New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-07
THE ITALIAN WAR.

The war with which Europe is now so seriously
menaced-if indeed as seems most probable, II oe
not alrrady begun--is not, so far at least as Aus
iris Sardinia aud the people of Northern Italy are
concerned, any new or sudden inosemrht IL Is
in fact but continuation or new Crisis oil tuae
great commotion by which ten yeas ago Europe
gss shaken 10 its center, and by which the exist
ence Of the Austrian Empire WAS most seriously
threatened. The two great impulses to that move
ment were, fret the desire for representative gov
srpments and popular and liberal administrations;
and secondly, the sentiment oil natlonahty
the desire on the part OF subject races
and countries to throw of foreign yokes
By which they bad been for longer or shorter
time oppressed and to substitute therefor native
and domestic rule Austria, from the very constr
tuition of her empire, mainly made up as she was
and is Of subject nations and races held in military
subsection. was the chief seat Of the explosions
which had their origin in this latter sentiment
Under their effects she lost Italy for the moment,
was obliged to maintain desperate and doubtful
struggle in Hungary, triumPhine at last only ny
foreign aid experiencing an :nsurrecton even IN Bo-
hemia, which from long subsection had been con-
verted almost into German province.
The impulses which shook Austria 80 severely
ten years ago, though suppressed and subdued at
the time are now in full operation again, at least in
Italy, and under auspices more favorable to sue
cess or at least more menacing to Austria, than at
that period Though Austria retained her hold on
Italy, the movement of 1913, by the new position
-; ,;a nb
for the Italian dominion of Austria, which has ever
since been augmenting, and against which Austria
has been ever since struggling to put herself IN
position of defense. Within that period. Sardinia
has risen from being one OF the least respected
nations in Europe, into an undisputed moral pre-
ponderance among the States of Italy and to an
admission on terms of equality into diplomatic con-
gress with the irstrate Powers of Europe. She
has given to the Italian States an example, which
cannot be- gansayed of the practical advantages of
liberal government. She has made the idea of
Italian indeper dence the leading motive OF her
policy. aud has succeeded D causing herself to be
locked up to by the great mass Of the northern
Italian population as their champion and destined
savior.
Austria, on the other hand, has not been idle
She has indeed done but lttle-under all the cir
cumstances Of the case It was not perhaps, possible
for her Ia do much-tO give herself moral hold
upon her Italian provinces. The only thing OF this
sort she has attempted, is the concordst with the
Pope, BY which she has sought to bind the Catholic
clergy to her interests. But as the provisions OF
thst instrument are all for the benefit of the supe
nor cleigy, it may be doubted whether the village
priests eau have thus been bought off from that
hostility TO a foreign domination of which they
gave very decided proofs in the movement Of tea
Years $50. Her chief reliance has been upon ma
teral means She has devoted herself with zeal
and perseverance, and regtrdlt ssness Of expense,
TO improve the communications over the Alps,
and to strengthen her military position in Italy
Not content with the stronghold of Venice, and
the cisdels of Pescbiera, Verona and Mantus, the
strongest ard best-appointed in Europe, and mutu-
ally supporting each her, kept up to the highest
point Of tlficiency, and guarded by powerful army
in the frd, she has occupied strong positions ia
the territories Of her feeble neigbbofs, considering
it essential ~ her safety TO suppress any spirit Of
insure cicn there, not less than in her terri.
tories. The Papal provinces on her borders she
has taken under especial guardianship, having
Ftroog 2srrisons in the great towns OF Boil 'gns aud
Anccba, aid, 10 fact, occupying the Romagna
and the legations with a force which makes her
Emperor the virtual master Of that country. As to
the duchies Of Parma and Modena they are, in
their present shape, virtual creations Of Austran
diplomacy, which has endowed them with Il mere
outward show Of independence To all ntents and
purposes they are Austrian provinces erecFed into
principali'es, as provisions for junior branches OF
or dependents upon the imperial family, to which
they 10 revert in the event Of their present pro-
prietors having 10 issue. Ia these States Austria
has assumed the position OF proprietor, regard
ipg them outworks which she must occupy lest
the spirit of discomfort and insurrection should
spread thence iuto her own provinces and, indeed,
SIS substantially part of her Italian domain.
But while Austria has thus strengthened her
military occupation of northeastern Italy the body
Of the population have grown more and more anx-
ous to shake OF her dominion, at the same time
that they have grown more and more disposed to
be enrolled subjects of Sardinia and TO share the
benefits of her Constitutional Government Sar-
dinis has been long watching and preparing for an
opportunit. to strike blow in that direction. As
between her and Austria the sympathies of liberal
opinion must be on her side. 1t Is however. o
great drawback to these sympathes, that after al
il is not Sardinia or Italy, but Louis Napoleon,
l.. - ~ tha NJ .f