Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-28
The Attitude of Austria.

From the LONDON IlmoHb November 10. $50
Let any one watch the course Of Austria during
the last year United with US in every diplomatic
step which We have taken, she has still carefully
avoided entangling herself with our alliance, or In
curing breach with that Power against whom
we are at this very moment fighting her battle,
even more than our own. At first the excuse was
that while we were remote from, she was near 10
the Russian frontier, and that 1t was unreasonable
to expect her to till treasured by our pres
ence AT last we came in such force and with such
preparations as made this excuse no longer tenable;
but Austria moved not whit more. The Congress
of Bamberg was in the Russian interest, and Aus
tria dared not move without the consent OF the
Congress of Bamberg Meanwhile success began
to declare itself in favor of the allies and the tide
of Russian invasion was rolled back from the walls
Of Silistria Then Austria made an advance, but
in direction obviously dictated by other consider
atoms than those of European or even German
policy The Principalities became untenable by
Russia and Austria was willing to hold them for
Turkey. Russia rejected her ultimattma, but Aus
tria shrank from enforcing that uitimattm by re-
course to arms.
Such is pretty nearly the position she occupies
at this moment. The duties thrown on her by that
position are manifest enough. She is bound by
good faith to hold these provinces--as friend Of
Turkey--as sacred deposite, TO be returned when
Turkey shall be in O condition to demand it invio-
late as she received it. All accounts agree in sta
ting that Austria has not faithfully discharged this
duty From her first entrance into the Danubian
provinces up to the present moment, Austria has
treated the Turks and the provincals with an over
bearing insolence which seems to announce that
she comes, not as q friend, but as master-not
as an ally, but as sovereign. After her own fash
ion she seeks to establish herself in province she
has not conquered as an enemy, after having OBJ.
tanned entrance into it as friend, and practices on
the banks of the Danube the same obtuse and UNI
relentng despotism as saddens the plains Of Lom-
hardy or the marshes of Venice. The cuckoo has
obtained admission into the nest and lords it there
with all the confidence Of the rghtful owner. Thus
is Austria fulfilling the duty she has undertaken to-
wards Turkey What is her present gratitude to-
wards England and France? Having joined with
us in all our negotiations and remonstrances, Aus
tria was to common apprehension, bound to join
us also in the means we have taken to enforce
them; but, if unable or unwilling to vindicate by
her arms the conclusions Of her diplomacy she was
at least bound by every feeling Of honor and jus
tice to act with the utmost good faith and fendli
ness towards Powers with whom she had gone 30
far and from whom she had so unaccountably sep
arated herself How far this reasonable expecta-
ton has been verified we learn from recent letter
Of our Constantinople correspondent.
Weare engaged in besiegng an enormous for
tress, defended by an army probably more nume-
rous than our own, fighting its own ground, and
possessing unbounded supplies of the munitions Of
war. Above all things it was considered desirable
that this disparity should not be increased by the
presence of further Russian reinforcements With
that view the Turks contemplated diversion in
Bessarabia which would at once have obliged the
Russians to concentrate their troops in that quarter
and thus cut off the last hope of relief from the
my of the Crimea 1t is said that this movement
has been prevented by Austria, afraid that, were
the Turks to invade Russia from the Danubian
provinces the Emperor might treat such pro-
ceedng as act of hostility.
Surely this ia something less than neutrality
The Turks are at war with Russia Austria has So
lemnly pronounced their quarrel just, and yet she
nterposes to prevent their making strategical
movements considered necessary for their own
safety and for that ofthe army Of those very Pow
ers with whose views Austria has professed entire
concurrence, and in the success of whose arms she
has affected TO rejoice!
The Austrian occupation of the principalities is
at this moment used as a means Of hostility to the
allied Powers and of facilitating the enterprises of
Russia. If we had known that the Turks were not
to be allowed to make diversion in our favor on
the banks of the Pruth, that Austria had dispensed
them from the necessity of defending their own
country, and forbidden them from invading that
of their enemy we might have found occupation for
0mer Pacha and his gallant army either in the
steppes Of the Crmea or the mountains of Arme-
mia. Austria has indeed occupied the Principal
ties but has neutralzed force almost equal to her
own. She has Joined us in protocols but deserted
us in action. She has entered on the Danube as
our friend, and remains there to insult our allies
and counterfeit our strategical combinations But
all this crooked policy will avail her little. Austria
may yet find that IL is easier to ALLEVIATE a friend
than TO conciliate an enemy, and that while her
recent interference has lost her much with the
allies, with Russia it has gained her nothing.