The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-07-26
THE RIGHT AEo WRONG OF THE MAT
TER
How Prussia has Provoked the War.


49,
The Hing of Prussia, in his speech TO the
North German parliament on the opening
Of the session, alluded TO the strug-
gle without which Europe can never be at
lasting peace This Is IA very candid com
meutsry on the situation, he policy OF
Prussia being what il Is, and the interests OF
France being what they are, war was InevI-
table. Even if il should be averted now
and nothing shor! Ct miracle could do it
the contest would have to be fought out al
some future time. Two very ambitious
powers are anxious to take theleading place
IN Europe. We do not now say which We
ought to 5ympsthize with. That is q matter
Of feeling and OF opinion. What we have
to dss with IS the fact that the war has
been Is Clearly foreseen by Count Won
Bismarck as By the Emperor Napoleon. 1t
Ii nonsense to say that Napoleon has taken
Prussia uns~ares Bismarck laid down
course OF action which it would require
years TO complete. and he has been steadily
pushing on his plans, well knowing IN what
quarters ne would provoke opposition. First
OF oil, Austria had to be cleared out OF the
way That was e matter OF no great ditii
Guilty. But that was not the end. France
had grave interests at stake, aad it was ouly
design she would step in and Interfere
Perhaps the Prussian minister did not anti
ctpase that the Spanish plot would be the
critical move-more probably he did foresee
II, and determined to provoke the unavoida
Die conflict on that very question. He mas
not been caught In a trap. He knew very
well that war with France would complete
his great project Q! German unity b.
bringing over the South German cOniadera
tim 10 q body-and he was content TO take
the risks OF a war q the price of this advan-
Iage.
Not Prussia alone. but the entire German
nation rises in It's full majesty against the
audacious man who presumes to trample
nations into the dust 10 crafty his princely
.ust.' Such is the language OF the preamble
to the resolutions passed last night at the
meeting of the Germans held in this citv
The "audacious man is, of course, Naso-
leon III. 10 other quarters tins opinion is
confidently expressed that the result of the
war will be to extinguish Napoleon. That
looks simple enough on paper, but il is
among the peeuliarities of Napoleon that he |
Is not easily ''extInguished IL is in his !
favor at present that the French people are
al his back, NOS to mention the possI biiity /
of Austria an Italy likewise ranging them
selves on his side. The support of England !
Is counted upon for Frussia-ne one can I
say with what Justice, for the foreign politics /
OF England are always muddle. England |
went into costly war for the purpose of
maintaining a Mohammedan prince in
Europe She gave her sympathies to the
southern states at a time when it was very
necessary for her future well being that she
should have supported the north. She
looked on and saw Denmark crushed, not
withstanding that q Danish princess is to
be the future queen Of England No one
would be surprised if she now decided to
make deadly enemies of her nearest neigh |
DO and her most powerful ally Prussia |
would receive her aid aud leave her to settle /
her own score with France
We are told that the cause Of Prussia is .
the cause of liberty. 1t may be so-we do .
not propose to go into that question at pres
ent. But Bismarck was not always above .
making terms with despotIsm. 1t was only /
the other day, that liberty of speech and of
the press was suppressed III Prussia. When |
she war against Austria was decided upon, |
1t mas been stated, and never contradicted,
that Bismark promised the Emperor Nspo
leon the Rhine provinces as the reward OF
his neutrality, The bargain Is saId to have
been concluded at Biarritz. The emperor
has waited for the fulflment of the contract.
and instead OF getting his promised spoils
he has seen Prussia endeavorIng to extend .
her protecting arms beyond the Pyrenees .
We say nothing of Hanover and the Elbe
duchies, for after all, they were German.
But there is such document rs the treaty /
Of Prague In existence, and instead OF fulfil /
ling the stipulations 1t involved, blsmark .
has treated it with derision. These are
among the causes of the war which hlstori 4
ans will have to consider, and which we may /
as we'll keep in sight now. We commend the
Yer mans here aud elsewhere for the patriot /
ic splrlt they are displaying. From their
n"'h' Oh view they are quite In the right.
AHey pursue course which is highly hon
pFao'e 20 them-only outside observers may
DE permitted to recognize the truth that
some excuse may be made for the present
feeling ct the French people. The two
great intriguers OF the age are now standing
with crossed swords. We as spects,era n,.S
sympathize with which we please b,t 81.
iart remains tina. both are seeking territorial
conquest. The lust of power is no, conf nod
TO either side. Nothing is easier tban 70
predict the overthrow Of Napoleon Ae,a.
him, however, France will survive 80
before she can be overthrown, we mus,
expect q war on a scale which even H.
blood stained century has never seen snr.
passed.
One of the most brilliant writers in Phils