The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-09

former are DVlDR, VI o'a'' Nv
cessity The revolution Of the year before last
was in great measure the result Of a general
and thorough German conviction, that the spawn
of the despotic diplomacy Of 1918, the Confeder-
alton was no longer fitted for the era in which
we live This gave TO the central diet, or com
mittee Of plenpotentiaries Of the 80 Confeder-
ated German States, the larger ones singly, the
smaller collectively, the decision of all affairs al
fectng their relations or on common interests.
Austria presided Through plenipotentiary) over
this diet Frederic William WAS at the bottom
Of the efforts of portion Of the diet in lSis to
depose Austria from her supremacy therein iiis
purpose was to create a new union, with himself,
iPrussis) not Austria, as its Emperor or head
He therefore took the initiative in attempting
fundamental changes in the old Constitution or
Compact between the respective Governments OF
Germany, in which their subjects were in no man
ner consulted by the by. All these proposed
changes il should be remembered were designed
really TO increase Prussisn influence, though, TO
get at his back the peoples of Germany, Frederic
William put forward the purpose of extending
their liberties as the plea for his movement.
While Austria hesitated TO deny the pressing ne
cessity for some of the reforms Prussia proposed,
with her characteristic retrogrestiye policy, she
took care to labor to make them as insignificant as
possible This was the main apparent question
between them, up to the breaking out OF the
Hesse Cassel and Holstein difficulties Russia,
combining with Austria, then forced Prussia 10
acouiesce in a federal Intervention in the fiol-
stein affair, as stated in my last letter But when
Austria prepared to march an army to that end,
she was met by peremptory refusal from Prus-
STA to permit single federal Austrian and Ba-
variant regiment to traverse her territories, which
lay on Austria's line of march. The Elec'or OF
Hesse about the same time applied to the federal
diet for an Intervention in his affair, and that
application proving successful Prussia placed her
troops so as 10 prevent the granted and from
marching over Prussan soil TO reach the Electors
territory, which is literally within the bosom OF
Frederic Williams Kingdom.
Thus Prussia availed herself Of her geographic
cal position, and her right acknowledged to
march troops where she would, on her own ter
ritory, to protest against federal AustraD) inter-
ference, and to fortify the very points which it
was the purpose Of Austria to occupy in her work
of aiding the Elector
These are the apparent causes of the almost +" a
general war in Europe" over which the civilized
world has been specializing for the last three
months The real cause lies far deeper, however.
1t results from the old dispute between the antag
onist tendencies of Northern and Southern Ger
many Other interests and passions becoming
aroused, have gradually been marshaled into the
controversy, until they have become virtually its
prime elements and at one moment they seemed
bent on turning to their own account the general
war which all the world believed to be imminent.
The Democracy o. Prussia, eager and all but uni
yszssi- L-pt i,s AnaroV and enthusiasm to stir mp
The prospect of connict Which II shregdiy saw
would probably place in its hands all the result.
Ing fruits-in word, the future Of Germany.
But the Liberals of the Austrian Empire have so
far failed TO see tbeir advantage in real contest
in arms between their robber masters and those
of the Prussian Democracy. They looked only
at the prospect Of being drafted to serve, under
arms in the cause Of hated Government This
was too much for the nerve and especially for the
rocket nerve, of the business interest of Italy
lAustrian) Hungary, and Vienna. They be-
thought themselves Of the dastardly purpose Of
striving for their own liberty alone in case the
war should open in earnest. Thus they protest
ed against being drawn into il, until their Gov
ernment wavered and drew back as did Frederic
William on smelling the rat" in the over eager
ness of his people to back his pretensions, which
even he is too shrewd not to understand are as
diatasteful to the Prussian masses, well nigh to
the austrian Cabinet.
But everywhere men held their breath, as
though anticipating thai each succeeding mail
would bring news of the first ciank OF arms in
the war on which the future Of all Europe hung
France and England calculating the chance of
the eternal dollar (ls effective in determining
Government policy on the other side Of the At
lantie as here) studied only how to make the most
in choosing sides, OF to increase the most profta-
BILE scmi-neutraity.
Russia saw in the rising conflict one Of two sure
results for her, viz Either the prostration OF the
power Of the Governments and peoples of Austria
and Prussia, so as to allow her, without serious
resistance, to take permanent possession of por-
ton of the territory of both, under pretence of
ending the dispute by force of her arms. Else,
the destruction of Monarchy in both Prussia and
Austria, owing 10 the consumption, in the many
occurring engagements VI all tSe "slnews OF war"
possessed by both Governments, to be replaced By
the dreaded power Of the people, who, rising IN
their might unchecked by bureautic influences
and chains, would speedily drive her (Russias)
dominion back into its original Muscovite limits
But there is now little or no prospect Of the
war which two weeks ago seemed on the point of
breaking out Francis Joseph haC not the means
of fighting, and Frederic William dare not He
is, in character, the counterpart of what the First
James of England was-a man of a multiplicity
of words, theologian and o swaggerer, breaking
his promises with as much unconcern as though
merely smashing rotten eggs. He is dysenteric-
a victim of fits and starts-in temper; and,
though enthusiastically arraying himself in gen.
erals uniform, With bright helmet, and calling
out the whole disposibie population of his king
dom when about to deliver his late pGltroon-lke
speech to the Chambers, he hates drawn sword
beyond expression He has at times manifested
n slight community Of interest and feeling with
the German peoples but only when aiming TO
advance the interests of his family by means of
beir patriotic aspirations. Whenever there has
happened crisis in which adherence ION his part
to the M,sralism which on such occasions he has
professed, might operate to strengthen the cause
of the masses against that Of his class through
out Europe, he has alm0ys failed the People.
After all his late shutting, he is weaker at this
moment than at any time since cheating his sub
jects into renstating him by swearing oaths of
fealty to the Constitution, which, when taking
those oaths, he was scheming to destroy. His
conscience is in the breeches pocket Of Nicholas.
lie knows that the Gar is the great representa-
tive of the interest of Europe that must be upheld
if he would retain his throne in his family for
another generation and therefore, though he may
scufe with Austria on the minor points at which
Prussia has been at variance with her for twenty
Ave years past, he will obey the call Of Nicholas
like spaniel, whenever that great mind and i'm
perious will signifies by whisper in his ear, that
the Interest of his individual kingdom must give
way before the Ito them more important interest
of the Class of Royalty on the Continent
PUBLIC MEETINGS At TIE NORTH