European War-Clouds

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 18, 1869

European War-Clouds.

THE correspondent of the Philadelphia Morning Post, writes from Paris under date of February 2d, that this year must inevitably bring forth a general and fierce European war. Every country in Europe has long been dissatisfied to the utmost with its own and the general situation. The sudden and radical subversion of the economical laws, which for centuries governed the world, have dislocated the habits and interests of all classes, and led to discontent, material sufferings, and demoralization, which induces part of the people to think that a new territorial partition of the continent among the different races will result to the universal advantage. The rest of the people, the greatest number, are confident that a general revolution, whatever may be the geographical result, will give them the best opportunity for establishing the economical law henceforth, their favorite theme, the socialist dogma. So that, though divided as to the secret or avowed reasons for war and its ultimate consequences, all, high or low, rich or poor, capitalists or laborers, economists or socialists, join in a common and irresistible call for WAR.

France, where both people and rulers have been so deeply wounded in their pride and prestige for the last six years, is longing for the signal to advance to the Rhine; for it is very likely in the vicinity of that river that the European Gordian knot will be cut; and besides her ambition for glory and her desire to regain her natural frontiers, France, perhaps, more than any other power in Europe, is eager for war, because of the above-explained economical uneasiness. As for the Emperor, he seems certainly resolved to play the whole for the whole. If he succeeds in getting the Rhine, and assuming again the role of arbitrator of Europe, he will reach the goal that he has ever had before him; and he is bent upon gaining it, or falling gallantly and with the honors of war.

Prussia, drunk with glory since the day of Sadowa, is eager for a contest with France, not only for political purposes, but also to give the proof that the Prussian army is the first army in the world, and the Prussian generals the first generals. Behind Prussia, all Germany waits but a word from Berlin to rush toward the Rhine first, and the Danube soon after.

Russia, stronger than ever after the annihilation of Poland and the failure of the western scheme of conciliation between the Mohammedan and Christian populations of the Ottoman empire, will rise as a single man, with enthusiasm and confidence in her final success. She is ready to make all sacrifices to avenge her disasters in 1855, and to give the coup de grace to the “sick man,” whose succession is hers, (according to a religious and political faith,) from the Pruth to the Amour. Sustained, morally and materially, by all the Greco-slave populations of the Sultan’s dominions, numbering nearly two-thirds of the whole, the traditional Moscovian policy meets now with a chance that Russia would certainly not allow her government to throw away. But the emperor and his counselors share the resolution of the people to set up the St. Andrew’s cross upon the shores of the Bosphorus.

Austria—poor Austria! who is being day after day dismembered, and whose prestige was forever lost at Sadowa, has but one chance to recover part of her greatness and influence among nations, and that chance is war.—Ex.