The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-05
Blood and Iron.


| blood aud iron. Certainly 40 far as Persis
tency in wickedness could entitle man
to E uch distinction, Bismarck was worthy
| of it. Human blood was in his estimation
merely one element In warfare, to be proVi'
ded iust like arms or ammunition, while
his policy was like iron in it's indexible
harshuess towards those whom misfortune
had subjected to his power.
The man of blood and iron was terror
in his time. He declared war on God and
His Church and on all good men. He was a
firm ally of the Evil One, soothing at reii-
gion, openly sustaining lofidelity and
crushing, so far as he could, all the finer,
holier, more ennoblipg impulses of man
hood And truly his war vas fiercely, pow
erfully waged for time. But, after all, how
short that time was, long as it appeared to
his victims, and now at the end of it, we
ind that God is there yet, the Church is
there yet, good men are there yet, more
faithful indeed than ever, while the man of
blood and iron is waning swiftly to his
final extinction.
And what has he accomplished for his
master, the Dewitt The transient pains and
sufferings of a persecuted people, and no.
thing else. The rock on which the Church
is built stands as mistaken by his rage as
the mountain range after a storm which
has shattered the forests along it's sides.
Blood grows corrupt and iron rusts away,
but the Rock of Ages stands forever.
Mr.. Bismarck's retirement comes oppor-
timely for him. The current of events has
drifted Europe out of his Influence, and
even his own country has passed beyond
his control. Destiny is stronger than Mr..
Bismarck ; the will of God is destiny. A
mighty current is setting in one direction
towards war-and it is impossible to
guess how any portion of Europe eau avoid
being swept into it's tide. In this great
drama the quondam bul!y-Bismarck-
would find himself no longer the CEN
trail figure. He would no longer dictate
the moves and might find the game more
evenly matched than in his recent march
through France.
Who can foresee the result of the war now
about to unfurl its black and mighty ban
merit Who can cay that the prestige of the
German empire will come out of that war
as overshadowing as when it shall enter
upon it. Will Germany then dominate
Alsace and Lorraine Z Will the union of
the minor States with Prussia still exist
in the Imperial formR
We suppose that Bismarck has serious
msgivings on these points and that he
would prefer to place the responsibility of
the immediate future on other shoulders
tuan his u" e. If Germany should side with
Russia, as seems inevitable, they could ex-
pect no allies except Denmark, Sweden and
Norway. Against them would be array ed all
the rest of Europe and good deal Of Asia.
England, France, Austria and Turkey, in
com hinNti"n with Italy, Spain, Belgium
etc, would be able to put a force in
the field that would probably set the
tide OF war Eastward. Germany would
form the great battle field and Mr.. Bis
maIck might find tho " blood and iron ~
rather more promiscUous than he had been
accustomed to.
He may escape the responsibility of a
desperate contest by resigniDg, but ne will
have to take some other plan to escape tie
responsibility which he has already Incur.
red by his impious malignity.