The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-12
WARLTKE NEWS FROM EUROPE.

fuller details of the European news than we
usually find consistent with our limited space.
The probabilities of war are imminent, and it IS
highly probable that the next arrival will bring
us the declaration of war on the part of Aus
tria against Sardinia.
1t is the universal belief, that if war break
out, it will not be confined to Austria and Sar-
DINA. Indeed, the latter Power, which is but
third rate in the scale of European Importance,
would never venture to provoke hostilities with
Austria, without assurances of support from
some one or more Of the frstrate Powers. This
assurance she has received from France, at
least, and it is believed that she will have the
sympathy, if not the active support, of Russia.
The latter Power interviewed ten years ago to
suppress the Hungarian revolution, and there
by prevent the dissolution of the Austrian En-
pire. She was rewarded by the coalition of
Austria with England and France, in their late
war with Russia In addition to this motive
of revenge, Russia will now be stimulated to
take sides against Austria in consequence of
the commercial privileges granted to her in the
Mediterranean by Sardinia. Prussia, it is said,
will support Austria, but it is more probable
that she will remain neutral. Nations are too
wise to go to war to prevent possible encroach-
ments upon their rights and Prussia, certain
ly, has no immediate ground for complaint.
France will support the brunt of the war. Next
to Sardinia, she is most deeply interested in re
sisting the encroachments of Austria. The
treaty of 1915, between the allied conquerors of
Napoleon, is a standing insult and menace to
France. By it she was shorn of her immemo
rial territorial rights and Austria was invested
with foothold in Italy, with a view to repel
the advances of France. That treaty comedies
to Austria the sovereignty over Lombardy,
Venice, and other Italian provinces and towns
and she has not scrupled to go beyond the let
ter of the treaty, by assuming authority over
the adjacent provinces, which, by the treaty,
were to be treated as independent These
nominally independent provinces, well as
those which were cruelty subjected to the des-
potic rule of Austria, intensely hate that Power,
and yearn for Italian independence and nation
atty. They desire to be annexed to Sardinia,
and are in perpetual state of feverish excite
ment, bordering on revolt.
Sardinia, besides being moved to resist the
encroachments of Austria by feeling of in
security, and danger to her independence, is
at the same time stimulated by ambition to add
to her dominions those fair provinces of Italy
which are ready to rush to her embrace.
France, in addition to her jealousy and hatred
of Austria, is melted by the desire to enlarge
her borders on the side of Savoy The latter is
now province of Sardinia, but separated from
the bulk of the nation by the Alps. 1t would
seem, geographically, to belong to France. 1t
I------s--s. conurrron OF the iatter's
support of Sardinia in the approaching conflict
But whether Louis Napoleons ambition will be
satisfied with so small slice of territory NAV
be doubted.
| Should war break out as now seems highly
probable, the whole map of Europe may be re-
modelled as the result of it. The present dis
tribution of territories between the parties to
the treaties of Vienna and Paris is altogether
artificial. There is nothing natural or just in
it. Provinces and peoples are parceled out
among the despots, great and small, as a South
Carolina stakeholder would parcel out his plant
atoms and negroes among his children. The
voice Of the people was not heard. The most
intense and abiding feelings of human nature
were utterly disregarded, in subjecting men of
one race and language to the sway of despots
foreign to them in these particulars, whose
whole object in ruling is to extort money from
their impoverished subjects.
War is a terrible calamity under any circum-
stances; but it will not be without its compen.
sations to the people of Europe, if it results in
breaking up the rule of Austria over Italy, and
otherwise remodelling the map of Europe. The
Continent, from the White Sea to the Mediterra-
mean, with the single exception of Sardinia, is
governed by despots, with nearly or quite un-
limited power; and change for the worse, in
this age of intelligence and public opinion, is
scarcely possible.
One Of the great hindrances to progress and
improvement in Europe, particularly in Ger
many and Italy, is the multiplicity of Govern.
ments. Every petty despot has his separate
revenue system, US custom-houses, and army
of officials, to arrest the ing:ess and egress of
commerce and travel, and thereby to iHe:ter the
industry of the people.
The greatest blessing of the American Union.
and that which contributes most largely to its
prosperity, is the unlimited freedom of trade
which exists throughout its widely-extended
territories; and the converse of the proposition
is fully sustained by the condition of Europe.
where the subdivisions and restrictions upon
trade have retarded progress. A war which
shall break up this system, and bring each ma
tionality under one Government, will be a
grand march in the road of progress, civiliza-
ton, and freedom. The Austrian despotism
is an aggregation of discordant nationalities.
| With German element as its base, it holds in
subsection, by the power of the sword, Hunga-
rians, Italians, Poles, Sclavonians, and we
know not how many other races, all differing
in language and Institutions. The House of
Hapsburg, which is but synonym for austerity
| and despotism, has for centuries been laboring
to asSiRilate these discordant materials into
one homogeneous nationality. Its instru-
ment of assimilation is simply brute force.
| The attempt has been to force the German
language, manners, and institutions, upon all
the different nations, not by equal laws and the
cultivation of reciprocal trade and intercourse,
but by military edicts, enforced with brutal Sc
verify.
We are no admirers of Louis Napoleon |;
but he will render great service to humanity
if he aid in overthrowing this Austrian despot-
| ism.