Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-05-18
The Despots and their Fears.
A ceM1se STORM IN EUROPE.

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months, perhaps years; and yet convulsion would
seem inevitable at no distant period. The recent
outbreak at Milan was evidently premature and
ill-advised but the ferocious measures that have
since been adopted by the Austrian Government
indicate condition of apprehension and cruelty.
well calculated to astonish, as well as to induce
be lief that the despots are fearfully alarmed.
Either the conspiracy was more formidable than
the published accounts authorized US to believe,
or the Emperor of Austria and his Ministers are
hard-headed and blood-thirsty in an eminent de-
gree, and deserve the execrations of all civilized
men. Not satisfied with the summary execution
ofmany of the guilty, they have punished thou
sands of the innocent, and made the city of Mi
Ian little better than prison house for its entire
population. Private letters state that thousands
of poor Swiss, whose sustenance depended on
their daily labor, have been sent even without
warning of day, into their native mountains, to
traverse the snow in mid winter with their wives
and children, and compelled to leave all their
property at the mercy of the authorities. "The
city has for weeks been guared as by seige-
armed soldiers have been place at the doors, and
executions of the most terrible character have
taken place." Nay, many of the principal pala-
ces of the princes and mobiles have been turned
into barracks for soldiers, while the wealth of
every Lombard who was in any way compromit-
ted in 1883, has been sequestered, and the reve-
nue. appropriated to the army. Hundreds have
thus been reduced from af1uence to beggary, and
compelled to seek safely for their lives in fight.
Already several of the European Governments
have been appealed to, and Lord Clarendon has
written strong letters to the British Minister at
Vienna upon the subject, and in the hope OF in
ducing less rigorous policy. The horrors of the
Austrian rule in Italy and Hungary, are indeed
without parallel in mordern times. Switzerland
and sardinia are thronged as places of refuge, and
the Cabinet of Vienna, not satisfied with its pro-
scrption and persecution, will, it is said, make an
earnest effort to induce the two States named
to expel all the unfortunate exiles from within
their borders Already, says private letter.
"Austria has made demand upon Switzerland,
wholly derogatory to her freedom, but to which
she is likely to yield for the sake of avoiding an
attack Every concession, however, will only be
followed up by new disputes, and it is perhaps
not improbable that her mountains may before
long constitute the scene of new struggle. Un-
til the coronation of the Emperor has taken place.
France will avoid committing herself to any side
but subsequently she will watch her opportunity
for extending her "inauence," and that certainly
cannot be accomplished by undertaking a part
nership in the endorsements of Austria" itf
Another letter states that the GOODNESS between
England and Austria is rapidly increasing, and
the evident tendency is, to unite England and
France in some liberal and manly policy, calcu-
lated to keep the despots in check. Vienna
correspondent of the London Times, says that the
animosty felt by the higher classes of Austrians
towards England, has reached fearful pitch,
chiefly because of the ceaseless maicnations of
Mezzini and Kossuth, and the fact that England
permits them to have refuge on their soil. He
adds, in illustration of this feeling:-"Not long
since scene took place in drawing-room of
lady of high rank which reflects as little credit
on her good sense as on her good breeding. Ac-
cording to the story which circulates in the first
circles, and is generally credited, the lady in ques
ton treated British peeress, who had called on
her with marked coldness, il not with positive in
cvity. It is even said that the mistress of the
house and some other ladies' present so far forgot
what was due to their own rank and standing, as
the effect not to observe the entrance of the dis
tinguished foreigner. A fellow country men in
forms me that few days since some member of
the sJudcial Political Reading Room," gave
vent to his excited feelings by proposing in the
wish book that no Englishman in the future
should be admitted. The leaf was torn out, it is
believed by order of the committee. The breach
between the two nations is widening from day to
day. and it is much to be feared that as the sem
son advances, our travelling fellow scountymen
will be treated in way that may lead to most
disastereus consequences. -aas ss
Another correspondent wrtes:-.-
.Switzerland is not disposed to yield to the de-
mands so imperiously made by Austria, nor does
Austria give any indication of rela king in them.
This situation of affairs is difficult in the extreme.
This policy Of neutrality, if not of conciliation,
endure till the Pope's visit be decided one way
or the other. The Emperor's policy will be sue
cessful, and he believes he will have gained much
| in the opinion Once this Ito him) important ad-
vantages obtained, and he will be at liberty to
enter in the system which there is little doubt he
he has already formed in his mind. The reserved
character of the Emperor Napoleon is well known;
and though, as we have more than once said his
secrets are well kept, yet indication appear now
and then as to what his future policy will be.
"If these incidents are not deceptive, they
show declined tendency towards an alliance
with England. Whether, as is suspected, the
design of weakening the influence Of Austria in
Italy, and of the cooperating in the independence
of the country, form part of the Emperors policy,
time can only show. For the present. however,