Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-03-26
EgHSTO nc All
From the New York Evangelist.
The Austrian Empire,
BY REV. JOHN s. C. ABBOTT.

In our last letter, we referred to the conquest
of Vienna by Napoleon, and to the terrific
scenes which ensucd, during that sanguinary
conflict " Strange result" says Alison, " OF
those days, not less of royal, than of national
revolution, that daughter Of the Cesars should
be wooed and won by soldier of fortune from
Corsica; that French arms should be exerted to
place an Austrian Princess on the throne Of
Charlemagne; that the leader of a victorious
invading host should demand her for his bride,
and that the first accents of tenderness should be
from the deep booming ofthe mortars which, but
for his interposition, would have consigned her
fathers palace to destruction"
Napoleon remained in Vienna for some time
celebrating his triumph with most gorgeous fes.
Invites, which the Vennese were compelled &c
look upon with at least feigned pleasure. And
thus were the apartments Of the proudest mon
arch in Europe devoted to the eXulting festival,
of an individual who, few years before, was in
such deep obscury that he could not even have
obtained admission to those apartments as q
guest. Napoleon having plunged the Emperor
Of Austria into the dust of humiatlon having
driven him, a fugitive, far off into the wilds Of
Hungary, with the disheartened fragments Of bis
defeated armies; and having reyeled, as long a;
suited his convenience, in the Iuxuriously fur
nshed palaces of Vienna, prepared for his re
turn to France. He first, however, compelled
the Emperor of Austria to sign treaty contain
ing the most humiliating concessions. Large
portions Of the Austrians empire, and of the
revenue, were surrendered to the Unsuitable con
queror. And then Napoleon, as if he intended
that the Austrians should feel their humiliation
in the very depths of their souls, ordered his re-
firing troops to place mines of gunpowder under
those beautiful Notifications which surrounded
Vienna, and which had been for ages the pride
the ornament and the strength of the Austrian
capital and they we're merciessly blown into {
pile of ruins.
The ramparts of Vienna had long been the
peculiar glory of the metropolis They were
shaded by magnificent trees, which had been ac.
cumulating their growth for centuries, These
ramparls formed delightful public promenade
for the citizens. They were the flvorite and
almost the only resort for the young and the old
on every bright evening and every gala day
These venerable Notifications had ages before
arrested the progress of the victorious Turks
when they we're sweeping like desolating flood
over Europe and they had been rendered illus.
trious by the heroism of Maria Theresa. Ma.
poleon ordered as he left the city, their entire
demolition. Mines of terrific power were con.
structed under the principal bastions These
exploding with the energy of volcanic fires, up.
ho7e the mountainous ramparts from their foun-
dations and scattered them through the air, min
gIed with volumes Of flame and smoke, darken-
ing the sky and strewng the earth with the e.
normous ruin 1t is said that these successive
explosion, one after another, presented one Of
the most sublime and awful spectacles of the
whole revolutionary war. "Showers of stones
and fragments of masonry" says Alison, " fell
on all sides The subterraneous fires ran along
the mines, with smothered roar which froze
every heart with terror. One after another the