The true Democrat., 1854-08-02
From the New York Herald of the 10th Juy


 The position of Austria as ostensibe arbter and stakeholder between the western powers and Russia may we'll excite surprise and distrust amongst the European liberals That power, whose existence was lately quivering in the ba- lance, should now herself hold the scales, is fact rather humiliating to the pride of great nations like England and France, and we can well understand the disquietude and alarm which the equivocal conduct of the Aberdeen ministry and the approaching occupation of the Municipalities by the Austrans, with the con- sent of Russia, have given rise to amongst all classes and shades of politicians in both coun- tries. The speech of Lord Lyndhurst, in the House of Lords and the motion announced by Mir. Layard, in the House of Commons, reflect faithfully the general impression created by these doubtful circumstances, and we are in- clined to think that the discussion will rather confirm than do away with the idea that Austria and Russia are playing into each others hands, and that the English ministry are playing into the hands of both. If the latter hypothesis be not correct, then Lord Aberdeen and his col leagues must be the veriest dupes that ever pre- tended to diplomatic foreshight. By allowing Austria to hold possession of the Municipalities, III trust, they do not as they imagine erect a barrler aganst the encrOachments of the latter upon the Ottoman territories, but they afford seasonable relief to the over strained resources of Russia ln that and other quarters, and enable her to concentrate her forces upon those points which are exposed to the most pressing danger. As long as the Austrians hold the Principalites she has nothing to lear from the operations of the allies against her southwestern frontiers, and she will be consequently in position to direct all her efforts to the defense of the Cri- mea, which it is now the great object of the coalition to wrest from her. If this arrange ment be not the result of concerted plan be- tween the cabinets of Vienna and St. Peters, burg, we must say that Russia is stragely favor- ed by the blindness and fatuity of her ene- mics. No conjuncture of circumstances could have more opportunely adapted itself to the present exigences of her position, and at the same time removed the difficulties that opposed themselves to the prosecution of her ulterior designs.
 If the English and French governments are really serious in their professed determination to extort from Russia material guarantees against any future attempts to aggrandize herself at the expense of her weaker neighbors, they should not have committed the fatal mistake of mak- ing the two great German powers parties to their league. They might easily have foreseen that they were thereby creating endorsements and difficulties for themselves, arising either from the timidity or proverbial faithlessness of those powers, which must ultimately defeat the ob- ject that they professed to have in view. h. dependent action, uncontrolled by the fears or partialities of reluctant allies, would have given a union and strength to their coalition that the introduction of such doubtful elements could not fail to neutraze. We never did believe however, that the Aberdeen ministry were act ing in good faith and sincerity in the course which they have pursued throughout this tor tuous affair. Their declarations and their acts have always been strangely at variance with each other. They accommodated the former to the excited state of public feeling in England, which was continually urging them on to ener- getc measures, and the latter to the secret views of the cabinets of Vienna and Berlin which consulted rather the feelings and interests of the Czar, than their own honor and the safety and peace of Europe. The French Emperor has, contrary to his usual habit, suffered himself to be led entirely in this matter by the guidance of English counsels, but it must not be suppos- ed that 1t IS from the absence of due appre- citation of the hollow pretences put forth to jus tify the singular want of judgment and deci- sion displayed by Lord Aberdeen and his col leagues. The truth is that he cares but little for the professed objects of the war; It was essential to the consolidation of his power, that he should cultivate friendly understanding, if not close alliace with the English people and the opportunity furnished by the Eastern question was eagerly caught at, and has been since carefully strengthened by his ready com pliance with the suggestions and advice of his new allies. Unlike his uncle he believes that stratagem is better than force, and by his saga city and prudence he has already accomplished one of the long cherished objects of French policy-a firm footing in the East. It will be recollected that one of the irreconcilable points of difference between the first Napoleon and Alexander, at the conference at Erfurth. was the possession of Constantinople. The former could not bring himself to yield this long CO., veted prize to his northern rival, and the dis cord to which the point gave rise went far to neutralize the objects of their interview. His astute and willy successor has contrived to se- cure it without opposition or alarm, and like helpless Rome it will be dificutto arrest it from his tenacious grasp.
 There never was, perhaps, a greater political juggle than this Eastern question, from begin ming to end. The different governments have been all along endeavoring to dupe each other, and in concert to dupe the greatmasses of man. kind. The hand of Providence, will however, in this as in other instances in which ambition and deception seek to override the claims of natural justice and to stife the voice of truth, ultimately baf1e and defeat the sinister designs, that lie concealed in this labyrinth of tortuous intrigues a-erg a.H H.-r, 7s s3