Year: 1867

bhssucu tuat IL WOuAu nave . AaAI cnnuco Vi
passing.


Napoleon and his Coming Speech.


The French Chambers will meet on On early
day, when the Emperor will deliver his accus-
toned speech. Since the establishment Of the
Second Empire these bodies have assembled
more than once In circumstances of peculiar
interest 1t is not too much to say, however.
that the interest which attaches to the forth
coming meeting has not been exceeded on
any former occasion. Not to speak Of the
questions which relate to the internal admin
istration Of France herself, there are Others Of
European, nay, Of worldwide interest, which
imperiously demand solution. On the Empe-
ror more than upon any other single indi-
vidual does it depend what shall be the cha
racter of the solution which these questions
shall receive. 1t is not the habit Of Napoleon
to waste words or to speak aside from the
point. Judging from the past and from the
known character Of the man 1t may safely be
concluded that the forthcoming speech will
be in every respect worthy Of its author and
worthy Of the great occasion. Impressed with
sense Of its great value, we have given in
structions that Immediately on its delivery
it be reported by special cable telegram to
the HERALD, and we shall expect our contem-
poraries to bear portion Of the expense.


There can be no doubt that for the present
the Emperor is interested in the preservation Of
peace. The grand Exposition is on hand and
must be allowed to 60 on. During the course
of the next summer Paris will be the centre
Of attraction to admiring and wondering thou
sands from all the ends Of the earth. Peace,
at almost any price, must be preserved till the
" Worlds Fair" is brought to close. At the
same time Napoleon is not to be supposed to
be insensible to the Importance and urgency
of the many questions which press for solu-
ton. Considering the attitude now assumed
by the other great Powers, the form which the
Eastern question must Immediately take, and
which may be largely influential in determia-
ing the character Of it's final settlement, may
be said to hang upon his word. But this is not
all. There is another question scarcely less
urgent, certainly not less important, than that
which relates 10 the affairs Of the East. France
equally with the Emperor himself feels sore
under the snubbing" received from Count
Bismarck at the close Of the late war. The
Emperor has not yet withdrawn, nor is France
willing that he should withdraw his claims 70
an extension Of territory towards the Rhine.
1t was not without reason that these claims
were made, and, unless we greatly
misundcrstand the Emperor's character
and grievously misinterpret the feeling of the
French people, it will not be for the want Of an
effort il these claims be not made good. No
one can deny that the treaties Of 1915 were
buried under the wreck and ruin Of Sadowa.
With the close Of the late war they became
practically non-existent Yetit was upon these
treaties that the European system was based.
1t was upon them particularly that France had
been limited to ber present territory. The po-
sition, therefore, in which Napoleon now finds
himself is pre-eminently both difficult and deli
cate. Peace is necessary for the present War
is inevitable in the early future The Emperor
is little likely to fail In the emergency. His
forthcoming speech may be expected to prove
that he Is wanting neither in the requisite
daring nor in the requisite tact. Meanwhile the
public mind Of France Is sufficiently occupied
with his proposed reforms.


The Exposition will be got over and then
will come the tug Of war. A pretty 6ght too,
1t will be. 1t will be . trial of strength be-
tween the new French empire and the new Ger
man kingdom-between two OF the largest,
best disciplined and best equipped armies Of
modern times. The other Powers will be in
terested onlookers, but they will be nothing
more. Until this primary matter is settled
the Eastern question will, in all likelihood, be
allowed to lie over. 1t is no doubt the promi-
nent topic Of the day but we have become &C
customed to connect surprises with Napoleon's
words and with Napoleon's deeds. His speech
will naturally be anxiously looked for.