Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-29
The Peace.

The Peace.
Hardly had the world recovered from the
surprise produced by the news that = truce
had been declared between the Allied and
Austrian nations. when we are astonished
by the idings that the armistice Of thirty
days had been converted into profound
and permanent peace, upon the following
conditions: Austria gives up Lombardy t.
Louis Napoleon, who transfers her to. VIC
tor Emanuel. Venice is still in the hands
of Austria. but will belong to the Confed-
Grafton into which the italian States are to
sbs formed, with the Pope as the nominal
President.
It isnst known how the peace came about.
or from whom the proposition originally
.sanae The Paris Moniscur, however, states
that the result was not reached by the in
reference Of neutral powers, such interior
ence being refused when offered.
But however the peace was consumma-
ted, and by whomsoever proposed, the
friends Of liberty everywhere will hear with
pain of the broken promises of Louis Napo-
leon, and contemplate with grief Lombardy
transferred from one foreign despot to an
other-from Francis Joseph to Victor Eman-
uel-and the brave Hungarian nation left
to groan under the iron heel Of despotic
Austria. It must be confessed, though,
that reasoning from the universal expert
ence Of the past, it was too much to expect,
though we. could not help but hope, that
Louis Napoleon, holding his position as an
absolute monarch, would sacrifice so. 900 of
the flower Of his army and expend 5O.000,-
900 pounds sterling for the philanthrophic
purpose Of liberating Italy and Hungary
from Austrian despotism. The result Of
this war but adds another to the many les
sons Of the past, conveying warning Of SOL
smn import to weaker nations to rely not
FOR protection upon the generosity Of strong
er powers, when they have not within them
selves the. elements to place them in posi-
ton to command that which all experience
tells us will never be freely accorded. We
hope the :Sonth sciN profit BY this example.
The Virginia Index, commenting on
this peace, says: "We may say, how
ever, that this peace is the strangest cir
cumstance Of "a strange war. That Louis
Napoleon should retire from Italy just when
the enemy seemed about to fall poweriess
into his hands. and when he might have
dictated the terms Of peace. upon the grounds
which appeared best to him, is surely .
most, remarkable event. Fear of the iE-
tervention Of England, or disinclination to
the establishment of q constitutional gov
eminent in Central Italy may have opera
ted to produce this result--but, as the Times
declares, the Emperor's game is probably
long one. He is no tyro. playing his first
game, and laboring at shallow and transpar-
ent devices to attain the mastery On the
contrary, Napoleon is the Paul Morphy Of
the political chess board, and lays his plans
deep in the future. To penetrate them.
the critic must be as deep as the player,
which is not apt to be the ease here The
Boulognese adgenturer is the frst statesman
of Europe, lOas-heodea is the adjective
which best describes him. It is not impro-
bable that before he left the Tuilleries, to
which he has just returned. to take the
head Of the army in Italy, his far-seeing
mind had discerned all that b as since taken
place, and that his game. though it seem
ended. is in reality just begun. Should he
new withdraw his forces from Italy. leav-
ing that country in possession Of its own
son, and governed by its own ruler Victor
Emanuel, who is man Of sense and char
aoter. History will rank Napoleon among
the moaarohs most deserving of its ap-
plause. 1t may be matter of regret to
some persons that the hopes Of Hungary
are crushed for the time, and that the bru-
tai oppression Of Austria still lowers over
that land !; but the result in Italy is Cheer
ing. We have no intelligence of the where
abouts Of Kossuth, who. on the authority
of the London Times was some time since
invited by Napoleon to the T1illeries, where
plan Of operations for arousing Hungary
against Austria was agreed upon between
the two. 1t is not probable that the.eontest
is definitely and completely ended. But
we cannot venture, under the circumstances,
upon any speculations with regard to the
future. That future is in the hands Of
Napoleon, and he is the most impenetrable
mystery Of the present epoch.
ET Tom Corwin defined his position in
. set speech as Xenia, Ohio, on Thursday
night last. He avowed himself Republi-
can, but differed from those sho believed
that any slave law was unconstitutional -