The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-17
evening State gournal.
Political Lessons of the French-Ger-
man War.

man, endeavors to account for the complet
overthrow of France, and points out i
y effects upon European equilibrium.
With proper insight he shows that th
causes of French failure are not accidental
but "lie deep in the heart of French politi
cal society,"" and have been preparing 70
generations. Tho principle of government
has been enfeebled by chronic revolution
The principle of submission to established
authority has been shaken. A genera
belief in " the necessary instability
of all governments has infected thc
country. The rascal Bonaparte, whilst
he favored tho industrial advance
ment of the country, was chiefly
occupied with devices for sustaining him
self. He would undertake one war to
conciliate the revolution and then plunge
into another to conciliate the priests.
Now, he would lavish vast sums on the
| capital, in the hope to purchase the affec-
tions of the workmen Of Paris; and then,
to keep his hold on the pessantry, he
would set all the Liberals at defiance by
renewing the occupation of Rome. At
one time he would project huge arma-
ments 10 order to crafty the military pas
sions of his people, and make show of
resisting the aggrandisement of Prussia;
and then, for fear of irritating his peasant
supporters, he would leave his professed
measures Of reinforcement dead letter.
His military blunders are sharply exposed,
but they are now food for the derision of
the world, and need not be noted.
The feature of Prussian policy which is
strongly noted is the intense sense of
security which it displays, and here the
writer invokes the attention of Euglishmen
to the weakness of their own system, the
frequent changes in the war department
and the vacillation and contradictions
which embarrass its workings. lie OBJ
serves that there are free countries, as in |
the case Of America, where the govern
ment is stable, and the policy con-
consistent. There are de-
spotic countries, as in the case of |
France. where sustained and far
seeing policy is impossible. The fault
of the English sytsm is that with dy-
nasty absolutely secure, it artifcially i'm
ltates the vices of throne mined by revc.
luton and conscious of hourly danger.
The Marquis Salisbury is evidently of
,he opinion that war would display the
of the British system as signally
Is the weakness of the French En-
3ire was laid bare. He dilates on
he inefficiency of the defences of En-
gland, the misunderstanding with the col
mics and the imbecility of the foreign pol
cy Of the nation. The direction in which
langer Immediately lies he thus indicates
I'VE know not when he may be
involved in such a struggle for
xstence as that which has deso-
ated France. There are signs of an alli-
nee which shall add the vast hosts of {
sussia to the military power by which {
rance has been overwhelmed. If such
n alliance should take place, the reversal
{ our traditional Eastern policy cannot
all to be one of its results. Ifsuch events
Q impending, the crisis will be one of the
lost terrible through which this country {
as ever passed. But, in any cease, the
mes are past in which constitutional
'rupes can be allowed to hamper national
efenses. "He abandons the idea that valor |
nd unframed action can compete with q
,ience and discipline, and calls for large
nd well supplied army as ''the one condi- i
on of national safety"
1t will be seen, therefore, that the Eng
shman has not ward to say of the edu- I
stionaI system of Prussia, which has so
rgely contributed to her prodigious de- z
elopment. He does not include knowl- a
lge amongst the formidable elements of o
ational strength, and whilst pointing out e
lat revolutions in France have divided il
Id distracted the country, has failed to h
low that the excesses of French monarchs f
ave been invited by the ignorance of the "
sople, aud the excesses of the people in IL
volutions have been largely aggravated c.
Z ignorance. A general revolution in G.
ngland would be attended with atrocities a
osely resembling the horrors of 1892, O
I'd from analogous causes. The strength il
Prussia is to be found in the head as we'll a
in strong arms. knowledge in armor cl
IS overcome ignorance backed up by the R
lassepot and mitraileuse.
The New National loan. :"