New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-23

stayed-was a great compliment to Lord Russell TIC
rose, he said, to for copies of correspondence
relating to the Peace of Europe, between Englah"
and GERMANY Austria Russia and France. From
his rural retirement in Pembroke Lodge he had op-
served signs of hostility, and he wanted to know
whether they were the subsidlng waves OF pass
storm the omens of a coming tempest LUIS
nautical metaphor cannot have been suggested 10
Earl Russell by actual recent observation. Penn
broke Lodge true. is stuateda at no great distance
from the banks of the Thames, but at point when
commerce does not reach nor ocean pillows dstu'o'
1t is clearly dim reminiscence of his naval expert
ence He had read Field Marshal Won Moltkes state
ment that Germany would need 30 years to consol-
date the victories she had won in five months. lie
had also been told by well informed people that
the whole French army. from the highest Marshai
(who happens to be President of the Republc) down
to the lowest Ensign there none) were deter
mined on revenge for their defeats ana 10 ha'o
Asace and Lorraine back again. Would LORD Derry
be so kind as to let him know what he though'
about it--whether. in fact, Pembroke Lodge was
in immediate danger of invasion or notf This latter
fear was not expressed by Lord Russell and perhaps
not even felt by him, for he went on to say tha'
if those people on the Continent had an IDEA
of breaking the Peace of Europe again, it would DO
desirable to know whether Her Majesty's Govern
ment would take measures to preserve 1t. FOR MS
Lord Russelrs part, he convinced that such was
the vast influence of England in the councils OF
Europe that she could enforce peace II she wouIu'
Tho people of England left to infer that, II the
present Government do not feel themselves equal To
keeping the Gar, Marshal MacMahon, Prince Bis
marck and those other unruly persons quiet, an III
dividua could be found equal to the task Letters III
the handwriting of the applicant would be addressed
from Pembroke Lodge to all the persons above
| Il 1nf hafn
know what to do with il when they get it,
Now if this latter proposition had been distinctly
stated and not left to conjecture, have no doubt
that the matter would have been settled at once
am certain that the persons named land Others IN
similar positions who might be named would ut
once enter into any engagements that might DC
required Of them rather than receive any more
letters from Earl Russell. / mean official letters,
because official letters cannot safely be put
into the basket unread. 1t was, no doubt,
Earl Russell's mOdesty which prevented HIM
from clothing his suggestion in plain words.
1t is that quality which has kept him
back all through his long life, and prevented HIM
from asking for Office for himself or for any
of his relations But for this indeed several of the
Russes might now be holding places of dignity and
emolument such less deserving persons still ENJOY
in this decaying kingdom, quite unhampered by the
performed for the money pocketed. Could Lord
Russell only have overcome this constitutional shy
ness of his, all other difficulties would have
vanished. In the circumstances, Lord Derby
could only reply that he was aware there had
been war between Germany and France, III which
the latter had been beaten, and naturally did not
like it, but that he hoped there would not be
another, at least for years. He added, unhap-
ply that so far as immediate appearances CO. there
is no serious cause for apprehension, which CONT
mental writer's still unaccustomed to English indie
pendence of speech, interpret TO mean that the
serious cause for apprehension cannot, IN Lord
Derby's judgment, be very remote. Leading jour
mails of France and Germany have been specializing
seriously for three or four days what Lord Derby
could possibly have in his mind. They wonder still
more why if he have anything, he should hint at
it-above all, why he should answer Lord Rus
sell at all That noblemans talent for meddllng
and muddng, to use Mr.. Disraeli's phrase was
exeTted at more Inopportune moment French re-
sentiment, though of course alive, has of late been
under better control and their newspapers have this
wear talked rather less exasperatng folly about Ger
many than during last year and the year before.
Why could not Lord Russell let it alonef And why
should Lord Derbys usual prudence desert him on
question so critcali Lord Russell has been long
Oh the stage that he would, think rather return to
it to he hssed than not return at all The glare OF the
footights is a spcno to be shaken off Lord Derbys
defect of imaginative power has led him into all
indscretOn, which, to do him justice, he but seldom
commits. Well as he knows Europe he fails to make
allowance for the supernatural sensitveness of the
French, smartng as they are to-day not only under
defeat, but under daily consciousness of lost
prestige and lowered position. Lord Derby's speech
is-thouph it was not meant to be-a challenge
which France cannot yet answer, and she VIII be
sorer because she cannot. Europe knows she can
not yet great is the strain OF the situation that
the mere stir Of the spoken words sends stocks
tumbng every continental exchange. In no
event could such discussion as Lord Russell pro-
vOked do good in event could II fail 10 do harm,
and the only question is how much. G. 5.