, 1880-08-21

man disaffection by making any concession
before having been put under cons:ralnt
by the demonstration. The problem is
what choice it will make. Meanwhile the
collective demonstration has produced un-
easiness expressed by nearly all parties.
Some are really frightened, while others
pretend TO be so 10 order TO discredlt the
Government. The Irreconcilables, as wei!
as the reactionary organs, are in the latter
category, making the proposed demonstra-
ton a handle for attacks on the Govern
ment. This was to be expected, but what
is surprising is to find papers friendly othe
Government deprecate the demonstration
as dangerous for France. They fancy
that Prince Bismarck is preparing for
some diabolical scheme, aud that France is
in danger of falling into a trap, recalling
the documents penned by NJ. Benedetti
under Prince Bismarck's dictation. "What
will happen" said a patriotic Frenchman
to a diplomatist, III the TURKS, for instance
fire on a French vessel aud kill several
men? The vessels of the other Powers
will 60 off to Mexico, leaving France sad
died with a war, the results of which can
not be toreseen." "But why" was the
reply, " should they fire on o French
vessel rather than any Others If they
fire, it will be considered an act of hostili.
ty against all, aud all will resent it. Elf the
solidarity ceases, france will march off,
subject to obtaining satisfaction in some
way or other" Such is the uneasiness
here even among rejecting men, to be
accounted for only by national nervousness
tae to the war OF 1870. Frenchmen were
previously rash they are now nervous,
and this extreme must be combated. [
heard a French statesman say some years
ago, II would rather see France at war
with all Europe than enervated much
longer by the remembrance OF her diSas-
ter" and what is now happening is a
striking commentary on this remark. The
prospect of common action with all the
Great Powers alarms some, who fancy it
is a trap laid for France, as though Europe
would become the accomplice of some
mysterious design against France. The
result i, that the Temps, the reputed con-
fdant of the Quai fOrsay, stated q few
days ago, in order to allay French anxieties
tia, in 30 case would the demonstration
go beyond q purely platonic character
This article must have delighted the
Turks, who must have reflected that
thenceforth it was quite immaterial to
them whether the demonstration was
made or not. To diplomatic circles, on
the other hand, people cite 3 remark by
M. de Freycinet which bespeaks q real
diplomats I, and is quite contrary to the
theory OF the Temps. "What should now
be done," M. de Freycinet is represented
as saying to a foreign Minister. ''is to OBJ
serve a menaciug silence towards Turkey
This hits the mark, especially as Turkish
diplomacy has never been at more pains
to discover the inmost intentions Of the
Powers, for on these will its conduct be
based. aud what most disquiets it is
exactly the " menacing silence spoken of
by NJ. de Freycinet. Amid all these
uncertainties and contradi ctions, the most
striking thing is the increasingly marked
tendency of Ministerial papers to induce
France to withdraw from the proposed
demonstration. If the Greek question has
reached its present position. the conduct of
France from the Congress downwards is
chiefly the cause of it, for all the other
Powers Were reluctant to accord to Greece
anything positive or to insert her claims
in the protocol. 1t was France who put
herself forward as the champion of Greece
and has gradually made this a specially
Erepch ouostion-indaad this Greek husI.