Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-01-02

lYrom lhe New York rribnne.l

tFrom the New York Tribune)
Its time that we began to accus-
tom ourselves TO the appearance Of
the figures which together indicate
the year just before US, and which
must soon be inscribed at the head Of
every letter, borne on the front of
each newspaper, and printed on the
cover of every monthly and quarter
~. So let US, for few moments,
look ahead and see what tho New
Year is likely to bring us.
We are TO choose u President in
1872-sO much is certain unless, in.
deed, there should be more than two
candidates, and no one receive clear
majority of the Electoral votes in
which case the President would be
chosen by the House of Representa-
tives in February, 1873. AS, howev>
er, there is now no probability of q
triangular or quadrangular canvass,
we may confidently assume that, af
ter infinite effort aud struggle, strife
and noise, calumny and vituperation,
the choice of President will be
made in November next by the Peo-
pie, and ratified by the Electoral Col
leges on the first Wednesday in De-
cember following.
The year just before US is not the
centenary OF any great event in mod
ern history. a hundred years ago,
our fathers were still somewhat an
grily resisting the arrogant claim of
tho British Crown and Parliament of
Unlimited, unbalanced power to tax
them without even the formality of
asking their leave but only the dis
corning few as yet foresaw the blood
shed that was then imminent. One
hundred years ago, peace was very
general in both hemispheres, except
that the Partition Of Poland among
her three powerful neighbors had
been decreed and initiated And now
it looks as if the next great war inEu-
rope would be fought between the
Powers which perpetrated the gigan-
TIC crime and upon the plains so often
redeemed with the life blood of its
victims.
France seems smothered but not
sleeping volcano, Just ready to vomit
flame aud ashes, yet not likely very
soon to trouble the repose of her
neighbors. That her present cannot
last through the year, is safe pre-
diction; but who can tell what FASH
ion of monarchy shall supplant the
doomed Republic? The priests and
rudcr peasantry would have Henry
" if they could; the Army officers
prefer Napoleon ILL.,; the manufac-
turers and shopkeepers lean toward
the House Of Orleans the workers
for wages constitute the main
strength Of the Republic. That Theirs
will soon cease to BIO President, few
doubt; beyond that, all is blind con-
lecture.
Great Britain seems to be gravitat-
ing toward a republic in fact if not in
name but the obstacles to be encoun-
tered are gigantic. Among Christian
countries, there remains no other
whose social structure is so essential
~ aristocratic as hers. A hundred
families own half her immense
wealth the greater portion of her
soil belongs to much smaller nuns
Der. A social revolution in the Brit
ish Isles may DO the bloodiest and
most destructive the world has yet
seen. 1t can hardly be initiated
while the National Finances remain
as sound and hopeful as they now
are and majority of the rural ten.
antry continue attached to the feudaI
lords by tie of common interest
yet the day of strenuous effort for q
radical upturning in Britain cannot
be far distant. Tho union Of Church
and State is probably the next bull
wark Of aristocrscy to be assaulted
and subverted.
Spain has made more progress to-
ward daylight during the last ter
years than any other country. Til
lately thrall of higotry and imbe
ellie despotism, she has to-day lib
eral constitution and 3 parliament
airy regime, and is rapidly gaining in
popular intelligeno and popular pow
er. Her fearfully disordered Financ
es and her enormously over-general
cd Army are the chief remaining OBJ
stacles to her complete renovation.
Italy is no longer chaos of nomi.
nally independent but impotent state.
and Of foreign provinces, but liner
al kingdom of twenty-five millions
rapidly growing in cohesion, intelli
gence aud strength. More newspa'
pers are issued weekly in any quar-
ter of her area than in the entire pen
insula twenty years ago. She needs
but peace and policy which shall
serve to develope her material re
I sources to render her, by the close o.
this century, one of the Great Pow
ers of Europe.
Germany is to-day the stron gesr
and most influential among thos,
Powers but her Emperor and hi
Prime Minister Bismarck are boil