The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-02 00:00:00

THE FUTURE OF AUSTRIA.

The meeting of Napoleon and the Emperor of
Austria at Salzburg, and the defensive alliance,
which is said to be the result of this interview, is
of the gravest importance. It amounts to a
revolution in the ideas of Austria, considered as
a German Power. What a change for Austria to
become the ally of the stranger against the Father-
land, for the moment a war breaks out between
France and Prussia the whole of Germany will be
drawn closer to Prussia in defence of the common
country. It is hopeless to argue that Austria
is acting only in self-defence, that she stands in
mortal dread of the insatiable ambition of Prussia,
that she is driven, by sheer necessity, into an alli-
ance with the arch-enemy of Germany, with the
nation which lusts after German territory or the
possession of the German Rhine. The danger of
the Austrian Empire is great, but will she find a
permanent safety in a French alliance ? The first
effect of this alliance will be to estrange her more
and more from Germany, to drive the secondary
States—too many of them, as far as the governing
and ambitious classes are concerned—nothing loth,
into the arms of Prussia. The closer the alliance
of Austria with France the more impossible will it
be for her to recover influence in Germany. To
France the alliance will be of some use as throwing
a further obstacle in the path of Prussia's aggran-
dizement, a hindrance in the consolidation of a
mighty military power at the gates of France ; but
an alliance with an enfeebled and discredited
Austria is not of such value as not to be sacrificed,
when it has served a temporary purpose. And what
is to become of Austria if it were to chance to
lose the protection of France. Of Austria we
mean not as a Sclavonic but as a German State.
The rejected of France could never hope to
recover again influence 07 leadership in Germany,
even though Prussia were hated for its arrogance
and intolerance, as it is sure to be hated sooner or
later. But the instinct of self-preservation is
strong—the desire to be a member of a strong State,
that has no fear of the " Welschen," who are han-
kering after German land, is keen in the breast of
every German. Add to these motives the military
ambition in the governing classes, which sees in
the warlike power of Prussia an outlet for its hopes
and the prospect of a wider commerce opened up
to the commercial classes, without taking into
consideration the wide-spread influence which ever
attends success, whatever its character, and we
shall see but small reason to doubt that all the
lower and the more immediate and palpable at-
tractions are in favour of the union of Germany
with Prussia. As to the permanetn character
of the new Prussian Kingdom—of its moral cohe-
sion—of its power over the Revolution, which like
a volcano lies heaving at its base—that is quite
another question. But in the meantime, what is to
become of Austria, threatened with internal dis-
ruption—with German ideas against her—with the
suspicion of treachery upon her name ? How
can she resist the progress of revolutionary ideas,
the theory of nationalities which is taking pos-
session of the European mind ? Austria, made up
of various nations and races welded into
a homogeneous and powerful nation—was a stand-
ing protest against the disintegrating action of the
principle of nationalities. But how long will she
be a standing protest ?—that is the question. Aus-
tria, by the very nature of her Empire, is the battle-
field of the two contending principles, the ancient
Conservative principle of sovereign rights, of ex-
isting treaties, and of the law of nations, and the
new revolutionary theory of nationalities. If this
latter theory triumph, if it more fully and univer-
sally take possession of the minds of men, Austria
will cease to exist. An alliance with France will
not save her; trust in the liberalism of Count
Beust will not avert the catastrophe. She is
doomed beforehand. All Catholic nations are
falling. As nations they have deserted the public
principles of Catholicism, and they perish by the
Revolution. What is this but to say that revo-
lutionary principles are destructive of Catholicism.
Catholic nations changed their front in the face
of an enemy, and have been outflanked. They
abandoned the idea—the principle—which consti-
tuted their highest unity, which gave strength
and purpose to national life to play with the Re-
volution, to act the part of a go-between in the
conflict of antagonistic and mutually destructive
principles. But these nations have lost the strength
of Catholicism without identifying themselves with
the Revolution, without sharing its destructive
force. Between two stools, to.use a common phrase,
they fell to the ground.
This is how we account for the present state of
the Catholic nations ; this is why we look with ap-
prehension at their future. There is a want of
thoroughness about them—about Austria in par-
ticular ; and therein lies her doom. They will
not break entirely with the Revolution, or entirely
join with it. This doing things by halves is their
ruin ; however despicable, it is better to be ruined
as a half Revolutionist like Austria, than to suc-
ceed for a while as a whole Revolutionist like Prus-
sia. Yet this half-he,artednes3—this disowning of
ganeneuviiille,moofrethdoirfamcitgalti -gt-ooilCnpathooultic
thanpri
ncaipineisories
violent disease. The Josephism of the last cen-
tury, the Febronianism which affected the Royal
Houses of Catholic Europe, is the cause of the
weakness and of the fall of Catholic nations to-
day.

In Austria Count Beust's Liberalism will not
mend matters. Already Cardinal Rauscl►er, Car-
dinal Schwartzenberg, Professor Arndt, the leaders
of the Catholic party, are in opposition to the Go-
vernment. The Hstorisch-Politesche Matter, which
has long enjoyed the deserved reputation of pos-
sessing the soundest publicists in Europe, after
a somewhat prolonged hesitation, has declared
against the present policy of Austril.

And now Austria seeks safety 'n an alliance
with Napoleon, and in the counsels of Count Begat !
Poor Austria ! Westminster Ga.c-ett!.

Mi.cellaneous Foreign News.

The news by the Russia is to the 21st inst., and
we learn that President Johnson has transferred
General Sheridan to the command of the Depart-
ment of Missouri. General Thomas is to command
the Fifth Military District, and General Hancock
the Department of Cumberland, vice General
Thomas. The news by the cable of the 29th inst.,
however, shows that Hancock is to relieve Sheri-
dan, as Thomas was ill. General Grant, who had
strongly objected to Sheridan's removal, has, it is
added, executed the order. The President appears
to have had an interview with Grant, when they
seem to have harmonised their differences. Sheri-
dan was directed to report at Washington in person
previous to taking over his new command. We
suppose he is to go like a naughty boy to be
scolded. The other items by the Russia are, that
Gen. Pope has written to Geu. Grant complaining
that some prominent rebels in his district retard
Reconstruction, which, however, he believes will be
sustained by a large majority of voters at the ap-
proaching conventions. General Sheridan has or-
dered the election of delegates to the Louisiana
Convention to be held on the 27th and 28th of
September. The national troops are to protect the
elections where fraud and violence are perpetrated.
The Richmond City Council has protested to General
Scholefield against having to support negro paupers.
Meetings of the Radical soldiers and sailors have
been held at Washington and Philadelphia, at
which the conduct of Mr. Stanton was heartily en-
dorsed, and the removal denounced. The captain
of a steamer plying between Charleston and Beau-
fort has been fined for refusing a negro woman a
first-class passage.
General Sickles has been removed by the Presi-
dent. The last news by mail from America left his
subordinate, Lieut.-Colonel Frank, commanding
the troops at Wilmington, at war with the United
States' Marshal, whom he obstructed in carrying
into effect the decisions of the Supreme Court. We
presume that General Sickles has sustained the
action of his inferior. No explanation had been
given by him at the date of the last mail, and the
President, on the 13th, sent an order, through Gen.
Grant, stating that no order can be issued or signed
by any military commander which conflicts with the
functions of the Courts of the United States. On
the representation of Governor Worth, showing the
impossibility of revising jury lists, General Sickles
had, for the present term of the Courts at North
Carolina, suspended the paragraph from his recent
order requiring their revision before the trial of
cases. He has, however, declined to withdraw his
order suspending a forcible collection of debts,
which, with various others, he had been petitioned
to do by the Charleston Board of Trade. He argues
that the people of the State, being conquered, ought
quietly to submit to military rule till reorganised
under the offers of Congress. lie has approved the
sentence of the court-martial in the case of Daly
and Radcliffe, who are each to suffer six months'
imprisonment for assaulting two Northern men in
a bar-room. Three prominent citizens three months
ago were arrested at Fayetteville, North Carolina,
charged with shooting a negro, and imprisoned in
Fort Macon. A military court has found them
innocent, and this instance of military justice has
had its effect in the North.

As we surmised, General Sickles has been removed
for disregarding the President's orders not to inter-
fere with the Federal Courts. The execution of the
processes is still obstructei we learn, by the
general's order. The action of the President in this
case will be sustained by public opinion.
We have now the complete registration returns
of Louisiana, which give a total of 127,637 voters, of
whom 44,732 are whites and 82,907 blacks. In
New Orleans there is a majority of 40 whites, and
in ten parishes the whites have small majorities ;
but the total gives nearly two blacks to one white,
which makes the negroes the future masters of
Louisiana, and, in the words of Mr. Lowe, " the
sooner they learn their letters the better." In
Virginia the registration has as yet resulted in a
white majority of 19,344 ; the numbers being—
whites, 31,575; blacks, 15,231. In Florida regis-
tration is sufficiently advanced to show ~that;
blacks will be in the majority. The accounts froll
North Carolina show that in 47 of the 83 counties
60,000 have registered, giving a black majority of
6,673. It is thought, however, when all the returns
are complete that there will be a strong majority
the other way. Registration commenced at Charles-
ton (South Carolina) on the 13th instant.

The Surratt trial closed on Saturday, the 10th
instant, after a session of 73 hours, at the end of
which the jury were of the same mind as at the be-
ginning—eight being for acquittal and four for con-
viction. All the eight, except one New Yorker,
were Southerners. Of the four, two were Northern
men, one a Scotchman, and one a German. The
jury was discharged—Surratt being remanded to
gaol for another trial. It is stated that half the
next jury will be negroes, and the charge will be for
attempting the abduction of the President.
At the close of the Surratt trial, after the dis-
miosal of the jury, Judge Fisher announced he had
a painful duty to perform when he proceeded to
order the name of Joseph H. Bradley, senior counsel
for Surratt, to be struck from the roll of attorneys
practising in the Criminal Court. On hearing this
Mr. Bradley protested; but the judge stopped the
protest by adjourning the Court. Our readers may
recollect that the hostility between these lawyers on
one occasion almost brought about a personal en-
counter. Mr. Bradley followed the judge into the
hall, and there handed to him a challenge to settle
the dispute by pistol or rapier, which the judge very
properly declined. The matter has been taken up
by the bar, and a committee appointed to investi-
gate the facts, and, if possible, bring about a recon-
ciliation. The action of the Judge in this matter
has been generally applauded.
Some painful disclosures have been made, in
which the actors are ministers of religion in the
United States. The crimes are of the most
disgraceful type, and neither public interest nor
morality can be advanced by discussing them in
newspapers. The Rev. 11. Wenat, a regularly.
ordained Lutheran clergyman and superinten-
dent of an orphan asylum at Philadelphia, has
been committed to gaol. Tereno nowe, a Congre-
gational preacher, a States school officer, and a
member of the Massachusetts Legislature, had
excited the intense disgust of the country, as well as
another preacher in Vermont.

The New York Tribune sent a correspondent to
Galena (Illinois), General Grant's old home, to pick
up information to be used against Grant in his
canvas for the Presidency. The correspondent
writes :
"Before the war, Grant—Mr. Ulysses Grant—was a
young married man, living in an unpretending hired house
on a hill west of the town. His father was a pirtner in a
house—no ,v Perkins's— in the main street, devoted to the
trade in hides. Ulysses was what is called in city firms a
light porter in this store, but still he did some pretty heavy
work, loading carts with hides, as well as casting up ac-
counts. He wore a slouched hat, and used to go through
the town with his hea I lowered, and al gays smoking a
cigar, and, as the salary was but small, these cigars, even
at the low prices which then ruled in the article, must have
been an important item in his annual expenditure."
He manifested no distinguishing traits, and was so
unpretending and reticent that many old residents
could not recall him when his name became famous.
Besides many other questions, the correspondent
asked if he would be supported for the Presidency
by the votes of the citizens, and was answered that
although no one there was aware of his fitness for
the post every one would vote for him out of local
pride. They bad purchased a handsome, plain brick
house, two storeys high, as a present for the Gene-
ral, which was kept by a man, so that Grant could
always have a bed ready when he visited the town.
Fifteen privates of Battery M Fourth United
States Artillery have been tried by court-martial at
Fort Porter, and sentenced to 18 months' imprison-
ment in the Albany Penitentiary, for parading with
the Fenians in a recent pic-nic. That held at
Haan's Park, at Harlem, about six miles from Chi-
cago, on the 15th inst., ended in a regular Donny-
brook row. In addition to the military organisa-
tions 5,000 civilians were on the ground. General
Spear addressed the Fenians, and other speeches
were to follow, but the programme was interrupted
by a fight, which was the signal for a general injb:e.
While General Spear was speaking, a hollow square
0.8 formed enclosing the platform, but all order was