The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-01 00:00:00

were fully and fairly carried out, constitutional
liberty would have made great strides under
FRANCIS JOSEPH. Prussia has within the last
year or two so completely abandoned the position
which her representatives seemed previously to
have taken up in resisting the encroachments of
despotic power, that the field is open for Austrian
patriots not only to help forward liberty in their
own country, but to take if they will the lead of
Germany. Prussia will find before long that she
has thrown away the substance for the shadow,
she has given up all national aspirations and public
spirit for the sake of a mean, selfish, and grasping
policy. In endeavouring to secure the Duchies she
has alienated Germany, she has excited the sue.
picions of Austria, and most certainly she has for.
feited the favour of England, and after all it re-
mains to be seen what actual gain of territory or
increase of power will accrue to her from this glo-
rious campaign of which we hear so much. Traly,
the Prussian rejoicings are the best satire on their
own proceedings. If a few successful contests with
a people greatly inferior in numbers, in arms, in
military training, in all the appliances of war, are
to be ranked as such wonderful achievements, the
Prussians can scarcely rank their military genius
very high. The paragraph in the address of the
Reichsrath, which refers to the conduct of Prussia, is
very significant. The House, it says, recognises to
its full extent the value of the Prussian alliance, but
it cannot refrain from expressing its conviction
of the equally high value of a cordial alliance with
the other States of the Germanic Confederation.
The House will, therefore, " joyfully hail all efforts
of the Government intended to oppose separatist
tendencies contravening Federal right," and they
hope for such reforms of the Constitution of the
Confederation as will knit more closely the bonds
uniting all the countries of Germany into one great
whole. The secret efforts of Prussia to appropriate
the Duchies, or at least to have them exclusively
under her own influence, have certainly " separatist
tendencies contravening Federal right," and as
such will be looked upon with suspicion. The state
of affairs in Galicia also calls forth a strong expres-
sion of opinion on the part of the Reichsrath. The
necessity of applying exceptional measures to a
country of the Empire has filled them " with deep
regret," and the House awaits an explanation of the
causes which necessitated such measures ; it adds,
moreover, the expression of its " heartfelt wish" that
so unsatisfactory a state of things may be as brief
as possible. The representation of the different
provinces of the Empire is another important subs
ject, and the members of the Reichsrath have
devoted to it a considerable portion of their Address.
Constitutional action has not yet begun or has been
totally interrupted in a large portion of the Empire,
and they therefore hint that decisive steps are necese
nary on the part of the Administration to remedy
so great an evil. Venetia, Galicia, Hungary,
and Croatia are all without a national
representation, and the Reichsrath looks
with manifest disfavour on so unconstitutional and
arbitrary a position. In particular, the address insists
upon the re-establishment of constitutional condi-
tions in the two kingdoms of Hungary and Croatia
as indispensable to the effectual government of the
Empire, and insists that the regular annual recur•
rence of the lesser Reichsrath is a right based?upon
the constitution of the kingdoms and countries re-
presented therein. The Reichsrath speaks out
boldly on behalf of its oppressed brethren, and
openly declares its conviction that the demand of
the various populations for national representation
is just and well-founded, and endeavours so far
as possible to excite a common interest and mutual
consideration in the various branches of the
Empire. Coming to the internal affairs of Aus-
tria proper the Reichsrath finds its attention called
by the Emperor to the condition of the finances.
It is not far wrong in calling that condition very
serious, and it briefly sums up he case in the fol-
lowing words e--" The expenditure continually
exceeds the revenue—the heavy burdens imposed
upon the taxpayer will hardly bear increase—the
property of the State is sensibly diminished—and
the continued use of the public credit, even in
times of peace, must lead to serious incumbrance,
and may ultimately bring about a disastrous
crisis." We in this country find it difficult to
realise such a state of national bankrupty, and we
shall certainly concur in the opinion of the Reichs-
rath that a very stringent supervision of the State
expenditure is necessary, and that no temporary
or partial measure will serve. The address, more-
ever, hints that a discreet management of foreign
relations will enable the Empire to reduce enor-
mous expense of the army and fleet, and that a
simplification of the State administration will be
very advantageous to the public purse. Altogether
the address is sensible, liberal, and straightforward,
and if the EMPEROR is wise he will accept its sug-
gestions in good part. Austria has a tine career
before her, the first step of which is the just admi-
nistration of her provinces, and if Prussia does not
take heed, despite her boasting, she may be dis•
tanced in the race for German preeeminence.

Mr BAZLEY has come forward at Manchester to
own his sentiments, and it is indeed high time that
those on the Liberal side should make some show
or appearance, for hitherto the Conservatives have
had nearly all the political meetings to themselves.
With the exception of Mr COBDEN'S affair there
has been hardly the ghost of an exhibition on the
part of those who were so prone to utter their sen-
timen►s and so eager in putting forward their
political manifestoes. The cause of this silence that
has fallen on a loquacious party it is perhaps not
very discreet to inquire into, but curiosity so often
gets the better of wisdom that we may be excused
for criticising the peculiarity of the non-perform-
ances. Perhaps it is considered better to keep
quiet because there is so little that is worth talking
about, and the old proverb "the least said the
soonest mended" may appropriately be applied to
a subject which has so many concealed skeletons
in its contents. Domestic policy is at a standstill,
on account of the great importance of foreign
affairs. These in their turn are virtually shelved
altogether so far as regards the service we are ren.*
dering to either side of the disputants. Those on
the right side cannot count upon us for help, how-
ever great their need or cruel their treatment,
while those on the wrong side are never restrained
by fear or desire to propitiate from acting diame-
trically opposite to our well-known and earnestly.
expressed convictions. All things considered, then,
it is not wonderful that they who have weathered
the storms of the session should no glad to remain
in silence, bat how such taciturnity conduces
to the reputation of their cause or the
credit of their consistency is another matter.
Credit is due to those who come forward boldly and
speak out their opinions, unmindful whether or not
they ere exf..ctly in unison with the policy of the
powers that be. Mr BAZLEY has done this, and
those who do not concur in his views must accord
him the merit of being straightforward and decided.
Mr BAZLEY speaks in a determined manner upon
most of the chief subjects of the day ; he does not
beat about the bush, but goes straight to the point,
whether in praise or blame of any particular theory
or important change in the administration of affairs.
No one can complain that he cannot arrive at his
meaning or understand hie intentions when they