The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-06-29
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Belgium.

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and Germany calls to mind the position
of the thrifty little kingdom which lies on
the neitheifia border OF Europe. This
trouble arusedrom the fact that the Ger.
man government complained Of the at
tacks made uponpit by certain Belgian
Catholic Bishops, and of. the impunity
with which the sexiled, German iJesuits
were allowed 70 plot against it,, under
Belgian protection. -
Belgium Is a young nation, having
been formed out of the ancient provinces
of Flanders, tBfabant and Luxembourg,
and made an Observation-Disclosures near
ly fifty years ago 1t was formerly ., a,part
of The kipgdom of Holland When it
was thus made realm by ITSELF Prince
Leopold. Of SAKE Cohurg, "a brother of
Qneen Victoria's mother was chosen its
first king and its independence was guar
anteed by the European powers, by the
influence, chiefly, of England. sno
Ever since, Belgium has been under
the special and watchful protection of the
English crown. The ties of relationship
between the royal houses,the nearness OF
the two countries to each other, the fact
that the Belgian government was mod
eled on that Of England, and the interest
|of England in having some convenient
foo.hold on the continent,haye made the
connection between the two countries a
very close and intimate one. 4
A year seldom passes that King Leo
pold (the son Of the first king Of the
Belgians) does not pay visit to the
court of Victoria; and the Queen has Of
ten visited her cousin in return. King
Leopold and the Prince Of Wales are in
innate friends, and the former is always
treated with especial attention by both
court and people when he goes to Lon
don. ] The military volunteers of the
two countries visit each other every year,
and the Belgian Minister in London is
rather an English courtier than the rep.
resenta.ive OF a foreign power. ~
Now Belgium is, for its size, the rich.
est, most industrious, most intelligent
and most prosperous of all the continen-
tai nations. More than seven.eighths OF
its whole territory-eleven thousand
square miles-is under cultivation. 1,
produces wheat, rye, barley. oats, fax,
hemp, tobacco and potatoes.
Besides its farming prosperity, Belgi.
um is one of the most busy OF manu-
featuring centers. Carpets are made
there, and lace, especially the pretty
Mechlin lace, with which our young lady
readers are familiar, cutlery, fire arms,
machinery, and linen, cotton and woolen
fabrics. Its cities are bright and pictar.
esque, its people are free and vigorous,
and its financial and commercial condi-
ton is excellent. aa.,;5
Germany has long been suspected of
a desire to annex Belgium, as well as
Holland and Denmark, to the Empire -
1t is the ambition Of Germany to create
a great and powerful navy; and the
coasts and harbors of these three little
kingdoms are admirably adapted for such
a design. Besides they have no small
military importance; and if possessed by
Germany, would form avery strong
frontier against attacks from England on
the one side, and France on the other, -
The addition, moreover of rich, thrifty
and prosperous population like the Bel
gians to the Empire, would give it com
mercial and monetary strength.
Fort these reasons England has always
jealousy watched every movement ol
Germany tending to absorb the little
kingdom, especially since, as result OF
the French war, Germany has become SO
powerful and so bold. For similar rea.
sons France would resent any attempt to
annex Belgium to Germany; and should
such an attempt be really made, ,nndoubt
edly Eng and and France would join in
an alliance to resistit by force of arms
q gItis this feature-particularly the facl
that England is fully resolved to protect
Belgium at all hszards-that has caused
Europe to view the demands Of Germa
ny on Belgium, and Belgium's resistance
to them, with fear and uneasiuess; fol
should war break out between the great
Empire and the thriving riches of Leo
pold, it would involve, perhaps, q gene
raj conflict, and would certainly bring
England into the field. ,,r