Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-28
AUsTRIA-HER MOTIVES FOR JOIN
ING THE ALLIES.

Il
ING THE ALLIES.
There is a principle in the art of fishing
which teaches the fisherman to fasten his net
to the strongest rocks, SO as better to resist the
violence Of storms, and TO render powerless the
efforts of the inhabitants of the sea- Nicholas
in fastening the net of his policy to the Ger
man thrones has acted in obedience to that
rule.
The assassination of Kotzbue was the signal
of reaction in Germany. Many of the laws
enacted under the influence, of Stein were re-
pealed, the men of the liberal party were
thrown into prison, and the Universities and
the press placed under the control of a severe
censor. AT the same time commission was
appointed, manifestedly under the direction of
Russia, to reside at Mayence, there to watch
and survey the manifestations of public opin-
ion. The existence of that commission was
soon felt in all parts Of Germany. Its first
object was to bride the public prints, the sec.
ond to create a Russian party in all the courts
by matrimonial alliances This shrewd policy
was perfectly successful Journals of great
influence edited with marked ability, but ami
mated with Muscovite breath, and supported
by Muscovite money, proclaimed the astonish-
ing doctrine that Russia acas called By Irova-
dence to regenerate Europe.
The Gazette of Augsburg and of Hanover
the Journal Of Frankfort and the Mercury of
Suabia, were thus transformed into Russian or
gans and advocated the policy of Moscow and
st. Petersburg. AT the same time, several
German States, among which Electoral Hesse,
Nassau, Nuremberg the Grand Duchy Of
Hesse, luxembourg, &C., were gained to the
Gear by intermarrisges; and soon the dynasties
of that country, frightened on one side by the
threats of the people, attached on the other by
hopes of bright promises, clustered around the
house of Romanoff like flock Of frightened
chickens around their mother. When Russian
influence was unable to be wedged into Ger
man courts through matrimony, it was intro
duced by means of public offices. 1t is very
curious fact, that the Emperor of Russia does
not distribute the Offices of the State to natives
alone, but preserves the highest and the best
for foreigners, whose influence he uses among
foreign nations in order to increase his own.
The proof of this is to be found in the alma
mack of Sare Gotha, which gives us a long list
of German dukes and arch-dukes attached to
the Russian army, in the quality of owners of
regiments, colonies of dragons, Russian cap
tains, &C. Bavaria, Saxony, and Austria, the
only three States not connected by family links
to the house of Romanoff, on account of their
being Catholic countries, are represented in the
Russian armies by the Prince and the Arch
duke Alberts, and by the two Arch-dukes Fer
dinand and Leopold. In word, and to say
the most of it, the father of the Emperor of
Russia was himself honored with the rank of
colonel of regiment of Russian Grenaders.
In presence of such facts, it is impossible to
say which is to be the most admired the mag
nitude of the design or the consummate ability
with which it has been carried out. Once free
of directing at his will the policy of the Ger
man States, the Car was virtually the master
of Northern Europe, whilst his conquests in
the southeast enabled him to endanger the
integrity of the western States. The fight
taken by Russian arms and policy since 1915,
has been similar to that Of the eagle, which
describes larger and larger circles as he scars
up to the clouds; and, to complete the figure,
we will say that the position of the Car was
as dangerous to the balance OF European pow
er, as that of the monarch of the air to the
rest of the feathered tribes
Deprived Of his influence upon Germany
by the causes we have just observation-disclosures
ened by the motley elements composing her
dominions-deprived of that kind Of popula-
ton which is necessary to constitute nation
ality-haying seventeen millions of Sclayonic
subjects on one side, seven millions of Hunga-
rians, and sevon millions of Germans on the
other, exclusive Of her Italian possessions,
Austria was, in reality, not nation, but an
aggregation of people, dissenting in laws, Gus
toms, habits, and religion, and differing as
much in traditions, languages, and propensities,
as the Peruvian differs from the Anglo Saxon.
Her power, every one knows, would have been
broken asunder, had it not been for the mighty
preponderance of Russia in her own dominions
"a preponderance which caused the Russian
General, Paskewitch, to say to his master, at
the end Of the Hungarian campaign: "Sre
zoe are victo,ious, and Hungary is at our feet =
treating thereby Hungary, virtually, as pro-
vince Of the Russian Empire.
The determination of Austria to join the
1
Western Alliance, may be considered under
various aspects, the principal Of which are
LIST. The future independence Of her policy
towards German States.
I'd. The perfect freedom on her part to
modify her northern frontiers on the boundary
line Of Russia, and to free Galicia, if she
chooses.
Sd. A perfect independence Of action in re
ference TO the increase Of her possessions east
ward, and the permission to keep to herself
the provinces Of Moldavia and Galicia with