VÆ VICTORIBUS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 743, 29 November 1870, Page 3

VÆ VICTORIBUS.

Mr Jacob Venedey, a steadfast and eloquent champion in freedom's cause, who in 1848 was the deputy from Baden to. the German Parliament, has published an article, in the " New Free Press" of Vienna, which throws some light upon the views of the German Democratic Party. The following are extracts, translated from the original for the Westport Times : " Woe to the vanquished is an ancient and accepted tuism ■; but we say woe to the victorious, and we rely upon history to demonstrate the truth of our saying. Who can aver that it was not the Roman victories which stripped Rome of her grandeur—which spoiled her of her freedom, of valor, morals, virtue and power. From victory to victory she fell into a form of the most abject slavery ; in turn her own generals became her tyrants. The freedom of Rome was successively the prey of her Syllas, Marcii, Caesars, and finally of her Neroes and Praetors The victories of the French Republic , produced the dictatorship of the first Napoleon j his victories produced a yoke for France which rendered possible the second empire. The victories of the second empire in the Crimea and Italy brought the reign of Mamelukes in Paris to suc'i a degree as to entirely overthrow the freedom of France. We fear so much our victories that we can conceal our fears no longer; we feel it our duty not only to express those fears but to point to the cause, and do our utmost to indicate the means by which to guard our good and brave German people from the Vce Victorihus." Mr Venedey demonstrates that it is principally to the German soldiers and not to the princes and generals that the present success of the German arms is due, and says : •' Without detracting from the personal valor of the Crown Prince who. after all has but a nominal command, our victories are due principally to those G-erman troops who were clofeivtoti hy the Prussians in 1866. It is then the people who are victorious and not the Princes ; and in justice to the people ihey should receive the reward. That reward is but the realization ©f their inherent right—the honor, the freedom and the rights of the people. That is the only way open to escape from that fatal Vce Victwibus.'* The present and hoped for victories should not degrade the just and manly pride of our people to arrogance or self-sufficiency, nor make us lightly to undervalue the oppression of another people. This true German patriot concludes thus:—He hopes that the German nation, through decency as well as prudence, will exact no terms calculated to make of France a mortal enemy, and at all times the ally of all the foes of Germany. Germany would be as guilty as France was towards her, and would in all likelihood bring Upon herself the same punishment, if she follows in the same footsteps, making conquests and striving for universal domination for a German prince. Need we recall the centuries of misfortune and oppression which the old German Empire entailed upon our Fatherland ? The idea of a French Empire, which dates from the time of Louis XIV., has gorged France with glory, but it has also reduced her to her present tottering condition. The genius of Germany desires to preserve her people from entering once more on the way of universal dominion. To her be the noble mission, the high duty, to create in Europe an organisation based neither upon'autocracy Or universal Empire, hut upon the common rights of man——the liberty and equality of European nationalities. nn