The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-21


men, cannon, clothing provisions, SC, and the
last two years In improving the fortihcations In
the Rhine provinces. Those on the f1ontier TO-
wards Russia have been comparatively neglected.
The amount expended on the former, In ls4s,
was 81 237, 300 while that on the latter was only
1857, 900. Besides this, the Prussian uovern-
ment has demanded aud obtained permission from
the Chambers 10 borrow s2l ,OooHooo Tor tne east
ern railroad. This sum is at its disposal, how
The snoncial condition of Austria Prussia,
and Russia. Is bad enough but in war they would
ouarter their troops on the people, or endeavor
70 subsist on the enemy's territory.
You need not be surprised, then, il the next
winds that blow from Europe should watt you
the news Of an attack on Switzerland, and Of q
war in
A rupture in those duchies may happen at any
moment Mr.. Won Bulow, the Secretary Of the
Danish Legation, remarked, three days since, to
a gentleman who gave me the information, that
he expected by every mail the news Of the re-
newal of bostilities The King of Denmark, in
his speech on the 30th Of January, at the open
ing Of the Chambers, expressed the hope that the
affair might be brought to q peaceful termina-
ton, but limited very broadly that it could not
This seems to be the tenor of all news from that
quarter. The duchies. in the event of the war,
will not be aided by Prussia, as before, and will
almost certainly be forced to yield in short cam
paigu. Their situation is a most melancholy one.
They are oppressed by the umpres, their cur
rency is destroyed their civil administration dis
organized their troops half disbanded, they are
abandoned by Prussia told by the Frankfort
Commission to submit with good grace, and
know that submission win not save them from de.
vi,,rl,Ivn yy yao y, ,sss, -, $685., - -
cord, or by powder and lead, or their country
from the position Of a conquered province. This
controversy must soon be settled In some way
and probably by arms.
PRUSSIA AND AUSTRIA.
While Prussia is apparently bent on the forma
ton Of Northern Confederation, and really ex
tending her power, by concluding military trea
ties with the small States in her neighborhood
Austria is none the less busy in organizing hei
own provinces, and in prOfting by every mistake
of her rival The late message of the Prussian
King has been adroitly used by Austria to detach
the Constitutionalists from his party. One Gov.
eminent is now as absolute as the other; but
Austria has the advantage Of not having lately
taken openly any aggressive step against the
cause of unity Although at heart she is hostile
to any unity in which she has not the control
and knows that Prussia would never consent tC
that, she is clamorous for the union of all the
German people. She seeks popularity, too, by
her project Of calling Convention of merchants
and business men, to consult on the best means Of
uniting all the German StsteeiA SSare Netnrneresi
system. This project she has laid before the
Frankfort Commission with great show Of ear
nestness She is, besides, showing her zeal for
the German element, by her energetic attempts
to colonize Hungary and Transylvania with Ger
mans. She has never put forth such exertions in
this way. The Minister of the Interior has
caused work to be published on the " History
of the Attempts at German Colonization in Hun
gary and Pennsylvania in the 18th and 10th CEN
turiesD This work explains away all the failures,
and attempts to prove that the present effort is
made with every prospect of success. Premiums,
in money utensils, and land, are offered to actual
settlers
Another instrument used by Austria in her ri
vality with Prussia, is the influence of the four
Kings of Bavaria Wurtemberg Hanover, and
Saxony These have more or less influence with
the other Governments, and use it to detach them
from the cause Of Prussia.
This last Power prosecutes unremittingly its
efforts at aggrandzement Its friends circulate
the report among the people, that alliance is now
in progress of formation between the three liberal
Powers of France, England and Prussia, while
they give solid securities 10 the princes, Of the
Kings attachment to absolutism and the priv
leges Of the monarchs and aristocracy.
- RUSSIAy POLICY.
The real designs of Russia are not on Germany,
but are, as of Old steadily directed to the dismem-
berment of the Turkish Empire, and gaining the
mouths of the Danube.
Austria has ever been the fast foe Of these am
bilious designs and is the only Power in position
to interpose effectual difficulties. The Russian
diplomacy seems to have been of late directed to
the end of disarming Austria. The aid given to
her against the Hungarians bound her to gratitude
Republic on the Russian frontier At present
Russia seems to be favoring the views Of Prussia,
with the design of keeping alive the jealousy be-
tween the houses of Hapsbourg and Hohenzollern,
so as to fully occupy the former in Germany. She
is certainly fomenting the difficulty with Switzer-
land. If this should come to blows Russian troops
viii be necessary IN Hungary, and the Gar can
seize at once on Moldavia and Walachia He has
already actual possession with forty thousand
men.
UNITED STATES AND AUSTRIA
Mr.. Casss resolution and speech have OCCASION
ed great sensation throughout Europe. Diplo-
matists aghast at its holiness and look on the
Senator as little touched by his failure in the
last Presidential campaign. Some Of the papers
ask, What is the American Government, that she
CAL give HtTstiI suCn ATS vi moral superiority
Has she not three million slaves in her midst,
suffering more daily than the Hungarians have
done2
Indeed, it is a n0ive impotence without parallel.
Mr. Cass the apologist Of slavery the palliator of
its horrors the unwearied foe of liberty in his own
land, would rebuke tyranny in another The
man who never found word of reproof for the
men who hung, without judge or jury, or shot
down like dogs all the insurgents in the Virginia
Of 1884, not to mention others before
and since, and will not dare now to dsapprove
these massacresthis man is full Of horrors at the
excuses Of the Austrians. Come, Mr.. Cass be
honest for once. Have the courage Of your opin-
on. You are in heart majority man. Degrees
Of longitude cannot change morality. A fast ally
Of slavery in your own country, you would, if
your lot had been cast in Austria, have had your
yes open to the necessity of crushing the noble
Nagyars. These heroes may well quote to you,
Non tall Ourilo, etc, and decline your theatrical
LOCAL ITEM.
The trial of forty-two members Of last years
Prussian Assembly for high treason, commenced
The act charged against them is, ex-
sting the people to refuse the taxes They are
not to be punished for voting this refusal in the
Assembly, but for sustaining the vote by words
after they were out of the Hall. subtle dis
inction, truly The trial excites great interest.
W
CONGRESS-.