The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-01-04
French Circular.
The Government Of the National Defense has
addressed tire following important Circular to
the French Diplomatic Agents abroad

4tll O. september last, las addressed 10 IN
Diplomatic Agents Of the Northern Confedera
ton two oirculars, calculated to Justify in tn
eyes Of Europe the exsciing demands Of Prussia
Tbe arguments of the Chancellor, which he after
wards repeated al Ferrieres in his conversation
With NJ Jules Favre. convey in substance, that j
Prussia has desire TO annex territories, it is no
u The spirit O. conquest but solely to assure t.
Germany lasting peace, and to guard her agains
the attacks which il has been at all times the
o5jsci Of France 70 make. He wishes. he says
% shelter Germany from the incursions Of
wariike neighbor, whose ambition has DO. ceased
fo- centuries from menacing the security and in.
dependence Of the German people. 1t is not the
FIRST tine that NJ. de Bismarck ascribes to those
whom be wishes to attack the very projects
which be himself enieriains. We can not admit
either the premises which he sets forth. or
the consequences which he deduces therefrom.
France Is not what be wishes to make her. A
hasiy glance at her history does not permit this
Judgment Of her. Let Us take facts. and INQUIRE
what France has been aiming at for the last
ceutury-a period sufficient to become acquainted
with the spirit OF a nation. Ii is the duty of
nations TO remain bound by their past policy.
BAT this obligation only pledges their honor. and
progress for them would be a word devoid of
sense II they were condemned to travel always
IN The groove IN which interests lost sight Of or
passions hereafter without object obliged them
France Of to-day no more resembles the France
governed by Louis XIV than Germany of to-day
does the Holy Empire. The war Of conquest
was. Al tha; epoch If not the right, at least the
common practice Of Monarchies. The Revolu-
tion Of l7s9 had as its result political change
peace is a condition necessary to liberty France
made for herself new ideal; sufficiently strong
henoefOrth TO be independent. she sought less to
domineer over the people than to enlighten them
by her example. That which she had Just ac-
oomplished in America for the United States,
she was ready 10 re-commence in Europe. Who
endeavored 10 extingush the light which she
thus shed around her who rose up in arms TO
arrest 10 its first fight the genius Of the French
RerolutiOng No ingenuity of language no his
tOrical cavil will prevail against this fact the
Revolution CT 1859 opened up a new era and
broke down the traditions of the past Prussia
was the FIRST to fight against r.
From the invasion Of 1892 dates the beginning
Of those fatal nvalries which were eventually to
bring about the present calamities. France re-
pulsed aggression but she was carried away, we
Acknowledge it, beyond legitimate reprisals. She
had suffered cruel injuries she allowed herself to
be overcome by the intoxication of victory
Jena was revenge. Leipzig and Waterloo fol- |
loved, and reminded the French that if it is |
permitted people for time to renounce their /
own Independence, they can not with mpunity
strike blow at that of other nations.
France, however. recovered from her disasters
and reconquered herself. From the moment at
which il became impossible to engage her with
ont her consent what war has she provoked? |
Where Is seen that spirit of ambition, and eager
ness after conquest which NJ de Bismarck at
tributes 10 Us? Who. more than we, during
these bountful years, has contributed to the
Of peace in Europe? France had
already paid dearly for the faults of the first En-
pre- However much modern opinions were yet
Ieitered, their influence was felt more and more
10 the foreign policy Of the country. Whereaer
here was people to deliver, liberties to defend,
! moral grandeur 10 acquire. France was found
-eady. The Restoration battled for Greece
he Monarchy Of July insured the independence
y Belgium. and those ideas were so firmly fixed
4 this period in the consepce of the nation that
be second Empire understood that hencefSfth it
must think with them. and proclaim loudly that
{ brought peace. France believed it. The Em-
lire- however, had need Of military prestige and
ought IL But the wars which it undertook had
character far different from those of Napoleon
T. for If il (tbe second Empire,) at times stemmed
be pacific current which the nation was bent on
ollOwing. it did not reni asunder the principles
Thiot the nation had adopted. In the Crimea.
rance, 10 company with two free peoples, fought
Or the Independence of Turkey. 1t was to de-
ver friendly nation that our armies scaled the
l lps in 1859. The Mexican adventure itself,
iamed and discussed so energeticay, and rightly
v the liberal party, could never have been ex-
lained but by means OF theories, chimerical it is
rue, bot which repudiated in advance all thought
{ conquest. What is there in common between
hese principles, consecrated by a practice of
nore than half century, under four different
egimes. and the policy of FIRE and sword
mich, since 1864, has been let loose over Eu-
ope, What act, or what promise of France
an make her answerable2 Who spoiled Den /.
n=rk openly forced Austria into war violently
nnexsd Hanover, Hesse, Frankfort, &c.l reused
Z EuroPels slumbering passions and shook it to
Is centre! France has only intervened in this
risis 10 hasten and secure peace
They talk Of the warlike ardor of the nation ,
nd of The petty jea,Ousies which the victories of
russia had excited. But Immediately after ,
'adoVa, at the time Of the irritating incident of
luxembourg, opinion in France was decidedly
eciared against war, and the German press itself
Fas obliged to acknowledge i; ; moderation was
ound 70 be on our side. When. finally, the war
roke oat in the month of July last, who could
eny that Prussia had done every thirg in her
over or the last four years to arrive at this end
throwing aside her political conduct, and the
Tiilful nO1-performance Of the Treaty of Prague,
be was formidaby armed and ready in eight !
avs 10 enter upon the campaign. Events have !
bOwn TO what extent her preparations. under
lken long ago, have been pushed on the con-
r1ry. II Is sell known how they had been neg !.
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