The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-06-12
Was Napoleon Betrayed.
[New York HeraId. !

Was Austria really allied with France
for the war of 1870 and was her failure
TO participate against Prussia a breach Of
actual pledges and engagements2 Was il
the same with Italy2 There IL good rea-
son TO believe that these queries must be-
answered in the Affirmative, and II this
affirmative shall be established histori-
cally, il is evident that the fact must
change very greatly the views that have
hitherto been taken as to the error Of
Emperor Napoleon in venluring con
test with his terribly capable Antagonist
IL may prove after all that he was abe.
trayed, /" and was not merely blind and
fatuous. His "Oa ma laLi," will, per
haps, prove a diplomatic truth rather
than the mere maundering Of a broken
down intellect AZ it has hitherto seemed
In 1869 it was understood in Italy, in
France and in Austria, that If the ad-
vance Of Prussia, was not soon decisively
arrested it would reach a point at which
its arrest would be impossible; and a
treaty of alliance was entered into. Aus
tria, in the words Of dispatch Of Count
Beust, regarded the cause Of France az
her own" and Italy was satisfied on all
points but that Of the French occupation
in Rome, which was therefore put aside
from the negotiation. This understand
ing was revived anew by the Spanish
candidacy, and went so far az to fx the
point or a demand on Prussia and arrange
a general plan OF campaign. Prussia
was to have been called upon 10 bind
herself to assent to the peace Of Europe
on the terms Of the treaty Of PRAGUE,
and, of coruse, 10 execute that neglected
compact. Austria was TO put two hun
dred thousand men in the field by the
/ 18th Of September, and Italy was to place
sixty thousand men in the field early ia
the summer, and forty thousand more by
September Denmark was to cooperate
upon the appearance Of the French feet
upon the Danish coast. Austria assented
to the passage Of italian troops across her
territory for an operation against Munich
and if we imagine all this IN motion We
may see that William and his men Of
iron would have had their hands full.
Bismarck, no doubt was thoroughly
informed of the whole proceeding, and
assured the success of the war, for his
master by first knocking down this dip.
lOmatic house Of cards. Russia was re.
garded by the allies as certainly neU
tralized. So the prince thoroughly
frightened the great men of Vienna by
the shadow ofthe Car coming on behind
the Prussians. That dropped the fru
pin out of the machinery. Then he ad-
roitly played upon Italy's roman griev-
ance and another joint was weakened.
Then, as neither Austria nor Italy were
ready for early operations, all was to turn
upon what the French should do npon
the Rhine, and it was obvious at Ber-
lin that one or two victories over the
French at that point would end the war
before the other allies we're ready. Des-
perate endeavors we're made, therefore,
and Prussia, more nearly ready than
any other power, overwhelmed her enc
mics half collected forces by the blows
at Woerth and Wissenbourg. So the
alliance was broken up.
ave have reasons to believe" wrote
Won Beust to Prince Metternich, "that
Russia adheres to the alliance with
Prussia to the extent that in certain
eventualities the intervention Of Rus
sian armies must be regarded not cnly
probable but certain.
Under these circumstances, the word
neutrality, which VIC utter not without
regret, IS imposed upon US by an Im-
perious necessity" It was the shadow
of Russia, therefore, and those early
Prussian victories that isolated France.
but it removes something from the heavy
load Napoleon has to bear to have il es
tablished that we did not in blind folly
rush into a war with the Prussian col
ossus without provision for support II
is quite another accusation to say that
the provision was inadequate.