Year: 1863




piqucs and antipathies be buried in oblivion.
In this great crisis of the country's history
he is the best patriot and best serves the re-
public, who is most free from the taint Of sell
fishness When the radicals are whipped other
accounts may be settled but that is the mat
ter immediately in hand, and the salvation Of
the country depends on it,


The Great Diplomatic war IN Eu-
rope.


Whilst on this continent fierce war Of ints-
rests is being waged through the agency Of
physical force, In Europe q struggle almost as
tenacious and momentous In its consequences
is being maintained through that of diplomacy
Here the conflict arises from an effort to break
down the just ascendancy Of our government
as the guardian Of FREQ institutions and the
leading Power Of America. In Europe it
springs from the efforts Of France to monopo-
lize to herself q position analogous to that
which we occupy ON this continent without
any legitimate pretensions to it.


No sooner was 1t demonstrated that the re-
bellion was likely to give US serious trouble
than the French Emperor began to turn to &C.
count the opportunity thus furnished him Of
promoting his own interests. By taking the
lead in diplomatic arrangement for the set-
Element Of the difficulty, he hoped that he might
be able to accomplish the double object Of sub
ordinating the political influence Of tbs other
European Powers to his own, and Of securing
the good will Of both North and South. That
was his first idea, the scheme Of Intervention
and the invasion Of Mexico being afterthoughts
growing out Of the apparently desperate
condition Of things here The jealousy
of England, the distrust of his intentions by
Italy, Austria and Prussia, and the absolute re-
fusal of Russia 70 be committed TO anything
that might give offence to this country, de-
feated the role which he had proposed to'him-
SELF The multiplying embarrassments Of our
government then suggested other views He
felt that the time had arrived when he could
play his cards more boldly, and accordingly
the Mexican expedition was planned. This. we
believe, was undertaken merely to magnify his
political influence at home, and without any
idea of establishing permanent foothold upon
this continent AS soon however, as England
and Spain discovered that his object was purely
personal, they broke loose from the enterprise,
and left him to carry It out alone This per-
picked him sorely, and for q time be would
have been glad Of any decent pretext to extri.
cate himself from the embarrassment into which
the desertion of his allies had plunged him. The
progress of events here, however, favored him.
The mismanagement of military affairs BY our
War Department gave the rebels advantages
Then the Emperor resolved to proceed with his
Mexican scheme, adapting it, however, to the
changed condition OF his prospects. From
question of mere political influence 1t resolved
itself in his mind into one Of conquest and ag-
grandigement from which France was to reap
the same benefits as England from its Indian
empire. as|


He now, a. preliminary to the realization
Of this scheme Of extended conquest, began to
turn an attentive ear to the solicitations of the
Confederate ENJOYS, who had never ceased to
besiege him with arguments in favor Of an
armed Intervention Afraid, however, to en-
bark on such wide field Of enterprise without
securing the cooperation of the other Euro
pean Powers, he used every effort to commit
them to his plans Every diplomatic strata
gem that could be thought Of was resorted to
for this purpose, and he did not scruple even to
employ means entirely at variance with the
usages and observances regulating the inter-
courseoof governments. But in this, as in
former efforts of the same kind, he signally
failed The motives which in the Mexican ex-
pedition caused England and Spain to break
loose from him rendered the European govern
ments indisposed to commit themselves to
joint action with him in American affairs. His
conduct in the Crimean war had convinced
them that he could not be bound by any COM
pact Of the benefits of which he did not obtain
the lions share, aud that were the Union to be
restored be would leave them to brave indi-
vidually the resentment Of this country.


On the Polish question we find him pursuing
a precisely analogous course. He desires to
monopolize to himself ell the glory and ad-
vantage Of settling this question, making Eng
land and Austria play merely subordinate
part. But those Powers are too keenly alive
TO the humiliation Of such role, and too sensi-
BILE Of ih political Disadvantages, to accept II.
Besides, they have no guarantee that, once COM
mitted 70 war with Russia, France would not
leave them In the lurch, - she formerly did
Hence their refusal TO concur In the joint note
to the Cabinet Of St. Petersburg proposed by
Napoleon. The most strenuous efforts have
been made BY the Emperor to induce them to
sign this document, and all the secret court in
nuenees that could be employed have been
strained for the purpose. Since the year 1874,
In fact, there has never been witnessed such d.
plomatio activity a. hss beer exhibited in the
sndeavor to bring this question to the point
aimed M by France. Notwithstanding the
reserve manifested by the Cabinets Of
st. James and Vienna, Il is evident that
even the cautious form in which the