The Empire County argus. [volume] (Coloma, El Dorado County, Cal.) 1853-1857, 1853-12-03
lFrom the London Examiner.1
AMERICA AND AUSTRIA.

AHEh1CA AND AOSIRIA.
Much praise has been not undeservedly bestowed
on those maxims which the founders of the Ameri-
can constitution left for the guidance of succeeding
generations; and perhaps none of the principles
adopted by American statesmen have been the sub
Jcct of more unqualified approval than the rule to
which they have generally adhered of refraining
from all interference in European politics. We
shall not stop to inquire whether the admiration
with which this abstinence has been repaid by Eas-
tern nations is entirely disinterested; but we may
be permitted to doubt whether Franklin himself
would have insisted ON its perpetual observance, if
he could have ioreseen the unparalleled progress in
wealth and population which his country has made,
the height of power to which she has arrived, and
the invention which has brought the old world al
most into contact with the new.
But whatever opinion may be entertained on this
point it is impossible to doubt that the day is not
tar distant when America will break through the
restraint to which she has hitherto submitted, and
will play no secondary part in the decision of those
great questions On the solution of which the future
destiny of Europe depends.
An apparently trihing and every dry occurrence
the illegal capture of an Hungarian refugee by an
Austrian officer has been sufficient to make manifest
the deep and eager interest taken 10y the people of
the United States in the affairs of Europe; and we
verify believe, from all we stated in connection
with the incident, that the New York Tribune by
no means cxaggerates the popular feeling on the
subject when it says that, although it knows not
whether Captain lngraham is whig free-soier
or Democrat yet certain it is, nevertheless that if
he had sunk the Austrian ship of to the bottom
he would have been the next President of the Uni
ted States
1t is evident, then that the Austrian Government
has been guilty of trifing in bringing for
mally under the notice of other European cabinets
the aitrOnt and injury which she processes to have
sustained 1t would be next to impossible for the
M oo1 III Co,,
tain Ingraham was in TIE wrong, to make any con
cession to Austria; and it is equally certain that
Austria, even though backed by her Russian ally
will obtain redress by force Of arms from Amer-
ca. An American President is as little in the habit
Of yielding as a Russian Gar. clustering will not
succeed with the Senate, however effectual it may
have been with House of Lords. Austrian Off
must therefore be taught to let alone gentlemen
who are provided with American passports, and to
contne their amusements to cutting down English
men-a sport which experience has shown they may
enjoy with perfect impunity.
But the appearance OF America on the theatre of
European politics may well afford subject for re-
Election, if not for disquetude to English statesmen
The power and security of England depend chiefly
on her naval superiority France is the only Euro
pean state which can compete in this respect with
England and her inferiority is considerable that
Frenchmen even cannot refuse to acknowledge it.
No efficient assistance could be rendered by Russia
" Ill ~ uHlcSS Silc Ilitu
previously obtained possession of Constantinope, SO
as to liberate her fleet in the Euxne. As long
therefore, as the status quo in the Mediterranean is
maintained, the pre-eminence of England at sea is
unassaablc, and her communication with India Sc
cure. But when the United States shall have ob
tancd, as in a short time they undoubtedly will OBJ
tain, naval station in the East, it is by no means
improbable that the ambition of the American peo-
Pile, heightened by the contemplation of an over
flowing treasury, will impe them to assume the high
position amongst the nation of Europe which Eng
land appears to be weary of retaining-for when
did the first place want Il candidate long =!
And as the British Government has proclaimed by
its organs, and yet more emphaticay by its acts
that the insolen aggressor Is safe from the resent
ment cf England provided he wounds her honor
merely, or her reputation for good faith, and con-
fines the injury which he intiics on her national in
terests within reasonable limits and to distant
shore-it cannot but be clear to Americans, thirst
ing as they are to render their name glorious among
the classic regions Of the East that it is not impos
sible for their country to become the arbitress Of
Europe and to perform the part which Canning
vainly ascribed to their southern ncighborhood Of
redressing the displeased balance of power.
Should Il passion for this high enterprise seize
upon the American people, England will Lave cause
to rue the timidity of rulers who by shrink
ing from an imaginary danger, have called into
perous activity the only power which she has rea-
son to dread because the only one that can ever
venture t6encounter her upon the element whereon
alone she is assailable