The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-12 00:00:00

TEE TREATY OF ALLIAIsTaII TITS

A USTRIA.

(Prom the Siecle.)

In the midst of the formidable elements which
shake Europe to her foundation and move so pro-
foundly public opinion, the attention of statesmen
and of thinkers is anxiously directed towards Aus-
tria, that mysterious power whose resolutions have
remained so long impenetrable. At last behold a
treaty is signed. Great delight at the Bourse.
" Austria has decided on siding with the West,"
say some ; "No, no," say others ; " this treaty is
subjected to such conditions that it will not be of
any bona fide effect." What, then, is the explana-
tion of the enigma ? We certainly cannot define
it. We live at a period when there is nothing to
gain by playing the prophet, even when it is done
in one's own country. And so we will wait pa-
tiently for the clauses to be known. We only
wish to demonstrate here, by the simple statement
of some facts not much inquired into amongst us,
that the irresistible power of ideas and of modern
principles draws Austria more and more within the
orbit of civilisation and progress. Not that we
consider the Government of Austria as having
liberal tendencies, but we think that the move-
ment of men's minds in Germany will force it to
draw nearer to us ; we think that the real inte-
rests of Austria and of all Germany will bring them
towards us, and will withdraw them from Rus-
sia. Our opinion will be shared by all those per-
sons who will closely examine the immense •
movement of revolution which is taking place
in Austria, since 1848, a movement commenced
by the people, and of which the Government
has been forced to assume the direction. Thus
all Germany, and in particular Austria, has abo-
lished the feudal system. She has done, under
the influence of our revolution of February, what
we effected in France in 1789, with this difference
that we, in abolishing the feudal rights, showed
that impetuosity which characterises the French
organisation, whilst Germany attained the same
end with the methodical calm which characterises
the German temperament. How few persons in
France imagine that the Austrian Government, so
cold and cautious, has been led by the sole power of
an idea, to occupy itself for five or six years with the
most liberal task that a nation can undertake, that
of its internal emancipation, and that the Austrian
monarchy has been forced to devote to that work
its most precious resources? The most marked
glorification that has been given for sixty years
.to
the principles of 1789 has emanated from Austria,r
and, in truth, that fact is a marvellous sabject for
rtea
reflection. The Grand Army, under the B
don roan n
es,
Hocnes Marcitaux, N ey-s, Murats,
marked' their way through Europe, andn left there
the seeds of revolution. The flag of emancipated
France made the tour of the world: The Emperor,
notwithstanding all his genius, mistook the range
and object of his mission, he sowed the, seed, and
thought he could at .once reap the harvest ; he
thought he was forming a serious alliance with
Austria because be married an archduchess.
The
i
most obscure citizen was aware that t is impos-
sible to combine contrary elements, such as fire
and water, for instance.' The all-powerful Empe-
ror, the profound thinker who astonished the In-
stitute and the Council of State by the lucidity of
his views, never suspected that it was impossible
to contract a bona fide alliance between a country
which had freed itself from feudal rights and pri-
vileges, and a country which still was subject to
them. And what was the consequence ? This, that
Austria went where her traditions led her. Tho
Cabinet of Vienna betrayed without the slightest
scruple the.modern Ctsar and the daughter of the
old Cesar. Napoleon succumbed. From 1315 to
1848 Germany was watched over by her 1 zings,
princes, grand-dukes, and margraves, as Bar tholo
watched over Ilosina. Fiance was placed. und-er
ban, the German poets sang the Rhine, and defied
us to take it again. During that time the 'corn