The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-04 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

A Vienna letter in the Journal de Franefort
publishes the following defence of Austria in oppo-
sition to assertions made against that Power by
some of the Paris journals :—" We do not think
that the French Government is occupied with any
projects calculated to disturb peace, but the more
confidence we feel in the wisdom and moderation
of the Emperor of the French, the more astonished
we are at the unmerited provocations which
are directed against Austria by several of the
Paris journals, and more particularly the Presse
and the Patric. We find it asserted by
the former journal, which is considered
as the organ of an Imperial prince, that we stifle
all generous aspirations in Lombardy, intimidate
Tuscany, strengthen the Pope in his resistance
against France, give pernicious counsels to the
King of Naples ; that, in a word, we are the per-
sonification of retrograde ideas, and that, in spite
of all the love which may be felt for peace, a war
of France against Austria would be desirable.
What signifies all these phrases ? of whom can they
deceive ? Some French journals reproach Austria
with her want of liberalism. But during the last
ten years the. Austrian monarchy has been com-
pletely metamorphosed ; we have made the most
important progress in every path of public life, and
yet we are accused of stifling generous ideas. Al-
though the removal of burdens on land commenced
rather late in Austria, we have nevertheless left all
the other German States far in our rear, and we
have effected it in a manner infinitely more liberal
than has been done in any other part. The old com-'
mercial and customs' system has been completely
abandoned, the internal trade of the country released
from all embarrassments, the tariffs considerably re-
duced, our frontiers have been opened to foreign coun-
tries and principally to the Zollverein, and the con elu-
sion of liberal treaties of commerce and navigation,
based on the principle of reciprocity, have been
promoted by every means. We have no political
trials nor political prisoners ; and we allow refu-
gees to return to their country ; and we reinstate
them in all their civil and political rights without
placing them under any surveillance. Our police
feel no fear of disturbances, and every individual,
whether foreigner or native, may travel from one
end of the monarchy to the other without being
restrained by any vexatious measures on the sub-
ject of his passport. A law, which is to be very
shortly published, will open a wider field to the
independent administration of the communes, and
will grant to the provincial constitutions a partici-
pation in the affairs of the country. These two
changes have been already introduced in our
Italian provinces, where they have produced the
most favourable results. Our judicial constitution
has undergone considerable ameliorations ; the ad-
ministration has been re-organised, and it satisfies
all the countries of the Crown. The extension which
has been given to our means of communication and to
our postal laws and conventions favours commercial
operations. The number of schools increases every
year, and the Government uses all its endeavours
to draw towards the country foreign savants, in
order to place them at the head of our superior