Year: 1867

Canada than on an empire N meAco'


The Domestic Troubles Of tn FANNY %
Nations.


Probably upon the principle that nai>ery
loves company many prominent European
statesmen and journals have wasted great
deal Of sympathy and advice upon the do
mestic troubles of the United States. During
the war for the Union nothing could be more
patronizing than their tone, nothing more self
complacent than their philosophy. Nowadays
they presume to pity us and to shed bitter
tears over the sad condition Of the greatest Of
republics. The United States do not require
any such sympathy. Here we are steadily
working out the legitimate results Of the
recent war, and in spite Of occasional bitches
and delays in the great work OF reconstruction
everything goes well and promises fairly.
This country is like a strong man recovering
beneficial to his constitution, however painful
it may have been while it lasted. There may
still be little bile at the South to remove,
and perhaps there is Presidential wound to
b. more thoroughly healed but in the main
the patient is rapidly regaining health and
vigor and is enjoying himself as only conva-
lescents can.


But when we glance at The state of affairs in
the Old World we discover that the old adages
concerning the skeleton in every house and
the black sheep in every flock are quite as
true Of nations as individuals. The monarch
lists of Europe had no time to indulge their
chagrin at the failure Of their predictions of
the dissolution Of the Union before dozen
petty German princes were wiped ont of
existence, two or three kings deprived of their
crowns, Austria reduced to a third rate Power
and France humbled in Mexico, Venice and
her German policy. Never was Nemesis
more prompt than that OF the Prussian war.
Now Italy is in rnuddle about her finances;
Spain is upon the brink of revolution Turkey


s trembling at the advances OF Russia; Prussia
feels by no means safe in the event of
grand coalition against her. All these nations
have their sore points; but England and
France, the two Powers most anxious to
interfere in our affairs during the rebellion,
are especially conspicuous for their domestic
troubles. II we have the subdued South,
England has Ireland in q state of insurrection,
and France has La Vendee ripe for revolu-
tion If we are afflicted with few malcon-
tents, England is disturbed by the reform
agitation, and France has its party of liberty,
who begin to be bold enough to attack
Napoleon with his own speeches in the press
and with ominous epigrams in the salons. We
have but to sit still and watch the miseries
Of these diplomatic gossips, who are elwayS
so ready to pry into our family matters and
retail scandal and slander about us. The
gossips are evidently going to have enough
to do at home misfortunes are threatening
their own households. If it were possible
we would magnanimously attempt TO avert
the storm; but, as this is not permitted us,
we must endeavor to philosophize a. admira-
bly, as our neighbors did under similar circum.
stances.


The letter Of our correspondent at La Ven-
dee, published in another column this morning,
reveals terrible amount Of destitution in one
Of the least loyal provinces Of France. Letters
from other correspondents, recently published,
show that similar misery exists in Ireland, and
even in the heart of England. Starvation is
no stranger in those countries. The rock
huts of La Vendee, the mud cabins of Ireland
and the brick novels Of England are filed with
people equally discontented and suffering. The
poor peasant Of La Vendee stuffs himself with
cabbage, the Irishman fills himself with pota-
toes, the English laborer swells out his bread
and cheese with bad beer, because this class of
people cannot afford meat in those countries
A starving and discontcnted mass only
waits for leader to become danger
GUS, and both in France and England
the leaders are at length appearing
We shall see within a very short time marked
changes in the governmental systems of those
nations or formidable and sanguinary revolu-
tions. The concessions which Parliament pro-
poses to the English and those which Napoleon
has actually offered to the French. are but sops
to Cerberus, and very small sops at that They
tantalize the people rather than satisfy the
popular wishes. In spite Of the threats Of the
government and the increase of the police force
the working classes Of England still meet to
demand their rights, and still organize tre-
mendous demonstrations that seem half like
displays Of force. In spite Of the rigor with
which Napoleon rules France journalists still
hint that the empire b not to be eter-
nal, and Prince Napoleon declares that If
the Emperor were to die now the regency Of
the Empress would not last . month. new
and more stringent conscription will certainly
not make matters any better; and yet that is
main feature Of the new French Army bill.
We are not fond Of playing the role Of Cassan-
dra, but we warn England that there is great
mischief brewing, and we advise Napoleon TO
bestow little attention upon La vendee and
our correspondents letter.


Undoubtedly the aggregation in France and