Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-21

Il was the critical point for the imbecile
court OF Austria--the reverses of the Rus
SLAMS and Prussians; their defeat by troops
newly raised, without cavalry, and without
the habits OF the camp, alarmed the Austri
an ministers-the French ambassador pre-
scented a memorial in which it was ntima
ted that to refuse to be mediator for the
peace of Europe would be considered as a
confirmation of rumors which were sup
ported by many appearances and which
had induced the emperor of France after
the battle of Lutzen to order the organiza-
tion of two armies of 100, 600 men each one,
on the Italian frontier, under the victory OF
Italy and another on the sources of the
Danube beside an army of $4,000 in Ba
varia commanded by French marshals
The Austrian court preferred to become
mediator-on the day that the columa of
the Italian army entered Syria and made
requisition for subsistence on the garrison
of Gratz.
The armistice followed these unexpected
and brilliant victories. The French chief
prohted OF the precious interval, to iortify
himself upon the Eibe, and in the angleform
Ell by that river and the mountains of Bohe-
mia; to complete and to discipline bis ca
valry, and TO organize new armies far more
numerous tsan those with which the spring
campaign was opened.
THE effect upon tie Russian and Prus
sian cabinets was a kind of political para
lysis; the mediation oj duStria Was not mere
ly an abandonment Of Heterogeneous to the
confessed powers, but an alarming betrayal
OF The Russians into the hands of the French
IN this panic the emperor of Russia recross>
ed the Vistula with his suite, and the king
OF Prussia removed his court from Bres-
Tau.
The flames of war were now suspended to
direct the faculties of the coalesced powers
to plans of diplomacy the French chief left
the diplomacy TO his ministers, and prepar-
ed Tor an issue, which must in the ewes
OF every discerning man, be determined not
by parchments and placards but by the
sword. 10 the coalesced powers every hours
delay was exhaustion and reduction of re-
sources; to the French chief, every hour
gave him an accession Of strength, discipline
and distribution of force; his garrisons, on
the remOtest points from Zamosc to Dant
zic, from Magdeburg to Slogan, were all
provisioned superfluous population, and
SICK and wounded removed; works strength
eued and repaired; and the Italian, Bava
rian, and Franconan armies, converted into
depots and corps of observation; the Italian
army marched strong column across the
Austrian territory at a short distance from
Vienna, four days before the expiration of
the first armistice, and encamped on the
fields OF AustertZ aScorps of Poles united
with this Italian corps in Bohemia, on the
heights of Leutmcritz the BavaTian army,
which had been embodied near Ratisbon adj
vanced at the same time below the Iller, and
formed an entrenched camp on the territory
coded by Austria 10 Bavaria, and the Fran.
CONAN aamy established its head quarters
in the principally of Wurtzburg, within a
bout sixty miles of Prague.1
Already are all the strong places upon
the Danube, covering the frontier of Bohe-
mia, placed in perfect state of defence
me lllyrIaR provinces, and DaImatia shield
ded from an attack; the confederation of
the Rhine of the reach Of danger.
The imbecility which could lead Austria
into so many disasters for twenty years.
must have lutte expectation to hope for any
wise or conaistent course Of policy and the
same weakness which could first fall into
the coalition, and so suddenly recede in the
character Of mediator, must be considered
as still open to every new impulse of fear or
infatuation'1
Austria lets fall the flimsy veil with which
she had endeavored to conceal her desicns,
and openly joins the sixth Coalition against
France. Four times has she been compel
led to make peace, yielding by each treaty
a fresh portion of her territories. We re
serve for subsequent article our views of
the probable result of the renewal of hostil
titles, and shall endeavor to resolve the cues
iion--whether the present Goa ition is likely
to terminate more happy for the parties
than those which have proceeded. We
shall examine it solely with regard to- military
operations, and believe ourselves enable TO
anticipate as the result of this examination
that disasters, such as have not been ex
Perlenced for twenty years past, impend
over the coalesced powers; and that the
complete dislocaton of Prussia and Austria,
the annihilation of the Hussian armies, and
the re establishment of Poland, are events
which may reasonably be expected.