Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-06-08
A GENERAL WAR.-The foreign news by

the Niagara is strangely portentous of gene
raj European war, which will decide the issue
whether Europe will be, in the language of
Napoleon. Republican or Cossack. Whether
the despotism of Russia and Austria will pre-
vail over the onward tendency of the age, un-
der more liberal governments and whether
governors are made for nations. or nations for
governors. The unexpected repulse of the
French from Rome-the victory of the Roman
Republicans over the mercenaries of the butch
er Ferdinand of Naples-the advance of the
Austrians upon the Roman States-the refu-
sal OF the Pope 10 be reinstated by force-the
magnificent victories of the Hungarians over
the Austrians-but above all, the intmation |
OF France and England that they cannot per-
nit Russian Intervention in the affairs of Hun |
gary and Germany, all seem 10 point to an in
evitable crisis in the relations of the old world.
After sleep of centuries, the natural affni.
ties of race and nation re-assert their sway, in
spite of the arbitrary allotments of despotic
power. The Italians demand Italy The Hun
| d
united sclavonic national government. The
Germans demand, and will have, united
Germany and in all these, men demand their
natural rights as freemen. The struggle will
undoubtedly be long and a gloomy one. The
oppressors are entrenched in the high places
of power and influence. They possess ma
chinery perfected by long ages of tyranny
they command the arms, treasures, and armies
of Europe-their Generals are able and expe-
rienced. In all this, the advantage seems to
be on their side. But to oppose TO this, the
Republicans possess the energy of new sys-
tenn, whose foundation is not laid in worn out
prescription, but in the hearts and feelings of
the people. The military system of the Eu-
ropean States forces every man to be SOL
der, not merely in name but in fact ;-every
man in the militia of the German States, inclu-
ding the territories of Austria, has to serve
from two to FIVE years in the army, so that a
German or Hungarian peasantry only wants
) enrolment and leaders 10 be instantly disci-
plined army. When Russia, Prussia, and
Austria, parttioned Poland, they laid the foun-
dation of future trouble, perhaps ruin, for
themselves. The exiled Poles, soldiers by
profession, thirsting for vengeance upon their
spoilers, are ever ready to flock TO the standard
of resistance wherever it is reared. Britain
proved this in our revolutionary struggle -
Austria feels it now in the victories gained by
| fbo ~: Oh l.
; The Russians have felt it in Circassia, where
native valor, guided by Polish science, has
baf1ed the utmost efforts of the Imperial armies.
Should France and England be forced to
take part in the present struggle, we may look
for the establishment of a united Polish and
Hungarian nationality as barrier against the
designs of Russia of an independent Italian
kingdom between France and Austria, and
,, perhaps of a Germany, composed of confed-
Grafton of the minor States, to preserve the
independence of Central Germany against the
designs of Austria and Prussia But at all
, events. we must ard will have fighting, and
fighting on large scale too. We know that
as general rule, manslaughter is inconvenient
as an element of civil society, but like many
: other unpleasant things, 1t sometimes becomes
necessary. The body polite, as we'll as the
natural body, may, and does at times. become
plethoric, and nothing but depletion can restore
it TO healthy state. The old nations of Eu
rope are unques:ionably growing too popu
S lous. The cholera has not had the effect o
e materially thinning it out, and war seems in
h evitable to finish what that pestilence has lef
uncompeted.