New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-12
AUSTRIA.


The European news for several weeks past would
seem to prove that the fate of the eastern question
in the hands of Austria For some time now the
greatest efforts have been made by the allied powers,
alternately coa1ng and menacng, to win her over to
their side and to push her into the vanguard OF the
fight against the heaviest force Of the common enemy
In seeking to place Austria in this position of irbiter
the allied cabinets to think that she Is fuly
equ Al to the emergency 1t would appear that their
Judgment must be based ou some sort OF reality not
with standing the danger and embarrassment which
ended the HOuse Of Hspsburg in the recent revo-
luton Indeed, on reviewing the events since
ISiS-49, we find ourselSes obliged to come however
unwillingly, to the disagreeobe conclusion, that
since the prostration of nperial Austria at tlst
tine she has recovered as by miracle and stands,
apparently not feeble totterng, but reinsgOrated
stronger and more compact than she has been for
fifty years.
1t may not be unnttrestpg to look at tee promi
nent causes which have thus strengthened the House
of Hap,burg First Of all-the Imperial throne has
broader as well as a tougher basis than that on
which it reposed for centuries, and whence it was
temporarily blown by the storm of Isis. Previous to
that period arsocracy formed the prop of the thrones
now il is the people, and its most extended and mus
cular part, tie peasantry, which directly sustain the
Hapfburgs; and this peasantry, of all the various
Daiiobalities forming that chequered Empire ou,num-
beers by millions millions the artisans the burghers,
the merchants, 10 a word The whole compound of the
middle classes, the focus Of intelligence, and therefore
OF revolutionary aspiration and activity which can
ecaIoey recover from tie losses sustained in the
cent revolutionary movement.
In 1916 in Galcia and subsequently to l54s in the
whole Austrian Empire, the peasantry generally were
Lot orlJ cmaLcipatcd from performing any statute
labor for the nobility, but were liberated At tie cost
Of the Iobles feeholds being cut out from the pos
sessions of the latter to form homesteads for the
former. II is true that the mobiles of Hungary, Bohe-
mia and other provinces initiated this act Of justice;
but as il was undertaken amid revolutionary turmoils
which ended in the destruction Of the liberals, their
policy in this regard not maturcd On the other
hand the Imperial Government, recovering FROM the
shock willingly or uuwilingly accepted tiis part OF
the inheritance of liberal ideas and sanctioned regu
lated and carried out the edcts Of emancip patton In
the minds therefore Of the Slavic German peas
antry, il ia the Kaiser who reaps the fruits whose
seeds were planted by his enemies he being consid
cred by the emancipated masses their benefscter.
The ties, too between the peasantry and mobiles are
severed; the peasantry are estranged from the no.
bles, and nourish against them ancient and deeply
rooted grudge. Thus the nobility, with their new
and liberal aspirations are between two fires,
while the burghers of the cities cannot countupon the
sympathy and support of the agricultural masses OF
the country 1t would therefore, be for the present
difficult if not oil impossible task TO excite the peas
ants against the House of Hapsburg anywhere through
A. ;,bo III All
icable. Even in Lombsrdy during the war OF l,4-49,
the peasants showed themselves indifferent; they
nowhere flew to arms, nowhere cordially aided the
patriotic cities nor in any considerable pambers
joined the Piednontese army.
Next to be considered is, the Capitalization of
power. This vital thing for every despotism has
been created in Austria on the ruins of the liberal
cause Until ls4S there existed the so-called Estates
local Legislatures in Austria proper and in G,cia;
uDgar., too, for ned powerful and for all internal
questions II free and independent kingdom-staus in
stotu-snd even for Itsly there existed kind of
italian Council. The Niennese Government was ac-
cordiDgly often obliged TO resort TO subterfuges, to
be nice with the Estates, and above all, to be
descending and extremely cautious in dealing with
the Hungarian maenaies and Hungarian Diet. All
these barriers, legal or moral no longer exist. On
the destroyed liberties Of the provinces at least
their lost privileges is raised the despotic admins
trative power Of a complete Capitalization Taxes
are imposed without the faintest breath Of remon-
STRANGE. Hungary, the jewel of the Hapsburg crown,
which once enjoyed large immun:ies-separate Gus
tom houses snd freedom from imperial monopolies-
lie now merged N general and common fscaliy. Ac
cordipgly, the Government monopoly Of growing and
selling tobacco is introduced there. This presses
upon the peasantry, who, however, lind compenn-
ton in the homestead acquired, IN the emancipation
of labor and hence the new taxes and monopoies
said to be less burdensome than was their former
cial condition.
Besides the hatred Of races whose bloody outburss
carried safety to the Hapsburgs in l-4s, has not
sbated, and is still brewing. The wounds mutually
inflicted are hardly healed. Germans, Magyars and
Slaves look with detestation each other, to the
joy of the Imperial House 1t is not probable that
these feelings will be extngushed, so that these
races can unite in q common effort for the overthrow
of the common enemy, the Hapsburg dynasty. And
the once powerful chivalrous Hungary has no longer
. separate administration, separate treasury 4 n,