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Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3177, 19 April 1871, Page 2

Till- hopes indulged in on the receipt of the news by last month's San Francisco mail have been realised. The armistice has been the foundation of a peace. The concessions demanded have been granted, the indemnity has been arranged and the mode and time of payment fixed. Having passed through her harassing experience of (he last half year, France has now before her a more agreeable, though no less important task. Having sought war, she has found disaster and humiliation. Forced into peace, it is to be hoped she may gain such golden victories which peace holds out (not less renowned than wai) as to make even her ancient enemy shout acclaim. It is clear, too, notwithstanding the once fiery ardor of the Parisians, thnt they have received the entry of the Prussians as well as could have been expected. A few unruly mobs of Reds — always tho wildest of the canaille, who, like the Chourinier of Eugene Sue, see everything of a red color when their passion is aroused — and a few cries of " VVait till we enter Berlin," are but slight ebullitions for such a populace us that of Paris. We are at a loss to account for the return to Berlin of the Emperor Wilhelm without enlering Paris, unless we attribute it to a kingly courtesy on his part to somewhat lessen the mortification of the vanquished. We doubt if such a trait could havo beon recorded of Napoleon 111. had the case been reversed — the pleasure of inditing a ISapoleonic bulletin from Berlin would have proved irresistible. Though the telegrams contain many items of intelligence with a meaning only half developed, the general spirit is reassuring; still they indicate with sufficient clearness that the 6tream of public opinion in England on questions of foreign affairs is likely to cut a new channel, which if not diametrically opposite to the course in which it has been running for some time, is almost certain to be a considerable divergence. The old arguments so often used in favor of theory of the balance of power will be again brought forward in their modern and most fashionable garb. From Canning to Palmerston was a natural sequence, but from Palmerston to Gladstone and Bright was like the meeting of the poles. Having so lately seen that, it is not surprising to see public thought recurring regretfully to the policy that England battled for in Portugal aud Spain, and helped tho great Frederick in his seven years' war. Having been merely on lookers at the war just closed, they now seek lessons in it for future guidance. The Marquis of Salisbury and the oxPremier Disraeli both denounced the Foreign policy of the present Ministry as pusillanimous and only calculated to excite the contempt of the Continental Powers. At another time than the present this might only be the ordinary assaults of au Opposition anxious to get in out of the cold ; but from recent developments of foreign affairs, and the bitter spirit of both the French and German press we are inclined to think that the old Tory leader has almost made a footing to fresh power. The conclusion clearly pointed to by this growing change in the mind of the Englisti people is that they must keep level with their neighbors, i.e., that they must be prepared to participate in a struggle on an emergency—that in order to prevent England being made a theatre of war, she must assume the appearance of a citadel of defence. The prestige of England has, during the last six months, fallen from all that height which the bold policy of centuries before had gamed — from being an arbiter among nations she has come to be a mere spectator. For all power over the actions of other countries, England on her island throne is practically as harmless is the Republic of the Swiss. So far, however, the feeling of the British Commons is of too liberal a nature to go

entirely with Disraeli, who supports the purchase system in the army ; and this would be a fatal principle to fight for. To shape out any new policy for the country such as that indicated, in however modified a degree, must come in the form of an appeal, as it will involve fresh burdens, both direct and indirect — the people will require to pay more taxes and undergo more drill — and the least concession that could be offered would be the substitution of preferment by merit for the present aristocratic .system of purchase, It is also tolerably clear that even should the pacific policy of Gladstone be still pursued the discussion will prove a direct gain to the nation and of incalculable good to the management of the War Department. We were shocked at the corruption of the French Empire, as shown by the discovery of spurious powder, of bullets tailing dead almost at the mouth of the chassepot ; but the discovery of 21,200 barrels of worthless pebble powder is surely a timely hint that something is wrong in the War Department. On rhi' whole, the march of events seems to show that the present Government of England must either drift into the new current of public opinion, or that some new combination must be sought for among the political ingredients of the House of Commons.