Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-07-14
9asbbiIIs anion anS 9nsritan.
Da.ly IS; rri-weekly 50; weekly sa.
soIferinO---The Future Purpose of Aus
trias..rha Posifsnn NJ lsrnrssin

tria---The Position Of Prussia.
/ TIE m asgre accounts thus far received in regard
to the great battle OF the Mineio Of the 24ts Of
June, show that the victory of Sclferino vas won
| By the allied army with an outly of human Life
which sxcesdsany thing heretofore ckronicsdi in the
record of the campaign. TIE French Emperor, in
his address TO the army, claims that, after a con-
Aict Of eleven hours, his army had repulsed l5O,
coo men, besides taking three fags, thirty cannon,
and 1000 prisoners. The loss Undoubtedly very
lasge the side Of the sllies is net stated but the
substantial truth Of the imperial declarations is
to be officially conceded by the Austrans and eer-
tainly more humilistng defeat has notas yet been
experienced by them, when all the circumstances
are fairly considered. After somewhat igaOble
retreat for about two hundred miles, beginning with
the posts they had occupied on the right bank Of
the Tcino, SUCCESSFULLY giving up Milan, Piaeenza,
Pavia, Brescia, and almost every important strong
hold west of the MiDciO, and fairly resohing that
impregnable quadrangle, where, if anywhere, they
might be expected to make successful engagement,
change seemed to come over their tactics the
fagilives assumed the offensive, recrossed the Min
clio, and offered fight outside of the quadrangle.
Whetherthis singular movem snt arose from sudden
and desperate accession Of temerity on the part Ct
the Austrians, or was part Of scheme to cripple
the puTsuers, before they should be strengthened
by Prince NAPOLsoN's troops which were on their
way from Parma, is not clear; but at ell events it
was excessively hazardous, and the second retreat
the Mincio, after blowing up the Goio bridge,
coupled with the retirement Of FRANCIS JOSEPH
from the field of battle to Vienna, is by no means
an omen Of encouragement to them.
What the Austrisns will do to retrieve their for
tines after the arrival Of the 145 600 troops who
were reported as marching to their sid, cannot be
conieotured. A more obstinate resistance to the
allies may be expected but the accession Of recruits
to the allies WILL doubtless, equalizs the numbers
Of the eonleading forces without much affecting the
probabilities as TO the event The next battle will
probably be within the square, where the tug Of
war fairly begins.
The future purpose Of Austria, however, can only
be surmised She has yet two great fertresses near
her-Mantua and Verona. In 1896, NAPOLEON l.
was delayed six months before Mantua, which
stands on an island in lake formed by the Mineio
in its passage from the Alps to the PO, and is much
stronger nov than il was then. Verons, the fron-
tier city Of the old Venetian dominions, stands at
the entrance of the great Valley Of the Adige the
high road from the Tyrol into LOmbardy, and if
the Austrians lose this stronghold, they lose all
They may then retreat farther into Yenets proper
but retreat is ruin to them.
The attitude Of Prussia is somewhat different
from what it was supposed TO be at the previous
ad7iees. She proposes now, not to assume The re-
sponsbiity of undertaking hostile observation Of
France but to give the sanction of the entire Ger
man Confederation to the movement, thus placing
herself at the head of seventy millions of people,
the contingency Of her taking part with Austria
1t is not Prussan army that she proposes place
on the Rhine, but two federal corps, under the
superior orders Of Bavaria. By this Prussia saves
herself from individual responsibility, and must
gain by necessity, in recompense, an uneontested
supremacy in the Germanic Confederation. Truly
most discreet policy, Identical in spirit, though
uot ;his time in direction, with that which was so
memorably satirized by the author Of " Night
ThOughts," in the phrase, prudent as Prussia in
her zeal for Gaul.'