Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-07-14

destroyed thereby the influence of pc.
Pular prejudice, which under monar-
chies, is the strongest support of the
throne: which SO often imagines that
wars are entered into for the protect
on of the nation and the glory and hap
piness of the people. Though she pos
sessed numerous and well appointed
armies, yet mortal distemper was al
ready sown through the veins of the
body polite, and the excitation Of her
dlstemprr like the Inflammation OF a fe-
yer, was mistaken for symptom OF
her strength.
The conspiracy of Pilnitz is well
kaown: and Austria accedcd to this
conspiracy in 1892, and declared war
against France. She would once more
Iintermeddle in the domestic govern
ment ola whole peopis and would APP
point masters for them. Her Harmirs
were defeated, and alter successive at
tempts and successive defeats, the
ipeace of Leoben 10 1897, saved the re-
mans of the house of Austria. With
diminished revenue, population, terri
tory and military forces, and with her
strong holds IN the possession OF her
}enemy, she made another attempt in
1885 but her arms were every where
unsuccessful: TWAS then doubted that
had the conqueror pursueI his victory,
whether she must not have fallen but
her ruin was only pro'racted with a
phrenzy which the strong antidote of
experience could not cure, she has late
ly renewed the struggle, and has pc :
rished.
1t is an observation by no means TO
be disregarded, that the settlement OF
the imperial crown in the house of
Austria, which had lately taken place,
was measure calculated not TO in
crease, but TO diminish its political i'm
tportance. She thus deprived herself
of the assistance TO be derived from
the ambition of the princes ct Germa-
ny OF succeeding TO that dignity, and
rendered them indifferent to the pre-
servation of AN authority which tae,
themselves were preclSled from ali
hopes of enjoying. Though the i'm
perlal dignity had continued in the
Austrian family with little intermissi.
ons from 1878, when Randolph oil
Hapsbourg was called 90 the imperial
crown; yet the right of being them
selves elected and Of appointing an en-
peror, were considered by the prinl S
OF Germany as things by no mems oil
little importance they were therefore
prepared by resentment and by ambi-
ton, 10 enter into the measures OF 3d.
!naparte, and to accede To- the cnniede-
ration of the Rhine. Thus the ior-
mer members of the Germanic body
became the allies of its most deadly en-
envy, and Austria alone unfriend
ed, was left to fight its battles.
| From publication Of the celebra.
ted Cent?, and from the Austrian ma.
nifestoes, 1t appears that she declared
war against France, rather through the
apprehension of suffering than because
she had actually suftereA injury. Bo
naparte, to leave nothing to fortune
when he marched an army into Spain
had also drawn an army around hei
frontiers: and the dread of experien
| cling the fate Of Spain and the hopes O
Iprohting by her distractions, had eau
sed her likewise to take up arms. Blu
this measure abstracting from the Is
sue (Which practically demonstrate.
its folly) does not seem to have beer
i'll any degree prudent. Had her mi
r litary forces been in sufficient readi
ness, the time of entering upon actor
: should have been when the royal fanil
/, ly of Spain were arrested. But he
J subsequent attempt when the SpanisI
cause was hopeless when the patrio
: armies had been every where defeat
: ed, and the English driven from Spain
could not be said 10 be made at pro
per time unless she had been bent up
} on self-destruction.
From publication of Mr.. Cent?
of the date OF last January, il appear
: that there were $50, 900 French troop
in Germany, 10000 in Italy, an,
100 900 of the confederation of th
Rhine. When we add TO these 100