The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-26
DEEAILS ~ ran Nova soorl4H
THE ITALIAN QUESTION -NAPoIEON's ExPLA
NATION OF THE INTENTIONS or FRANCE.

mails are subjected TO IA previous censorship, and thus an
Importance is asoribed TO them which IL unfounded. The
administration, 1t ought 20 be known, has no preventive
action as regards the press. The public should, there
fore, be ON its guard against the inductions founded ON
the language OF the Journals. Whenever a grave ques-
ton presents Itself, or an important net is accomplished,
the government addresses itself directly TO the nation
through the official journal. That is u duty which il has
always imposed on itself, aud which il will accomplish
the more scrupulously under present circumstances, as
public opinion is now more than ever taken unawaTes
and misled.
The state of things in Italy, although Of old date, has
in these latter times assumed in the eyes Of ali a char
acter of gravity which has naturally struck the mind
of the Emperor for the chief Of a great power like
France cannot isolate himself from questions which inter
est European order. Animated by a spirit of prudence
which it would have been culpabie not to have possessed,
he directs his attention In the most loyal manner 10 the
reasonable and equitable solution of these delicate and
difficult problems.
The Emperor has nothing 10 disguise, nothing to disa-
vow, either in the objects of his anxious deliberation or
in his alliances. French interest guides his policy and
justifes his vigilance.
In presence Of the disquietudes, we are glad to believe
unfounded, which have agitated public opinion in Pied
mont, the Emperor has promised the King of Sardinia TO
defend him against any aggressive act on the part of Aus
tra. He has promised nothing more, and 1t is well known
that he keeps his word.
Is this TO be considered as a dream of WARP Is it not
more in conformity with the rules of prudence to foresee
difficulties, more or less near, and to weigh all their CON
.sequencesY
We have just indicated what are the real thoughts, du-
ties, and tendencies of the Emperor and all that the ex-
aggerations of the press have added thereto is pure imagi-
nation, ~falsehood, and delirium.
France, it is asserted, is making considerable warlike
preparations. This is "a completely gratuitous imputation.
The regular effective force of the peace footing, adopted
two years ago by the Emperor, has not been exceeded.
The artillery is purchasing 1000 horses to attain the
reglementary limits. The infantry regiments are 600
strong, and the regiments of cavalry 900.
1t is affirmed, also, that the French arsenals are dis
playing extraordinary activity. But it is forgotten that
we have to change all our artillery aud to transform our
entire fleet. This last undertaking, long since decided on
in order to give our fleet its normal strength, is sane
toned by the annual votes of the legislative body and,
Notwithstanding the most praiseworthy activity, several
years will still be necessary to complete the operation.
Lastly, uneasiness is felt at the preparations in our
navy. All these preparations, however, consist in fitting
out four frigates for the conveyance of troops from France
to Algeria and from Algeria to France and four screw
transports destined to provide for different eventualties,
especially for the service of Civita Vecchia, and for the
revictualling, by way of Alexandria, of our expedition In
Cochin China.
Such are the facts, and they should fully reassure sim
cere men as to the projects ascribed to the Emperor, and
lead them to treat as they deserve the allegations of those
who are interested in casting doubts on the most unob-
jectionable measures, and ~olouding the clearest situa-
tions..
Is it not time to ask when these vague and absurd ru-
mors, spread by the press from one end of Europe to the
other, will end-rumors representing everywhere to pub
lie credality the Emperor of the French as exciting to
war, and throwing on him alone the responsibility Of the
disquietudes and warlike preparations of Europe?
mo can nave "a IlRlU u mlSltau pubic opinion 80
shalnefully--to alarm interests 30 gratuitously
Where are the words, where the diplomatic notes,
where the acts which indicate a desire to excite war for
the passions which it satisfies, or for the glory which it
procures? Who has seen the soldiers, has counted the
pieces of cannon, estimated the supplies which are said
to have been added with so much cost and haste to the
ordinary state of a peace footing in France? Where are
the extraordinary levies, the anticipated calling out of
soldiers 2 On what day were recalled to service the men
now absent on renewable furloughsY Who, in short, can
show the elements, however slight they may be, of the
general accusations which maleyolence invents, which
credulity hawks about, and which stupidity accepts
No doubt, as we have said, the Emperor watches over
the various causes of complication which may appear on
the horizon. 1t is the duty of all prudent policy to Ell
deavor to conjure away the events or questions which arc
OF a nature to trouble that order without which there is
neither peace nor commerce. 1t is not a respite which real
business ~(eyaabtes q8aires) requires it is security and a
safe future.
Such foresight is neither agitation nor proyocation.
To study questions is not to create them and to divert
attention from them would be neither to suppress nor
solve them. Besides, a diplomatic examination of these
questions has been commenced, and nothing warrants the
belief that the issue will be unfayorable to the consolida-
ton of public peace.
AUSTRIAs PREPARATION o WAR ON SARDINIA.
From the Turin Correspondence of the London News, March a.
Throughout ~Lombardy gangs of men have been set to
work on the Notifications, and the troops are placed on q
war footing. This proves, to my apprehension, that
Austria has no longer any hope of peace. Her want OF
pecuniary means appears to be an inducement for her to
dismiss the idea of proorastination. She has constructed
two good entrenched camps--one at Placenza, the other
at Cremona. AT the first-named place there is, besides,
a new fort, which has been hurriedly run up on the
Trebbia, within the territory of the Parmesan duchy,
and of which the Austrians seem to dispose, as il it were
their own. This is a new infraotion of the treaty of vi
emma. The Sandman government, consequently, intends
to repeat its protest and / do not consider the mainte-
nance of peace possible, should the demolition of the forts
about Plaoenza not be conceded. This subject of dispute
has been laid before a permanent committee appointed TO
investigate the several breaches of international law of
which Sardinia complains. The committee, through
their chairman, Count Scopis, have unanimously de-
clared that neither the letter nor the spirit of the treaty
of Vienna, or of those special treaties signed in 1877 and
1874, confers on Austria the right of erecting those forts.
| may here mention incidentally that the same commit
tee, having been instructed to examine the double cleo
ton of Colonel Couza in the principalities, has not hest
tatcd to declare that election legal. The committee
diIigent inquiry has been highly appreciated by the cabi-
net Of the Tuileries, as well as by that Of st. Peters
burgh.
But to return to the Austrians several movements of
their troops would seem TO reveal the intention on their
part of making the first attack. The journals have ex-
aggerated, as might be expected, the strength of the
force that has actually entered Lombardy. The informa-
ton brought the day before yesterday to the Ministry of
War here was that the Austrian power in Lombardo-
Venetia does not exceed go, 900 men. Taking into ac-
count, however, the two fresh divisions already on the
march, and which cannot be less than Is, 900 men, the
Austrian army in Italy may be 100, 900 strong, excIu-
sive of the garrsons of Ferrara, Bologna, and Ancona.
If they mean then to attack our military line, extending
from Genoa to Casale, they could not spare for the pur-
pose more than 40, 600 men. For, apart from the fort
resses of first rank, which they are obliged to guard, il
is not credible they would venture to denude the princi-
pal cities and towns of troops, when they know how hos
tile the whole country is, and how anxious it is to strike
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