Year: 1867

HERALD, SATURDAY.


Probable War in Europe-The Dynnsties and
Their Debts in Danger.


Our latest telegraphic news from Europe
shows good reason for the war panic Of the
existence and prevalence of which we had been
previously informed. The situation Is sufi-
ciently alarming. It will not surprise US If the
next message should inform us that hostilities
between France and Prussia have actually COM
menced. Plucky as ever, Count Bismarck is
fully prepared and not unwilling to stake the
future of the new Germany which he has 80
recently called into existence, and which as
yet is by no means consolidated. on the chances
ofa war with France. Should II come to an
actual collision 1t is impossible to predict
where or how matters will end. II is not France
or Prussia, it Il Europe which Is In danger.
Disorder, in fact ID general At no previous
period since the birth Of the States system In
Europe has there been such general and COM
plete disorganization a. exists at the present
moment For some generations, with the ex-
ception only Of the period Of the first Napo-





the appearance Of unity to the various Euro
pean nations. That unity is no more. Disor-
ganisation ID the order OF the day. Not only
are nations not agreed with each other, they
are not agreed within themselves Internally
and externally disorder reigns. Among the
various Powers entente cordiale there Is none.
Within the limits Of the various States con-
/ -. &. kho
ment what European Power Of the first class
| can be said to be in alliance with any other OF
| its peers? If we except Russia, what Power
can be said to have peace and contentment
reigning within Its borders. Take England,
with her Fenianism and Reform France,
with her factions and her army reconstruc-
ton schemes Prussia, with her newly ac-
quired but still grumbling provinces; Austria,
with her various and conflicting nationalities
Italy, with her eternal Church question and
changing ministries Spain, with her stupidity
and her struggling but dying. Bourbonism, to
make no mention Of the unfortunate sick
man Of the East-and say which Of the
European States is at rest within ITSELF
For all this disorder there is but one possible
cure-the nations, one and all, must be made
selfforgetful. Their thoughts must be directed
outwards. Nothing can so effectually accom-
plish this result as war. The needed ventila-
ton can be found through no other channel.
If we may Judge from the war clouds which
now loom portcntously on the horizon, the
requisite remedy may soon be applied.


In the midst Of all this disorder and confu-
sion 1t is felt to be q relief to allow the
minds eye to rest on the composure and Dig
nifty of Russia and the United States. Like
rocks In mid-ocean, they sit serene and lofty,
unaffected by the surging billows which roll
| In foam and fury all around them. Busy with
numerous internal improvements, Russia, with
one foot on the Baltic and the other on the
Black sea, looks hopefully towards Oonstan-
tinople, aud sees, in the not distant future, the
day when she will sit in pride on the shores Of
the Bosphorus and when her flag will 6oat in
triumph ON the waters of the Mediterranean.
The big pear which she has long been anxious


to pull Is ripe, very ripe. If Russia will but
have patience, 1t will soon, we promise her,
fall into her hands The United States, on the
other hand, so far from being on the verge Of
financial ruin and about to break in pieces
from its own weight as some of our Old World
friends would fain believe, startles the world
more than ever by the dash and boldness Of its
enterprise. Not only not contented with terri
tory which certainly Is large-some think too
large-but eager to obtain and able to utilize
more, we propose to purchase from our big
neighbor Russia that immense tract Of terri
tory on the North American continent which
has formerly acknowledged her sway. "What
will we do with it," some eagerly ask. use
it," we answer, sand turn 1t to good and pro-
Gtable account" Thus the Unit,d States
grows, and must grow more and more, until the
entire North American continent, with all that
| properly appertains to it, comes under her
authority. Our neighbors, however, need take
no alarm. We have no intention Of initiating


the barbarous examples of the past by making
might the test Of right. We wish to hold our


land by nobler tenure. We discard all idea
Of conquest. We mean to maintain and ex-
tend the great republic on grander principle


What we want we are willing to pay for, and
what we do acquire we mean to acquire by
honest means and to retain on fair and honor
able terms. II is fitting and proper--neces-
sary for the times and worthy Of our history
that we should read to the world some such
| noble lesson.


There is one reflection which Is irresistible
from this view Of the political affairs of the Old
World and the New: security and confidence
are certain to gravitate westward. The old
dynasties are doomed, and the day Is not far
distant when their debts must be repudiated.
A revolution similar to that which swept over
France in 1889 threatens at an early day to
| devastate the entire European continent the