The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-11 00:00:00

AUSTRIA UNMASKED.

The Times of yesterday contains au article on the
treachery and profligacy of Austria, which is sure to
excite profound interest throughout Europe. The
perfidy of the Court of Vienna is depicted in graphic
phraseology, and denounced in terms of unmeasured in-
dignation. The only source of regret is, that our con-
temporary did not see through the designs of Austria.
sooner. He has been slow to discern the real character
of that inprincipled Power. We feel that we are
entitled to claim credit to ourselves, for having from
the first formed a correct estimate of the character of
Austria. We have raver for a single moment, since
the quarrel between Russia and Turkey assumed a
serious aspect, ceased to warn the Western Powers
against reposing any confidence in the Court of Vienna.
We have told there in the plainest terms we could
employ,—and we did this with a frequency which may
have seemed unnecessary to some of our readers,--that
if they trusted Austria, they would be sure to be be-
trayed. We repeated again and again, until we
were wearied with the task, that Austria was in
her heart with the Czar, and that, notwithstand-
ing all her professions of sympathy with, and
friendship for, France and England, she would never
render them any actual aid in resisting the aggressions
and chastising the insolence of Russia. The only con-
ceivable contingency, on the occurrence of which we
thought that Francis Joseph would be found co-ope-
rating with the Western Powers, was that of their
achieving some such decided triumph over the Czar, as
would, humanly speaking, presage his coming overthrow.
Then, on the principle of wishing to be on the winning
side, we deemed it likely that Austria would be found
ready to incumber France and England with her help.
As yet, no such contingency has occurred, and, there-
, fore, Austria still persists in standing aloof from any
active participation in the policy of the Western Powers.
She still maintains her neutrality,—maintains it in
name, hut is, in reality, rendering most important as-
sistance to the Czar.

And she is thus playing the same of the Autocrat in
precisely the way we predicted she would as soon as we
beard of the arrangement with Turkey, in terms of
which she was to take possession of the Principalities
for the purpose, professedly of holding them for the
Sultan. How France anti England could have failed to
see through, as if by intuition, the real object which the
Court of Vienna had in view, when she proposed that
measure to Turkey,—a thing which we are wholly un-
able to comprehend. This much is certain—that every-
body else, who bad ever paid the slightest attention to
the subject, clearly perceived the designs of Austria in
the overtures she made to occupy the Principalities.
Even if the Western Powers could have been so far de-
ceived in the first instance, by the professions of friend-
ship for them which she made, when proposing to occupy
Wallachia. and Moldavia, it is marvellous beyond con-
ception, that they did no open their eyes to the real
purposes of the Court of Vienna, when they witnessed
the eager promptitude with which the Czar consented
to evacuate the Principalities, in order that Austria
might take possession of them. Unfortunately, they
still remained blind to her real character. They could
not, and would not, doubt the good faith ofAustria.
They believed what she said, and, consequently, gave a
ready acquiescence to the entrance of her troops into
the Danubian provinces.
The arrangement, as we said at the time, was not only
as advantageous to the Czar'ns if the Principalities had
still continued to be occupied by his own troops, but it
was even more so ; for, having the Principalities occn-
Pied for him by a Power really friendly, though pro-
fessedly hostile, he was enabled to transfer his Cossacks
from Moldavia and Wallachia to the Crimea, where their
presence was of infinite importance. Accordingly,
through the kind offices of Austria, in acting as locum
tenons for Russia in the Principalities, he withdrew his
troops from the banks of the Pruth, and sent them to
that part of his dominions where he had to confront in
the battle field the forces of France and England. And
they reached the Crimea just in time to resist the pro-
gress of the Allies. Luders and Liprandi, with the
troops under their command, made their presence and
their power felt in the Crimea in an incredibly short time
after they bad last been heard of in the Principalities.
But though the Western Powers would not, or could
not, detect the perfidy which lurked under the profes-
sions of friendship made by Austria, at the time we and
others endeavoured to enlighten them on the subject
the darkness is now beginning to be dispelled, and sus-
picions of Austrian good faith are taking possession of
their minds. The acts of Austria are now too clearly
seen to be at variance with her words, for even the most
unsuspicious to be any longer deceived by her profes-
sions. She is subserving the designs of the Czar, by
actual' refusing permission to the soldiers of the Sultan
to pass through his own territories, of which she holds
possession. "The Austrian occupation," says the Times,
" of the Principalities is at this moment used as a means
of hostility to the Allied Powers, and of facilitating the
enterprises of Russia. If we had known that the Turks
were not to be allowed to make a diversion in our favour
on the banks of the Pruth, that Austria had dispensed
them from the necessity of defending their own country,
and forbidden them from invading that of their enemy,we
might have found occupation fez. Omer Pacha and his gal-
lant army either in the steppes of the Crimea or the moun-
tains of Armenia. Austria has indeed occupied the
Principalites, but has neutralised a force almost equal to
her own. She has joined us in protocols, but deserted
us in action. She has entered on the Danube as our
friend, and remains there to insult our Allies, and coun-
teract our strategical combinations." " But all this
crooked policy," adds our contemporary, " will avail
her little. Austria may yet find that it is easier to
alienate a friend than to conciliate an enemy, and that
while her recentinterference has lost her much with the
Allies, with Russia it has gained her nothing."
This is not more severe than just. The only pity is,
that neither the Times nor the Western Powers suspected
the good faith of Austria until now. They make the dis-
covery of her perfidy when it is too late. But hear our
contemporary, yet further, on the conduct of Austria
in connexion with her occupation of the Prin-
cipalities. "From her first entrance," says the
Times, " into the Danubian provinces, up to the
present moment, Austria has treated the Turks and
the provincials with an overbearing insolence,
which seems to announce that she comes, noatas a
friend, but as a master—not as an ally, but "
establish
sove-
reign. After her own fashion, she
herself in a province she has not conquereds to
seeks
as an enemy,
after having obtained entrance into it as
a friend,
obtuseand
practises on the banks of the Danube the same
and unrelenting despotism as saddens the plains of Lom-
hardy or the marshes of Venice. The cuckoo has ob-
tained admission into the nest, and lords it there with
all the confidence of the rightful owner. Thus is Austria
fulfilling the duty she has undertaken towards Turkey,
thus vindicating the position she has assumed towards

Russia."
There is an obvious and certain remedy for all this.
There is a mode of punishing. such flagrant treachery,
and of chastising the insolence which Austria practises
towards the Turks. Austria has possessions known by
the names of Lombardy and Hungary. Why do not
France and England make a slight motion with their
finger'? The slightest motion imaginable would suffice.
Let it be but made, and Lombardy and Hungary would
that instant be up is arms, and perjured and perfidious
Austria would be forthwith brought to her; senses.—
Morning A dvertiser

REPRESENTATION OF COVENTRY.—At a meeting of the
Liberal electors of this city, held en Thursday night, it
was resolved to bring forward Sir Joseph Paxton as a
candidate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr.
Geich. Mr. Hubbard, it is said, is to be the Conser-
vative candidate.