The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-26
sc

i his was the chief cause of the ag0randiZe-
ment of the kingdom Of Sardinia and of the
House of Orange, the liberty of Genoa being
sacrificed to the former, and about three mil
lions of Belgians to the latter, which already
was in possession of Holland.
To Switzerland, with which Wallis and Gene
va were reunited, the promise was given that
It's neutrality should forever be respected
In Italy, Parma and Piacenza were destined
for the indemnGcation of the dethroned En-.
press Of France, as an Austrian Princess; and
Lneca, IN order to satisfy the complaints of
Spain, was given to the former Queen of Hetru-
ria and her son.
The heroic Murat, who, in fit of inconsider-
ate dispeasure, had committed the meanness of
joining the enemies Of his benefactor and broth
er-in-law, was at first acknowledged by the Con-
gress As King of Naples, and even promised
an ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of his territory; but hearing
Of the return of Napoleon from Elba, he attack
ed imprudently Austria, and, being defeated,
lost his throne, which was restored to Ferdinand
~, who thus again became King of the Two
Sicilies
England retained Malta, Helgoland, Cape of
Good Hope, together with many important col
ONES in the two Indies as well as the protecto-
rate of the Ionian islands. A small renumera-
ton, indeed, for the debt of eight hundred mil
lions Of pounds sterling which her Government
had contracted in warning against republican
and imperial France. The King of England,
however, recovered Cor himself and his family
Hanover, with considerable increase of terrific
~ aud with title OF kingdom, though il was still
Ia constitute one Of the States of the German
Confederation.
The conquest of Norway by Sweden
sanctioned IN Acknowledgment of the important
assistance which the Crown Prince and troops
oil the latter country had rendered the Allied
Powers against Napoleon.
These were the principal arrangements con-
corning the affairs of Europe at large. Every
thing was done in order to satisfy the claims of
the rulers, but nothing for the nations. A
vague promise was, however, held out, of a con-
stitution being awarded TO the part of Poland
which hal been conceded TO the Emperor Al
exander Of Russia.
But the Congress Of Vienna took no meas
nres for depressing the sanguinary prosecutions
which, an the name of Ferdinand VII, had been
carried on, from the moment of his rc-estab-
iishment 10 the throne, against the heroic men
who had SO valiantly indicated the independ-
ency of Spain against the armies of France,
and 10 whom he owed, In great part, the recov-
cry Of his crown.
No step was taken by the almost all-power-
fu Emperor Alexander, to prevent the un-
grateful Ferdinand from violating and setting
at naught the Spanish Constitution of 1912,
which the Emperor of Russia had acknowl-
edged as valid, IN the treaty of Ulelek Luki, July
20, 1872, between himself and the Spanish
Cortes. But the gratitude due to the Spanish
nation by Ferdinand, and so many other of the
European princes, seems to have been forgot
ten, when ITS aid was no longer wanted against
Napoleon
When that monarch had crushed beneath
has trium plant chariot wheels the old German
Il Il. =. Il q
Grafton of the Rhine, against the formation of
which no objection was then raised by the other
great Continental Powers of Europe. But
when the veteran warriors of France had either
succumbed before the frosty winds of Russia,
or persisted IN the swollen waters of the Bere-
Zina, the Emperor Alexander and King of Prus-
sla ieit induced 10 issue, IN union, proclama-
ton from kaish, dated March %, 1913, i'm
which the Confederation Of the Rhine was de-
nouneed, and the promise given of the regene-
ration of the German Empire, under constitu-
fionat guarantees calculated to maintain the
Independence and uaiiy of Germany
Allured by these glorious prospects, hundreds
of thousands of patriotic Germans. fired with
enthusiastic love of their country and of free
dom, FASTENED Ia purchase, at the price of their
blood, the deyerance Of their beloved father
IaItd from the dominion of France. Let us not
forget mentioning, that even some of the no
bleSt daughters of Germany braved death on
the fields Of battle for their country's sake.
The then awakened spirit of freedom among
the German people produced very memorable
results. To it is chiefly To be attributed the
victory which Butcher gained on the Katzbach.
in Silesia, August %, 1873, over Macdonald /:
and TO it was due a great part Of the victories
which the Prussians and Swedes won at Gross
hbeeren and Dennewlz, under the leadership of
the Crown Prince of Sweden, over the celebra-
ted Oudinot and the immortal Ney Moreover
10 this feeling is probably attributable the
treachery, of which the Saxons made them
selves guilty, in the great battle Of Leipsic, by
their desertion from the French ranks, and
which was one of the chief causes that COM
PEELED Napoleon to give up the advantages which
the troops under his immediate command had
obtained over the "Grand Army" of the Al
lies, composed Of Austrians Russians, and
Prussans, having Prince Schwartzenbers for
commander-in-chief, at least nominally.
L cannot lorbear here 10 remark that though
Napoleon had only l57, 900 men to oppose to
the 900 soldiers of the allied princes, he
maintained his superiority during the DAYS this
terrible battle continued, until the desertion of
the Saxon troops had opened for the Crown
Prince oil Sweden, who commanded the corps
ddrmce--called the army of the North-the
opportunity of forcing the lines of Marshal Ney
10 a Sio" icuFil. Gun, lNaIoftDn WOuiu nave
renewed the battle on the following day, had
not want of powder obliged him to withdraw
his army from the field of battle There is
every reason to suppose that he would have
effected has retreat without any very great dis
aaster, had not a sergeant sprung the bridge OF
I4eipsIc before he had received orders to do So
10y which accident $4,000 Frenchmen and Poles
Were cut of from the retreat, and of whom.
after a most heroic resistance, the survivors fell
into the hands OF the allies
The Germans, rejoicing at their deliyerance
from the French yoke, induIged the most
flattering dreams Of a glorious future. and
looked upon the Congress of Vienna with con-
fident hope of realizing their proud anticipa.
lions. But the interests of the German peorle.
and the unity Of Germany, in spite of the prom
Uses in the proclamation of KaliSh, were sacri
feed to The claims Of some petty princes and
10 the mutual jealousy Of the Great Powers.
Indeed, the Act of the Germanic Confedera
ton, which was brought TO a speedy conclusion
in the midst of the confusion and terror created
10y Napoleon's return from Elba, and which
bears the date Of June 8, 1915, was not well
calculated to confirm the hopes of the deluded
people of Germany, who without their hearing
were, by this very act, apportioned among
twenty-six princes, and four cities governed by
moneyed aristocracies. Promise was, however
given of the equality of rights between Chris
iians of all confessions and of the freedom O
The press. But the latter promise was shame
fully broken, by the DEGREES afterwards issued
by the Diplomatic Congress of Kralsbad and
confirmed by the German Diet, rendering the
press subject TO rigorous cells,tre
The act now under consideration promised
also that the liberty of commerce and naviqa