Y. Times
There is nothing surprising, nothing but
Just cause for respect and admiration, in the
enthusiasm which the hostilities between
France and Prussia have elected among the
Germans in America. They happily blend
affectionate attachment to the land they
have left with devotion to the best interests
of the land in which they live. Faithful and
valuable as American citizens, they yet re-
tain the heartiest concern in all that relates
to the Fatherland To them, therefore, the
war naturally possesses momentous signih-
canoe: the preparations for it have created
among them an excitement which will grow
more intense as the conflict proceeds. Their
reverence for order and their fidelity to
American law are, however, conspicuous even
in their ardor. They propose to render eff
cient succor to their countrymeu in Europe,
but of a kind to which the greatest stickler
for national neutrality cannot object The
sympathy which inspires them is demonstra-
i've, without being offensive to any class of
our citizens and the aid they are preparing
to render assumes shapes which commend
themselves to universal humanity.
The considerations which have contrib
uted to the outburst of German feeling in
all our large cities do not imply partisan ad-
herence to the recent policy of the Prussian
Government. Not Bismarck or King Will
liam evoles this enthusiasm, but the grand
idea of German unity. Whether Prussia has
been right or wrong in its treatment of
smaller States is not the question which
Germans now pause to discuss. It is enough
that, in the quarrel with France, Prussia
represents German nationality. The designs
Of Bismarck, the temper of the King, are as
nothing compared with struggle begun by
France for the achievement of ends which
every German has learned to detest, and, on
the other hand, maintained by Prussia as the
central figure in great Germanic Confedera-
ton. every part of which seems likely to
render the heartiest possible support. The
enthusiasm witnessed here should, then, not
be mistaken for admiration of all the pro-
ceSses by which Prussian power has been pro-
moted. 1t represents, rather, the cause of
German solidarity, whose basis is an idea up
permost in every German mind
The only mistake Of our German friends in
this country is the uon- recognition of SINH
lar feeling on the part Of Frenchmen. Napo-
leon is assailed as individually, the aggressor
He is abused as though by the mere force of
his character he had plunged France into war
against the will of her people, Few opinions
can be more in conflict with the facts. Napo-
leon may have earned all the epithets that
are showered upon him, but in this matter
his policy appeals to passion which is
rooted in the heart Of every Frenchman.
The Rhine as boundary is one of the ideas
which control the policy of France, and q
conflict which makes possible the realization
of the idea stirs into unwonted life the blood
of the nation. There are multitudes of
Frenchmen who have no love for the Empe-
ror, but who are not whit behind the Bona
partists in their zeal for the war. The
unanimity of the German population, here
and in Europe, has it's counterpart in the
unanimity of the French people 1t is not
King against Emperor-the Chancellor of
the North German Confederation against the
French Minister of Foreign Affairs but one
great nationality resisting, or assailing, an
other nationality not less great. 1t is people
against people-one idea making war upon
another.
This statement of the case renders apparent
the duty of our Government, and justifies the
impartiality of our people. The official duty
would be the same were the contest between
an overbearing monarchy and feeble repub-
lie. President Grant would be bound to
observe the same neutrality were France at
tacking Switzerland, were Russia reviving
not-forgotton atrocities in Poland, or were
England playing the oppressor in insurrec-
tionary Ireland. But the sympathy of
the American people would be enlisted
on the weaker side, and there would
be public meetings to denounce the tyrant
power. In the present instance we
are not called upon to take any formal action.
There are many reasons why the preponder-
ance of personal feeling may be expected to
be in favor of the Germens-there are none
that should induce us to assume partisan
attitude, and certainly none that can justify
party organization in attempting to manu-
facture party capital out of the enthusiasm
which alike animates Germans and French
The gorgeous folly which led the Union Re-
publican General Committee of this city to
parade its Endorsement of the Prussian cause
is inexcusable, because unsolicited and un-
provoked. Our German citizens respect too
loyalty the position and obligations of the
Government to seek its departure from a
neutral course; and they understand too we'll
the sincerity of politicians to be influenced
by worthless resolutions, or speeches that
signify literally nothing.
Besides if the Union Republican General
Committee may formally espouse the cause of
Prussia. why may not the Democratic Gene
raj Committee espouse the cause of France ?
There is large Irish vote as we'll as large
German vote, and Irish sympathies are all on
the side of France. If the demagoguism of
the Democratic party contrived to outvote its
common sense, we should have series of
resolutions setting forth the opportu-
nifty which general war will afford
Napoleon for humbling perfdious
Albion" and redressing the wrongs
of down-trodden Ireland. We might
then anticipate fall campaign controlled by
European issues; sympathies with the distant
combatants would supersede political princi-
ples the strife of France and Prussia en- the
battlefield would be reproduced in the strug-
giles of Democrat and Republican at a New
York polling place. That is the state of
things to which the precedent set by the
Union Republican General Committee clearly
points; and we can imagine nothing more de-