New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16


military reforms upon which he was so resolu'eAS
bent the humbling of Austria in the Seven weeks
War would have been impracticable, ana Ill all
probability Marshal penedek would have dlc'a'ed
terms to q vanquishcd Prussia at Berlin IN 'iis
case Bismarck violated the constitution out III ~
doing he not only saved the country LOT the
| time but made possible all the Vic'oiles "ni0n
we're to follow. and all the crystalzing processes
which proceeding from these successes, were 10
evolve n united Germany AS to the polcy OF
Franco in this critical period, Mr.. Fyffe makes It
vary cIoar tLot if became less and less normal.
Iouis Napoleon was never a man of genius, but
during the first ten years of his reign he certainly
exhibited much shrewdncss and political insight,
and il was rot for nothing that he got the name
of sphynx." But il has been too lmlericcuS
demonstrated in mos. histories oil his career 'hao
after this point in it he fell under the depressing
and generally disabling influence of mortal COM
nlant. and that while dangers thickcnins
about his dynssty-and dangers in many instances
clearly due to the gradual failure of his mind-it
was all the time becoming less and less possible
10 him 10 guide the helm of state Nothing is
more certain than that nj the outbreak oil the 1a'a
war of 1870 the Emperor was quite unfit for the
drt;cs of his nIace His will was weakened,
his Judgment dullcd, his perceptions diinmed; his
physical energy all but extinct. There is aoun-
dant evidence that during the last days of the
Empire he acted like a man in a dream, and that
when he reached Wilhelmshohe he was no longer
in condition to form an intelligent Judgment Oh
any kind
obviously il is necessary to take this into &C
count. for while it may he said 10 have only an
indirect hearing upon the events which led up 10
the catastrophe of Sedan it clearly has an indirect
hearing of TO slight consequence, and its bearing
upon the causes of the and the causes oil the
French unpreparedncss for the war are ny no
means indirect. The corruption in Official circles
which paved the way for disaster was no douoV
incidental TO the methods OF the Second EmPuc'
and for these the Emperor must be held RESPONSE
bic Such colossal treason rs Bazaines, however
could rot have been foresccn or guarded against
and though without that the war would pronapy
have ended in the same way. 1t Is also propaple
that the losses 10 France would have been much
less Napoleon's mental failure was, moreover
shown in his illusion concerning foreign alliances.
He seems 10 have believed that he had assurance
Of Austra's support when lie declared war. ana " .
have thought il still possible TO secure the active
help of Italy. though in both cases promises ana
cnar,rtccs were equally wanting The crisis of
France proved the opportunity of Italy ana OF
Russia. however. Tie first obtained Rome the
is severe upon the Eastern policy Of Lord Beacons-
field. whom he appears TO regard as an impractical
Visionary filed with romantic delusons resting
rosn imaginary premises This view is unden!-
allv >,nportcd 10 some extent by events. II must
hc ad.l;icd that Bcaconsiclds ideas as expressed
in ;hc policy Of his Administration, have nearly all
rro,c1 fallacious. But il seems no more than lar
10 recall the fact that a. the time Of the Russo
Turkish War few # any English statesmen can be
said TO have understood Balkan politics or TO have
made snch a study OF the races Of those provinces
IS could help them 10 really intelligent conclu-
sons on the course to be adopted.
Mr. Fyhc is Of opinion that the Austro-
Hungarian drama is not vet ended; that while
the events which forced Austria ont Of German
politics tended to strengthen the union between
the German aud Magyar states Of the Empire.
the policy since pursued by tic Hungarian leaders
has been of a character 10 cNacerbatc 'hc previ-
ousv existing animostics between Maryars and
Slavs. and thus to create a state Of I'M
stable conditions. which is liable 10 pro-
duce mischicvous consequences. Hungary. a.
cording 10 this view. hes not learned wisdom
through suffering nor lihcray through opprcs-
sicn and instead Of attempt o.. TO concil.at" those
who may 50 easily lc turned into active and formi
able enemies. she continues - feed fat her
then are thc germs of fresh troubles the issue OF
which it is of course impossible TO CONJECTURE.
Mr.. Fync's general survey - Europe from lsis
u 1873 is on the whole sanguinc. or to DO more
precise the impression conveyed by his deductions
from the history Of tic period is encouraging.
He is not of those who hold that Franc" was bot
Ter OF under tie Empire than under the Rcpub-
lie. He takes duo note Of The steady growth
Of conservatism in the country: Of that concern
for law and order which must eventually tend +
strike ont a path equally removed from absou'
ism on tie one hand and anarchy on the other.
If nations always profted by past experience. 10
doubt could exist on this head, for assurcdly
France is ;he burned child who ought. according
to the prOvcrb, 10 dread the fire. But history
shows that new generations rarely heed the lc.-
sons Of the past and if the French people seem 70 be
advancing beyond TIC limits Of their old poli'-
cal fckleness il i because they have learned flr
them.elves the bless ngs Of ordered democratic gov
crnment. and have seen with their OWE eyes what
comes Of fostering chaos.
There is one common weakness Of historical
writer's from which Mr.. Fyne is conspicuously
free Infaiblity and omniscicncc are the too
frequent foiblcs Of those who undertake the fnnc.
tons of chroniclcrs and critics. This author.
however is invariably candid and modest enough
- admit his ignorance when he does not cONpic-
bend a question. Now, there several thing,
in the history OF the period he treats Of which
have hitherto haIicd all efforts at thorough cX-
planaiion. 81 the" are the actual purport OF
important conversations between soycrcicns and
statesmen had without witnesses OF course. In
every such instance the newspapers. which cannot
AFFORD f. br Joss than omniscicnt, affect ~ give
The substance. AT least, of all that was said.
That. however is not c>actly material for history.
There are. besides, many recent conventions and
state papers of various kinds, the knowledge Of
which las far been Kept from the public, and
which II revealed would clear up not few
obscure points. On all these cases Mr.. Fync
admits his inability e throw any new light, and
his imnkness and scrupulousncss must raise the
confidence of tie reader in his integrity H. is
unnecessary. perhaps 10 advert 10 his style. which
has been commented on in reviewing the earlier