The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-06-28
mThe Ra,tle Of Dorking."

The Tory pamphlet, first published in |
Blackavood. which has since had so wide
circulation in book form, begins to seem like
prophecy. 1t tells, as many of our readers
know ,sof the overthrow of England by rus
STA, the narrative protesting to be told IN 1870
by volunteer soldier concerning tine pa'tie'
of Dorking," which is feigned 10 TAKE pace
in 1875. The demand made by Bismarck on
England for HeIigoland, the British nation
being notoricusy unprepared to withstand
the great continental military power if
struggle should ensue, will add greatly to the
satirical pamphleteer's reputation for sagacty
aud prescence. 1t is hardly conceivable that
in the last half of the nineteenth century
even despotic Prussia, with its infallible EN-
peror King, its nvincibie army, and itsa ON
nipotent, omniscient Bismarck, should make
an occasion for war which in medieval times
would have been held Insufficient by an ORR
entail despot Yet it is just possible that the
power whose ruler committed such outrages
on the Republic of France with a plous up
turning of his eyes and an invocation of the
Deity on his lips, and who became more de-
vout as his purposes became more selfish and
the streams of blood wider and deeper, may
find his neighbours little vineyard sufficient
pretext for overthrowing, or attempting TO
overthrow, the only stable constitutional
power in Europe.
If the clash should come-if the all-con-
.quering Germans should allow Bismarck to
tempt them to a career of conquest-it would
be more than the fate of England that would
be staked on the issue of "the battle of Dork-
ing" Since the deposition of Bonaparte the
German prime minister IS the most powerful
and active supporter of Cesarism in the
world. His inspiration is personal devotion
to his sovereign. His political creed is based
on the dogma of the divine right of kings.
The chief characteristic CT his public policy is
contempt for constitutions and especially for
legislative assemblies. Identified with the
"Junker" party ADD with the German aristoc
racy from his youth, "Prince" Bismarck is
now the most formidable obstacle to the
progress OF democracy that anywhere exists
In acontest between Germany and Great
Britain the sympathies of this country, which
went out so warmly toward "insulted" Prus
sia last summer, until the events succeeding
the battle of Sedan revealed the true spirit o.
that nation, would be decidedly with Eng
land. However great al atrocity the exist
ence of an kEnslish landed aristocracy may
be, absorbing in its cruel ayarice the wealth
that should give comfort and intelligence to
millions, the English people are progressive
and their government is undergoing a SLOW
but snre ameloration. Justin Mccarthy tell
us that he finds that the intelligent artisan:
of the great cities are even ardently demo
cratic, having become so within the last few
years. If events go on as they have for tel
years past, England will be republic be-
fore the end of the century, without violence
without an explosion, merely by successive
notifications of the onstitution. But TO-
Prussia, under the Hohenzollerns and Bis
march there is no political progress possible
All that can be expected is the extension ant
consolidation of despotism. The visit of tn
Russian Gar to his imperial brother at Ber
lin is truly ominous to those European ma
tons where the rudiments of popular govern
ment have been adopted. If England shoult
fall before a combination of Eastern auto
Gratis, who knows but that the United States
too, might have to fight their "battle of Dork
ing?"