The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-06-11
The European Struggle.

lno udyS vi ulplOmdcy dre over Jne
star-chamber of Vienna, the secret coun.
Gil of France, and all the midnight con-
claves Of continental Europe, have dis
solved amid the roar Of artillery that
shakes the grandest thrones to their me-
di@val bases The Importance of the
consequences likely to result from this
struggle, have never been exaggerated.
In its progress it will arouse the energies
of the whole of Europe. War, in its
mildest forms, is terrible, but is less to be
feared than the sleep of principle, and
the quiet tyranny of despotic thrones
Monarchs, of all men, love peace the
most; when the masses are still, they
can employ their time in strengthening
the bulwarks of ancient wrong, and laying
deep and wide the foundations of such
edi6ces of tyranny as are calculated to
Withstand the shock of the progressive
politics of the century
When the popular mind is aroused
when the tempest heaves from below
when the pressure is decidedly and fear
fully organic, kings lose confidence in the
stability of their institutions, and are the
first to suggest those great reforms, upon
the introduction of which, depends the
security of their power.
If we look at the history of our own
age, we find that many of the boldest
democratic propositions, which have char
acterized its politics, have emanated
from imperialists and mobiles, whose
sagacity discovered, in the surrender of
many ancient privileges the only guar
antee of the preservation of the remain
der. 1t is well to look with scrutinizing
care, to every apparent effort of monar-
chists, to lift the masses from the degrada-
tion of ages. 1t is human nature to
love power; and we do not doubt that,
when the regular repositories of its func-
tions propose to divest themselves of it,
they are impelled by fearful looking
for of judgment an absolute conviction,
in short, that they are in the channel of
decline, whose current they can only stay
by enlarging the liberties of the people.
We regard The present war as, in many
respects, favorable omen for humanity.
A political occurrence of such moral
magnitude, is almost without a parallel in
the last two centuries. A strife between
the great nationalities, fastened with an
cient chains upon millions of men, was
a DEsIDERATUM in political philosophy;
the world in general, and Europe in
particular, had looked to it as destined to
precipitate the induction of democracy
into regions where crowns had been
almost uninterruptedly worshiped for un-
measured years.
Austria is one Of the profoundest des-
potisms the earth ever knew; the smaller
governments of Germany are in constant
strife in reference to unimportant ques-
tions, as direct result of the agency of
Austrian diplomatists and spies. A
living, breathing despotism - mightier
than that of Babylon-baving its heart at
Vienna, is directing the policy and mold
ing the institutions of central Europ
1t is certainly time to cut the iugular
vein of this despotism, of the olden eras.
Italy has right to be free; the civilized
world would be glad to see her free. The
Hungarians are entitled to their liberty,
and all the vast Sclavonic peoples of
eastern Europe should be suffered to
ascend in the scale of politics. The
great struggle is at hand; hundreds of
thousands of men may be sacrificed, but
generations yet unborn will enjoy liberty
and happiness on account of the mighty
tempest now raging in Europe.
The wars of Europe have cursed the
masses. Nearly all of them, hitherto,
have been carried on by monarchs to
promote their own family interests The
blood of millions has been shed without
the slightest profit to the world The
present contest seems, however, to have
a. pobler basis than can be claimed for
any that has preceded it. As we re-
marked, yesterday, ambitious schemes
are sometimes oyerruled for good, and
civilization, itself, promoted by the shock
of armies. 17Oa
We, therefore, welcome the field Of
battle, and the clash Of resounding arms
The map of Europe must be changed ;
the proud, incestuous mobiles that have
feastcd SO long upon the sweat and blood
of the masses, must surrender their privi-
leges, and the honest, toiling peasant,
II .IouokoI - Az aakoka 90 ,,,ox