The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-09-15
THE FRENCH-PRUssIAN WAR.
Its Causes, Progress and Events

Register, will be found interesting to those
who have not been able to "keep up with
the European war. The facts stated are
reliable. The events recorded are brought
down to the date of the great disaster to
Napoleon at Sedan, which so suddenly de-
stroyed the Empire:
Since the late war between Prussia and
Austria, which resulted in the formation
Of vast consolidated German empire,'
with Prussia at its head, it was foreseep
that war between France and Prussia
must inevitably ensue. The French peo-
pie have for long period of time looked
upon the Rhine as their natural eastern
boundary, and it has been the dream Of
French monarchs, warriors and statesmen,
to plant the French standard on the banks
of that historic river. The French people
have been educated to look forward to the
time when, by force of their victorious
arms, the rich Rhine provinces would be
restored to France, from which they were
Shorn on the downfall of the first Napole-
on. On the other hand, Germany longed
for Alsace and Lorraine, French only since
the reign of Kouis XIV, and the popula.
tlons of which are, in language at least, as
much German as French. The hope Of
territorial aggrandizement, therefore, was
powerful lever to tempt both empires to
try the issues of the tented field. The
great question, however, rendered immi-
nent by the vast growth of Prussian en-
pire and Prussian power, was whether in
the future the policy of Prussia or d
France should be dominant in European
affairs. The former, inflated by its vast
successes, labored with indefatigable ih.
dustry to consolidate its empire and extend
the sphere Of its influence. The absolute
incorporation of Northern Germany, and
its Overpowering ascendaLcy over tht
southern portions which are yet nominally
distinct, in great measure due to the fa
seeing policy and decisive action of Coun
Won Bismarck, Prussia's Minister of State
fired the heart Of tho nation and led it t
believe that the bold dream of the hous,
of Hohenzollern might in the no
not distant future have another solution
and that the day might come when tn
shores of the Prusso German empire woult
be washed by the waves of the Adriatic a
well as of the Baltic and North Seas.
The statesmen OF France viewed will
jealous eye the unprecedented grOwt
and consolidated power of their heredita
ry foe. They saw that the issue must b
made at once, or the cherished hope G
France to possess their ancient Rheuis
provinces must be forever abandoned
They saw, too, that French preponderanc
in the affairs of Europe was imperilleC
and that if Prussia were permitted peace
fully to consolidate its power and absor!
as it would inevitably do, sooner or late
the Southern German States, France muI
sink to the rank of secondary powe
Impressed with these ideas, and moved b
their conflicting hopes and fears, both ma
tions prepared for conflict they deeme
inevitable, and awaited the hour whe
, chance or design would give an occasio
to commit to the arbitrament of the swOr
the solution of the vital questions at issu
between those two great powers.
THE OCCASION.
The immediate reason or excuse for IL
declaration of war by France, was the II
fusal Of the King of Prussia to accede I
the demands of France in relation to th
candidacy Of Leopold, Prince of Hohel
zollern, to the throne of Spain, and an a
I legged insult made to Count Benedetti, tb
French Ambassador at the court of Pru
sia, by the Prussian King.
SPANISH AFFAIRS.
As is we'll known to our readers, in Sci
tember 1868 revolution occurred
Spain, which on the 30th of that mont
resulted in the success of the revolution
lists, and the expulsion of Queen Isabel
l from Spain. Since that time several a
tempts at counter revolution have bee
made, but the provisional government hi
maintained its ascendancy, and the voit
of the nation, as expressed by the Corte
being for monarchy, the Spanish state
men have been anxiously seeking for
> suitable person to fill the vacant thron
Propositions were over year az
made to Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollerl
but owing to the strong opposition
France the project was abandoned, and {
" is asserted by the French government,
Il promise was given by the Prussian cou
in March 1869, that the Prince of Hohel
= zollern should not mount the SPANS
u throne.
}, PRINCE LEOPOLD Won HoHENzoLLERN,
/ heir of the youngest branch of the hou'
of Hohenzollern, of which King Villa
E of Prussia is the head, is the son of Prime
i Charles Anthony, who some twenty yea
L ago abdicated his rights to the SpaniI
throne. y He is by the mother
e side, cousin to Louis Napoleon; in r
, ligion, Catholic, a German by birth, al
holds the position of Colonel in the Pru
sian army. His elevation to the throl
q of Spain would have, in all probabilit
bound that country in close alliance wi