Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-02-09

members tne Opposluon OF 90. IN ITALY tue only
gleam of present hope is the constitutional march
Of SARDINIA, under the enlightened government of
the son of the brave but unfortunate CHARLES Al
BERT. II is melancholy to reflect upon the unmis-
takeable evidence which the result Of the late revo-
luton in Italy affords, that the establishment of
either civil religious liberty political indepen-
dence in that beautiful peninsula is, at present,
hopeless. The Times, in its conservative zeal,
thus depicts the state of Italy at the commencement
of l849. Its present condition is, of course, matter
of congratulation with that journal:
Italy lay altogether PROSTATE the feet of the Revou
on only where the King Naples found energy and
strength oppose the deusons of his Subjects the ruin of his
neghbors and the perfdy Of his allies The Pope
fugitive from Rome, and that city in the hands Of band
Of armed adventurer who rendered themselves partly by
force and partly by mpudence absolute masters of the terri
fed misguided population Sicily also occupied by
horde Of those rambling soldiers anarchy who every where
hosed what they called the standard Of national ndpen
denc and obtained the dsgracefu connvance OF
regular Governments. Florence Parma Bologna, and Leg
horn in the possession of the mob yrannzng the
people, yrannzing ITSELF and celebrating with disgusting
exavagance the expulsion and defeat of all government
Venice alone presented the dgned aspect of composed and
heroic Defence sustained by the sacrifices of her citizens
governed by the naesake Of her last Doge and prepared
adorn again the pages Of her antique Not Ge
noa for there the spirit of independence had allied itself the
passions, and the strength of her Notifications
served to the retreat Of conspiracy and violence
Austria has regained her ascendency in North
ern Italy. Milan is again the seat Of the Impe-
rial Government. The dream Of Venetian Re
public has passed away, and the Place Of ST.
Mark again beholds the double-headed eagle of
Austria on the summit of its domes. In Florence
the hereditary Grand Duke keeps down the spirit
Of reform and progress, by him styled inno-
vation and anarchy" by the presence of foreign
troops. Italy exhibits at the commencement Of
1850 very little that affords consolation to the
friends of rational liberty and social progress. Tur
key, under the liberal rule of its enlightened Sultan,
ABDUL MEDJID, is evidently making rapid strides
in civilization, moral and social condition, educa-
ton, and all the best elements of national power.
The conduct Of its Government towards the Hun
garian and Polish exiles entities it to all praise, and
will, trust, raise powerful friends 10 its rescue,
should the designs of IFS great antagonist in the
North threaten its independence and well-being.
We have yet much Of Northern and Central Eu-
rope to embrace in our retrospect. Austria was,
at the beginning of lS49, threatened with exclusion
IRON the Germanic Empire, and with being shut
out OF that national union which had been for ages
the seat OF her authority and the bond of her power
The young Emperor had ascended the throne at
one OF the darkest moments in the annals Of his
long enduring house. The greatestof his ancestors
had it is true, suffered equal calamities from the
strength of their enemies, but Austria, in January
l649 appeared to be untrue to herself. In Hungary
the rebellion which divided the force Of the monarchy
appeared capable of sustaining prolonged exist
ence. Vienna itself was not safe place for the
| imperial residence. Bohemia was doubtful, Poland
was all but in arms. Her Italian provinces were,
for the time, no longer hers. 1t is much to be la
mented, considering Austrian interests alone, and
without any reference to Hungary, that she was
compelled to call in the aid of Russia, in her cam
paign against that country. The influence of Rus
sia in the East Of Europe has been eminently ex-
Il ndnI hvysh ,xn., III
/ CATION as saving an empire from dismemberment is
/ too great to be easily forgotten. It has, we fear,
for a very long period, thrown Aasaria into she
arms of Russia. They are now united by the bond
of a common interest. The Magyars in Hungary
and the Poles in Sarmatia the enemies Of both
and each feels that it is by close alliance of the
Cabinets that the evident danger Of an nsurrection
of these powerful and warke races can be provided
| against.
| Peace has been established between Denmark
and Germany, and the affairs of Schleswig Holsten
we trust, permanently adjusted. SWEDEN is ad-
vancing temperately and steadily; peace is within
her borders, and her inhabitants industrious and
happy, under liberal institutions and enlightened
Government. We feel certain that RUSSIA must
experience, even in her northern latitude the kindly
influences of improvement and ameoration which
are every where SO active among the great family
of nations, Education, knowledge, and science
must increase, not only in Petersburgh but in Mos
COW and Astracan and with their increase must be
introduced the desire of and the fitness for moral,
social, political, and religious liberty; and this de-
sire and this fitness will be the sure precursors of
those al-important blessings. HOLLAND and BEL
GUM have been more in the position of spectators
than actors in the great events Of l849 They both
have been, however, enlightened, because liberal
in their legislation, whilst quietly pursuing the
aims of fair delightful peace" Of SPAIN two
good things are to be recorded in her history for
the past year. She has improved her internal con-
dition by paying considerable attention to railroads.
bridges, &C., and has extended her commercial re-
latons with other countries by the establishment of
toerably liberal, and in her peculiar position, ju-
dicious tariff. Of her political condition we know
but little, but we willing to hope that it has ac-
CURED stability, and increased something in its
adaptation to the wants Of the people, during the
year which has just closed. PoRTuGAL cannot be
standing still nothing on the earth quiescent;
know of nothing in which she has advanced, and
therefore we fear that she has retrograded.
Such is our view of the present state of CONT.
MENTAL EUROPE, as produced by the events of the
past year. Wedo not regard it as a very favorable
upon which TO base our expectations respecting
the present year. The revolutionary temper has
been succeeded by temporary lull, rather than
permanent calm. The forces of revolution are ex-
hausted, but not annihilated The Europe of 1850
is at peace, but not pacifc-ranqui, but not tram
quillized-quiescent, but not contented.
But in any coup f9it at the general position Of
European politics, to omit the consideration of
ENGLAND, and her interest and share in them, would
be worse than playing the tragedy of Hamlet with
ouf he Prince of Denua And here If the vista