The republic., 1851-01-02
! II I K Z p u B LIC.
The Diplomatic Correspondence with
Austria


doubtless perused with mingled amazement and
qualification. the extraordinary correspondence
between the Chevalier HuLsEMANN, the Aus
trlan Charge, on the part, and Mr. WEE
srER, the United States Secretary. on the
other, and which appeared in our paper of yes
terday. These documents were received by
and read before the Senate upon call from
that body
When we first cast eye over the letter of
the Chevaler HULsEMANN. and noticed its
naughty and swelling tone in respect to Aus
tria, and its somewhat contumelious estimate Of
the United States, we were strongly reminded
of the language of Taou Kwang, the Chinese
Emperor, to his Admiral Guam and his Com
missioner kishen during the late war with
Great Britain-commandin them at once to
annihilate the outside barbarians who had ven
tured to disturb the sublime equanimty of the
Celestial Empre The question naturally
arises in the mind. is this document 10 be re-
garded in its peculiar characteristics, its igno-
rance, impertnence, and barbarian rudeness, as
personal OF misunderstanding its spirit from the
Ambassador the Austrian Cabnet2 From
what We know, we believe it to have been die
faled by the latter, and leaving the minister
no choice or discretion. lfso, it must be taken
as fair index to the degree of sense logic,
and light belonging to the ''Imperial Cabinet"-
not of Pekin, gentle reader, but of sister EN-
pire, whose seat is at Vienna n
After reading Mr.. WEBsTER's reply, we in
dulge no sentiment of Indignation toward Aus
tria A single ejaculation rises in the heart.
'Oh that enemy may always write de-
spatch-solong we have the present Secretary
To answer it," This abundantly contents our
national pride The subject. however, is too
suggestive of reflection no, to be improved for
few observations.
The history, position, and tendency of Aus
tria would afford abundant scope for volume
At present it is an unseemy compound of various
Kingdoms and races arranged under about fifteen
different governments Some OF these are
duchies, some arch-duches-some Kingdoms,
some--as the military Frontiers artificial
districts, reminding us, by their sprawng
figures the map, Of the Congressional dis
iricts in Massachusetts,, established by the De
mocracy of other days, and from the governor,
ders. The entire population of Austria is
SO 600 900; Of these ,O0O,0OO are Germans.
u ,0OD, 900 various Sclavonc nations and tribes,
and 100000 Italians. The number of native
languages spoken in the Empire is about thirty
Austria, thus constituted, was the patchwork
ofthe Congress of Vienna 1t does not. however,
materially differ in its extent, though somewhat
in its boundaries from Austria as il existed be-
fore the first French revolution In two in
stances, this empire had saved central Europe
from the destructive invasion of Asatic hordss
: In the thirteenth century. the Mongols, which
overwhelmed the rising Muscoviie Kingdom,
broke on the organized kingdom of Bohemia and
the marquisate of Austria In the seventeenth
; century, Austria was the bulwark which stayed
and at last turned back the terrible tide of Turk
; ish conquest in Europe From that time ii was
for more than a hundred years the beau ideal of
, European despotism. TheCourt being at once dis
sipated imbecile, and corrupt, addicted itself 10
every kind of license while it held over its sub
jects the iron sway OF dark and gloomy ty-
ranny. Toward the close of the eighteenth
Z century the manners Of the Imperial Court were
! luxurious and disgraceful To degree almost in
credible. The money wrung from an abused
I and poverty stricken people was spent by their
oppressors in the most tasteless extravaganza.
Forty thousand persons were, in some form
or other, attached to the Court. Its unlimited
, expenditure furnished many with the means
of revelry; whilst the prohigacy of courters,
hangers on. and lackeys, impaired its tone to
society in all ranks, and eating drinking, and Ii
centiousness were considered the great busi-
ness of life Half Vienna, says the historian,
was fed from the court-kitchen and the court
cellar. Feasts, professions, and fireworks,
entertained foreign visters The bread for the
parrots of the Empress STEPPED in Tokay
, wine, of which two hogsheads were expended
/ daily Twelve gallons of the finest wine were
also allowed daily for her possets, and twelve
barrels for her baths. The other German
Counts were equally profligate, and much less
dignifed. Augustus the Strong OF Saxony
died in 1888, leaving three hundred and fifty
two children His reign was one long scene
/, of coarse debauchery, and the most wanton
expenditure. 1t is quite consistent with all
this that al about the same period, twenty thou
sand peasants of Salsburg-guilty OF no rebel
hon. and desiring only to practice the truth of
the Gospel-were tortured and hunted like
wild beasts. and finally doomed to banish-
S ment
+ From this inebriate condition Austria was
reused to the necessity OF defence against the
/, rising power OF Prussia. After two bloody wars
peace was restored. but the position of Austria
: was changed new and powerful Kingdom
: had been established at her side, and the com
ing shock of the French revolution began to
appear in warning undulations upon the face
of society. ,iosEPH H., so keenly and effectively
alluded 10 by Mr.. WEBSTER, came To the throne
in 1880. Having embraced some of the more
reasonable doctrines of the French consli-
ment assembly. he attempted various radical
rnfnrms In his emnlre. He aholshed tendalism.