The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-31
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE.
BERLIN, December 81, ls49.

The present tendency of European politics can
not be properly taught in occasional letters on
current events. Bon mots ON Turkey, indignant
paragraphs on the conduct of the Austrians in
Italy and Hungary, hoping ones on France, and
complicated ones the twisted affairs Of Ger
many, may all be well enough in their places;
but it is well to look back from time 10 time, TO
connect events of to day with those of last year,
and the movements in Austria with those in
France. We propose, then, presenting a con-
nected view of European politics in the year
which has just closed, that the readers of the Era
may have a standpoint, from which TO look on
the great political events which are doubtless
reserved for the next few years
The revolution which swept like hurricane
over Europe in the early part of is4s, was pow
erful for destruction, but not for creation. Rot
ten old political fabrics fell into ruins but moth
ing was erected in their stead The leaders of
the popular movement had been all their lives
studying the best means to tear down. and were
capable of nothing else. When the people rose
up, they threw themselves at its head not exactly
knowing whittier to lead, but determined to keep
work of destruction, and no more. As soon as
their ignorance had led to the Paris massacre of
June, they were thrown aside. The counter
reroiution took the lead
The counter-revolution attempted to produce
reaction in the popular mind, and met with
temporary success. But the result of its efforts
has been to deepen and strengthen the principles
81 =. a. Ioo- Al fr
the revolutonists had remained in power, there is
no doubt but that their excuses, ignorance, and
folly, would have led to a reaction which might
has" 7rsled the fste Of l;ha~., se- a long time in
the old world; they lost power in time to the,
cause. The counter-revoluton of 1919 has been,
without intending it, the best friend of the prin-
ciples of the revolution of 1913.
What was the position Of political affairs in
Europe at the beginning of the year ls49 -
The cause of the revolution had been compro-
missed by the June Instruction The massacres
and horrors of those bloody days at Paris had
shocked and paralyzed the courage of the people,
and separated from their cause all who had prop
erty to defend. Fright united the bourgeoisie in
strong league against the socialists They had
favored political revolution, but were prepared
to resist to the death a social one
France placed at her head the dictator Cavaig-
nae, sincere republican but bred in camps, and
unable to comprehend any mode of restoring
tranquility than the state Of siege and the inst-
tuition of courts martial with the restriction of
the liberty of the press and of the right of public
oral discussion. Nor was he politician enough
to detect and defeat the intrigues against him
and the Republic
The alliance between the Orleansists and Legiti-
mists was effected by Theirs and others They
met on the neutral ground of Comparison. At
the election of December 10th, Cavagnac was
set aside, and Louis Napoleon elected by an
whelming majority. All parties voted for him,
for each saw in him the representative of it's own
views, and passive instrument of its purposes.
He had promised each party what it wished.
The new President appointed, as Prime Minis
ter M. Odilon Barrot He had filled the same
post in the last Cabinet of Louis Philippe On
several decisive occasions, he had already shown
his incapacity and want of presence of mind
The first step of the new minister was to cement
an alliance with Theirs, the representative of the
selfish and heartless conservative policy of the
country. At the end of the year ls4s, the
French Constitution had been reduced effectively
to a nullity, and the policy of corruption and
intrigue which had governed France under Louis
Philippe had been restored to its full vigor.
In H0iy, the counter-revolution had three points
of support the Austrian influence, the Catholic
hierarchy, and the Neapolitan absolutism
In the beginning of ls49 the different States
ofItaly presented very different appearances In
some, the revolution was yet in full power while
in others, the counter-revolution had obtained
the victory
Sicily enjoyed perfect independence on Ma
pies She had offered her crown to the younger
son of Charles Albert King of Piedmont, but
was provisorily governed by council of her own
citizens. Her continued independence seemed TO
be guaranteed by the friendship of England and
the troubled state of affairs in Naples
Ferdinand had repressed, by force of arms, the
instruction of the 18th of May, and had been
since occupied in cancelling, one after another,
the concessions he had made, Selling and mpris-
oning his enemies and depressing the local insur-
rCctions which broke out at short intervals, in
every part of his kingdom.
Rome was at the head of the movement in Italy
and the only representative of its three great
ideas, the expulsion of the Austrians the separa-
ton of the church hierarchy from the sdministra-
ton Of the Government, and the national unity
The Pope by his vacilntion and apparent dupli
city had lost rapidly the favor Of the people,
which he had once enjoyed to so great an extent.
After the insurrecton of the 18th and 10th of
November, in which Rossi, his Prime Minister,
fell, he invited Galetti and Mamiani to form
Cabinet but on the oath, he fled in the disguise
Of q footman to Gaeta and placed himself under
the protection of Naples The Romans did not
depose him, but appointed a Commission to gov
ern until his return, and appropriated large
monthly salary to supply his wants They took
immediate measures for calling Constituent
Assembly by the universal suffrage, and for rails
ing an army to oppose Austria
In Upper Italy, Radetsky had re-conquered
Lombardy, and forced Charles Albert to demand
truce. Venice had proclaimed the Republic
and elected Marin TO the Presidency The peo-
pie of Lombardy, Piedmont, and, in fact, all It,t
were anxious TO re commence the combat with
Austria. No good result for Italy was to be
hoped for from the negotiations at the Brussels
Congress, agreed to on the invitation of England
and France. A renewal of the war was inevitable
The Duke of Tuscany went with his people, but
the Dukes Of Parma and Modena had fed.
Germany had two objects to strive for, which
were the same with those of the Italians-politica
rights and national unity. But, instead of reli-
gious hierarchy, devoted to the interests, of
church, she had an arstocracy bent solely on the
tinn IF IT, al