Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-20
THE EUROPEAN UHECKER-



qualifications of its own members.n
THE EUROPEAN UMECKER-
BOARD.
A live American, writing from Rome,
Sept. 29, says:
/ suppose it is useless now to INQUIRE
whether the recent violent settlement of
the "Roman question" can be attributed
to the ex-Emperor's delivery of the Holy
Father as payment for the '1talan cen
tingent," that Napoleon expected or
whether King William surrendered the
Pope on condition that the aforesaid CON
tingent should remain in Itsly.
We are inclined to think that Louis Ma
poleon was out5id by the willy Bismarck.
Either would have offered Rome freely;
the former actually withdrew his French
garrison; but Bismarck bad bought up
Prim, as the Hohenzollern incident
proved, and Bismarck alone was able to
offer the glittering crown of Spain 10
Aosta as the price of Italian neutrality.
And SO the House of Piedmont, that
owed everything to Napoleon, abandoned
their patron in the hour of his need. Eyi-
IDENTIFY, Prim, and whatever influence he
holds in Spain, is in the Prussian interest;
and Italy has been bought body and soul
by the same ambitious power. The va
lidity of these transfers, and how far
they will be ratified by the Italian
and Spanish peoples, is another mat
ter. We doubt that the occupation
of Rome has appeased the Carbonari.
This move is more likely to embolden the
Republicans, who may upset the throne
of Victor Emmanuel as unceremoniously
as the latter has ousted Pho Mono. And
King Aosta's diadem is at best a crown
of thorns. He will be but the puppet of
Prim, and of Pim's master, Bismarck.
Prim's power in Spain rests altogether on
gold and gunpowder, bribery and bullets.
How long will it last2 The choice of
the Spanish people is a native prince.
Don Carlos; at least, he would rally more
elements of strength around him than
any other of the recent candidates. Even
the Oheanist, Montpensier, would have
commanded the tealty of larger proper
lion OF the people, than this strange Sa-
voyard. Perhaps Montpensier did not
suit Bismarck; we know he was distaste-
fulto the prisoner of Wilhelmshohe. Hence
We may gather that the influence of Prus-
STA in the rehabilitation of France will
not be given to the House of Orleans.
Indeed, we have many such negative in
dicatlOns of Prussia's desire for Bona
partist restoration. Prussia could wish
in the Tuilleries no surer friend of her
ambitious schemes, than Napoleon proved
until forced into this last disastrous war
by the revolutionary elements of Paris
And certsinly neither old Henry de Bour-
bon nor the Comte de Paris have thus
far developed any better chance than Ma
poleon, for succeeding TO the Republic
when it has run its course of inevitably
imbecility and anarchy.
But to the Russian complication. We
have. not looked for another war
Why? Because Prussia is indebted to
Russia for her neutrality, and will pay
the price, by sustaining Russia's present
demands. Because Itsly, notwithstand-
ing daily kilograms CHASING her with Eng
land and Austria against Russia, will be
found together with Spain, on the side
that Prussia takes. Because Austria has
not proposed to fight unless England does.
And lastly because the Euglish policy of
these latter days, is peace. She has had
enough of wars, enough of national debt.
Her role is to keep her vast manufacture
ing population busy, andmake what money
she can out of the needs of her neigh
bors. Besides, there exists in her ruling
circles powerful Prussian interest. Only
the revolutionary democratic element is
for Russian war, as diversion in favor
of the French Republic.
Thus the inevitable Eastern question is
doubtless postponed sine die, and Mr..
Fish's Alabama note will go to protest.
Startling as the notion may be, we suspect
a collision between Washington and St.
Petersburg. Ben Buffers recent war
speeches and the rumors of his early en-
trance into the Cabinet, become sugges
tive in this light
But we could almost wish this Russian
war hsd come off. 1t would have pre-.
cipItated the explosion of several hum
bugs that embaTrasS European politics.
The fiction of Italian unity would
have been dissolved. Spain might
have had an opportunity TO make
her destiny, free from foreign intrigue and
interference. France would perhaps have
been set on her feet, and her military re-
sources, which remain half undeveloped
through the corruption of the Empire and
the incspacity of the Republic, would be
once more welded in the cause of right
and law against might. And, not least
important to the peaceful progress of hui
manity, the weakness of the Prussian
military system might, by prolongation
of war, be demonstrated as palpably as
its temporary initial strength has been.
Such system, strain ing society at every
sinew, would be inevitably broken down
by lengthy struggle.