The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-12 00:00:00

• - 47.0.7,2

LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1858.

Bitter indeed was the disappointment experi-
enced by the friends of free institutions and
liberal principles throughout Europe at the lame
and impotent conclusion of the late war with
Russia. It was not the revolutionary party or
the Rel Republicans who felt most deeply on the
occasion. It was not even the political exiles
who had been driven from their native lands, and
were pining for the homes of which they had in
the majority of instances been very impro-
perly deprived. It was the admirers of
constitutional Government all over the world,
those who were as much opposed to
ana.nchy as to despotism. Those rational and
mode rate men rejoiced at the golden opportunity
afforded by the insanity of the AUTOCRAT. Ho
had previously been the champion of autocracy—
the powerful and unscrupulous opponent of con-
stitutional Government. It was his troops that
crushed the brave Magyars, and sustained the
power of Austria when it was tottering to its
very foundation. Every petty potentate was
encouraged to resist the just demands of his
people, by the assurance that Russian bayonets
would restore him to the position from which he
might be driven by his indignant subjects.
When, however, he provoked the coalition of the
Western Powers—when time-serving Austria had
secoded from his party, and the minor absolutists
were ratting from his side, it was naturally anti-
cipated that something would be done for the op-
pressed and down-trodden nationalities, to restore
the hijh-minded sufferers to their natural rights
and privileges.
Austria had no claim to any indulgence. She
had deceived and betrayed those who foolishly
trusted in her professions, and violated every
pledge that she had previously given. It wanted
but the utterance of the talismanic, words—Po-
land, Hungary, Lombardy, to have insured the
triumph of freedom, and brought CZAR and
KAISER to a sense of the precarious position in
which they were placed. But these words were
never- spoken. The spirits of Imperialism and
Germanism combined to shelter the guilty
parties. It was determined that the honour
of Russia should be maintained intact, that
the arch offender should suffer neither
humiliation nor loss of power. Sardinia had
nobly come forward in the cause of truth and
justice, but VICTOR EMMANUEL wielded a consti-
tutional :sceptre, and though Imperial France
availed herself of his generous assistance, she was
by no means inclined to offer a suitable return.
The peace, the precious peace that neutralised all
the sacrifices of men and money to which Great
Britain had cheerfully submitted, was cobbled up,
and Absolutist Stock rose to a high premium,
while the hopes of the true Liberals were all but
annihilated.
There can be but little doubt that a thorough
understanding was arrived at between the Govern-
ments of Paris and St. Petersburg during the
late conferences. There is a verisimilitude in the
speech attributed to Count ORLOFF, on his return
to Russia, that induces us to lend an easy cre-
dence thereto. " What a pity," said the veteran
diplomatist, ," that your MAJESTY'S lamented
father did not know the Emperor NAPOLEON. If
he had he would never have gone to war with
him!" Yes, the object of the EMPERORS are now
too closely assimilated to permit the occurrence of
any serious difficulty. " Hawks don't pick out
hawks een," and none of the Imperial triumvi-
rate will permit any great injury to be
inflicted on the others until they have by their
united efforts crushed the Constitutions in every
nation of Europe. When that has been accom-
plished they may strive for their own aggrandise-
ment at the expense of their former coadjutors.
The Austrian. Larouils Will easily be got rid of,