The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-28

stroyed the Emperor Napoleon. But the
spirit which Luther invoked with his rude,
frank, earnest, flaming rhetoric, was the spirit
which Bismarck invokes to-day. Luther Ia
bored to arouse the German heart against the
Italian He saw nothing but treachery and
crime in the Italian nature. There was to his
mind neither honor, virtue nor piety in Rome.
The dagger was hidden under the cassock, the
poison was in the consecrated wine. Rome
was filed with devils, the chief of whom was
the Pope, and these devils had been
simply unclaimed to bring disaster upon the
honest, simple, unsuspecting German people
The student of the works of Luther will re-
mark his fidelity to this text his persistent
appeals to that spirit of nationality which has
never been dead in the German heart, and
which to-day, trampling upon Bonapartes and
Hapsburgs and Romanofs, passing through
the fire and battles of generations, at length
stands erect free and triumphant, embodying
for the first time in history an independent
German nationality. Luther's war ended in
the Reformation, one of the most remarkable
events in the ages, and its success showed the
wisdom of his fervid appeals to the pride and
patriotism Of Germany.
Prince Bismarck has, we can be very sure,
not studied in vain the history of his native
land, and if he now invokes the spirit which
Luthers eloquence awoke to furious and ire
sistible wrath it is because he would con-
solidate the German nation. We can see no
other reason. We shall not trouble our read
ers with any considerations upon the religious
aspects of the controversy. Frederick the
Great, the friend Of Voltaire and disciple of
free thinking, was good enough protestant
king" when an alliance with England was neces-
sary to his campaigns Prince Bismarck, who is,
above all things, statesman, and who cares
no more about special religions than Frederick
did, knows the value of the Frederick legend,
and would gladly appear to the world as the
champion of Professionalism and the enemy of
''modern Babylon" He will fight the Church
so long as it serves to consolidate Germany.
Once that the union of Germany is assured,
and we are satisfied that the Pope will have
an easy task in resuming his old relations of
concord with the German Empire.
Commerce With the Domin ion.
Our neighbors across the Niagara border
have been talking over commercial and
economical matters with reference especially
to the United States. The Dominion Board
Of Trade and some American delegates gath
cred at Ottawa and discussed reciprocity of
trade, canals, the tariff and other subjects
bearing upon the intercourse between the two
countries and their interests. Both the Ca
nadians and Americans favored reciprocal
trade, and it must be admitted that our citi-
zens living along the line of the Dominion
and trading largely with the colonists have
many interests in common. The States of
the Northwest are anxiously looking for q
cheaper outlet for their produce to the sea
and European market and the people of
the Dominion are ambitious to appropriate
that trade. Hence Mr.. McLaren, of Mil
waukee, expressed the opinion that Canada is
the natural outlet for the great trade of the
West, and that as a consequence reciprocity
would be mutually advantageous to the people
of his section and the Canadians. Such o
view being generally entertained by the gen.
tlemen present, the subject of charging the
canals and making new ones was, of course,
considered. While the Canadians and our
citizens of the Northwest are giving their at
tention to cheaper routes for their commerce
by the way of the lakes and St. Lawrence the
merchants and capitalists Of New York should
not be idle. There is no fear that any other
place can supersede New York as the great
commercial emporium of the American Con-
tinent, and it is certain the commanding
capital and established trade of this city will
outweigh advantages of other places, but it
may lose relatively in the struggle for COM
merce if necessary improvements should be
neg ected Cheap transportation for produce
and less cost and greater facilities for han
ding it are wanted. With these there need be
no apprehension of rivalry.
The AsHANTEE EXPEDITION view Of
the recent news from General Wolseley's ex-
petition, claiming complete victory over
the Ashantees, but announcing the speedy re-
turn of the victorious troops to the coast--a
report qualified somewhat by unofficial stories
of disaster-the letter from the HERALD cor
in Africa viii prove doubly inter
esting. Besides the graphic descriptions of
camp life on the march to Coomassie, and the
invaluable information in regard to the coun-
try and its inhabitants, the account of General
Wolseleys personal ambition and pledge of
conquest has an interest of its own. His skill as
q soldier has now been fully determined, what
ever the result of his expedition, and his repu-
tation viii rest upon his achievements in the
battles he has already fought Accordingly,
all that our correspondent has to say OF him
and his expedition will enter into the estimate
of his character, which must be made when
the details of his late operations are received.