The National Register.
London, England, 1813-04-18 00:00:00

SUNDAY, APRIL IS, 1513.

Na.

POLITICAL DIS2UISIFION.

PROBABLE VIEWS OF AUSTRIA.

A sort of anxious and feverish hope is the prevailing feel-
ing in this metropolis. Its source IS the unofficial report
transmitted from lla!Aurgb, of the accession of At:sttia
with 180,000 men to the cause of the allies. Whilst the ab-
sence of more authentic infe'lience ptolongs the painful-
fulness of doubt and expectatio:l, we shall impartially con-
sider what must be the views of Austria at this decisive mo-
ment : they will enable us to ascertain what degree of pro-
bability ought to be attached to the rumour.

The fist step necessary in this inquiry, is to separate the
wishes of the Austrian people, from those the (;oyetninent.
The na•ure of the circumstances in which both arc' placed
creates a conflict of interests, from which a middle line of
conduct has hitherto proceeded. How long this may con-
tinue, must depend on the respecti%e enci ease of the po-
pular feeling and the Government influence. As soon as
either preponderates, wlr must he declared against, or a
closer a'liance formed with, NAPOLEON'.

intrigue, carried on through the medium of female in..l
fluence, has always been a distinguishin eLaracteristic of
the policy of the Court of Vienna. Its losses in the field,
were repaired by its successes in the cabinet. An Austrian
Pauccess seated on a foreign throne, was little less than an
Austrian Regent sent to govern, and add a new dependent to
the empire. She carried with her a heart awake to the in-
terests of her House, and hut in a secondary degree to those
of her subjects. Iler first care was to establish her autho-
rity over the Councils of the State : her second, to exert
it in behalf of her family. Elence she ruled where she
ought to have obeyed : she inspired fear, syhete she ought to
have created love. The introduction of a foreign policy,
often clashing with the constitution, and still more frequently
with the interests of the kingdom, disgusted subjects, always
prone to blame their rulers, even unjustly. The most solid ,
basis of the Royal power, the affection of the people, was
gradually undermined. The seditious gladly saw the de.
dine of legitimate authority. Embokkned by its
weaknos, they increased it by their efforts. :•Skilied in co-
litical warfare, they directed their first attacks against the
quarter which gave just cause of complaint. The exi,tenee
of abuses could not be denied : they were, therefore, deem-
(A true Patriots, who had really at heart the welfare of their
country. Their first attempts were moderate ; they \vete,
consequently, considered as wishing to compass a desirable
end by lawful means. The flood was thus allowed to swell,
until it burst or overflowed its gate;. The disgust and fear
created by the influence of female authority over the coun-
cils of the State, became popular hatred. That feeling, in
irOb VI, No CCLXXVIL

PRICE 9d,

its rapid encrease, doul,led its object. The Sovereign
shared the odium felt for his Contort. The shield of loyalty
ceased to shelter the Throne.. The ambitious, ranged under
ditThrent banners, stormed the Palladium of the land. It
fell with every ancient institution, in the midst of conflicting
parties, and universal anarchy, sprung from its ruins, threa-
tened to desolate the world. _

The events of the French Revolution, and the fat d ca-
tastrophe by which it was attended' seemed to have for ever
destroyed the system of female influence so frequently em-
ployed by Austria; at least as far as it reaarded France.
The establishment of a new Dynasty in lieu of the Bourbons,
bad, it is true, restored in that country, with an addition of
power and some conAltutional variations, the ancient forams
of despotic monarchy. But the animosity which subsisted
between the French and Austrian people, and the wars to
which the hope of repressing the ambition of Napoleon and
recovering conquered provinces,had given rise between the t%to
nations, seemed to render the renewal of their former rela-
tions and connection impassible. The fate of events, decid-
ed otherwise. Napoleon, too conscious of his own love of
sway, to dread a:master in a wife, wished to consolidate
his newly acquired greatness bs an alliance with a House,
which besides , casting splendour on his family, would feel
it its interest to maintain him in possession of the Sovereign.
authority. FRANCIC, on the other hand, perceiving that
every successive svar had only contributed to dismember
his cup re and ruin liis finances, felt little obj,crion to a
proposal, which by !lacing his daughter on the throne of
Imperial France, flattered him with the hope of one day
regaining through her means, a portion of that influence
formerly exercised by Austria over French Councils. NA-•
POL EON was besides master of almost all his states, Bohemia,
part of Moiasia and of Hungary excepted, and offered to
restore them and rest satisfied with a comparatively small
poi tism of his conquests ilhis proposals were accepted. The
uniOn of one of the oldest, with one of the newest houses in
Europe therefore took place, notwithstanding the secret dice
satisfaction of the people of both empires, and the two Go-
vernments have since ;Ides' in concert, as far as the existence
of national prejudices would allow without endangering their
respective security.
But circumstances are changed. NAPOLEON, at the
epoch of his marriage with MARI A La ussA, was the master
of the Continent. His origin was concea'ed by the purple
of empire: his despotism by the blaze of triumph. Time
opprersor of !-.7;iain was a conqueror; he was therefore st rved
as a hero, almost dreaded and obeyed as a I.L.A. Kini;(lotnn
isunk and rose at his bidding; and the nations of the eastb,
with the exception of Em'land, trembled at his 'alight, or
lay crouching at his feet.- With such a man, an alliance
might appear noliti,7 and advisable.—Nt Po LE(s!I, at the pro-