Year: 1870




We have heard the question asked several
times within a few days; what is the occasion
of this war between France and Prussia? And
have found many, otherwise well Informed per-
sons, who failed to give an intelligent answer.
Truly, it is a conundrum to most Americans
who do not understand how millions of men and
an entire continent can be set to mutual butch
cry, just by the ambition of single selfish man,
even if he wears imperial robes.


The ostensible pretext for this war on the part
of the French Emperor, is an insult offered his
Ambassador by the Prussian King. The act of
the Spanish Cortez in nominating for King
Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern, relative OF the
King of Prussia, Napoleon conceived to be for
the aggrandizement of Prussia, his strongest RI
val amongst the nations of Eastern Europe, and
demanded his withdrawal Leopold, who, by
the way is on his mothers side, a second cousin
to Napoleon, thereupon, for the sake of the
peace of Europe, resigned his candidature
Here, apparently, all preteXt for further feeling
on the part of France, was Mt an end ; but the
Emperor not content with this, proceeded,
through his Ambassador, Benedict. to demand
of the King of Prussia, that no Prince of the
House of Hohenzollern should ever in future pre-
tend to the Spanish throne. This was the de-
mand of mailman, of one determined to
provoke quarrel, since it was one to which
neither rs u monarch nor as head of the Hohen-
zollern family, the King of Prussia could accede.
He refused and on the demand being pertina-
ciously pressed, at last refused to see Beuedeti,
who thereupon, having succeeded in getting
himself insulted, packed up his portfolio, and
ported the case to his master.


This is the insult to France, which, only the
blood of few thousand men mare or less can
wash out. 1t is on this most flimsy of all con-
ceivable pretexts that Napoleon, not France, has
declared war on Prussia, and for which a mill
ion of men on either side are facing each other,
and perhaps, by the time our readers see these
words, engaged in deadly strife.


This bold usurper-the worst foe to her peace
Europe has known since his uncle-in such a
quarrel cannot hope for the sympathy Of single
civilized nation.


Of course this is only n pretext The real
ca Use of the war, lies in Napoleons jeaously of
the growing power of Prussia, and in his claim
for the Rhine as the natural boundary of France


His greedy eye has long coveted the fair prov
inces of Rhenish Prussia, where for q litle
while, his uncle, Jerome, reigned as King of
Westphala 1t matters not that the people are
German in language and sympathy. To extend
his frontier to the Rhine has been one Of his rul-


ing ideas ever since he came to the throne, and
whatever the ostensble occasion for tie war;
this, on his side, is the real and only object


The growing feeling Of German nationality
will arouse every German to the aid of Prussia


in This quarrel, while this eliminating outrage
in a long series of twenty years, excites the in
Indignation Of Europe. 1t is useless to antjc-
pate results, but it need not surprise any one if
another holy alliance and another Waterloo
should before long make an end of The Napo-
leonic dynasty, and the name of Bonaparte never
more be heard in the councils of Europe


Now is the time for teachers and scholars
to put their knowldge Of history and geography
to the test. Read our newspapers with n map OF
globe, (the best YOU can get) at your elbow.
Fix all details of political and military move
ments in your mind and You will learn how
much is to be acquired outside of the school
room, which will make the exercises there more
useful and attrr rrctive.-JourHaL Of Education.