The hydraulic press., 1859-06-11
THE IMPENDING WAR.

| 1t appears quite clear that the impending
war in the old world has, for its immediate
| cause, the encroachments of Austria upon
Italian independence, and for its professed
object, the ample security of that indepen-
| dence. The Peninsula of Italy occupies
such a position, that it might, under one
ruler, command the Mediterranean and the
whole of southern Europe; for which rea-
son, it has been called the /" key of the
world" and in the hands of the old Ro-
mans was so. Separated from the rest of
Europe by the Alps, the boot-shapc Peain-
sula thrusts itself into the sea, distance of
| seven hundred miles or more, its greatest
width being only about fosr hundred miles,
while through the center its breadth is only
one hundred and fifty miles, 1t has a coast
line which exceeds in length two thousand
miles, and comprises, with the adjoining
islands of Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica and
others, ain area of more than one hundred
and eighteen thousand square miles, inhab-
tied by about twenty-five millions of people.
Although, by it's natural boundaries, its
common language and common traditions,
Italy seems marked as one great whole, it
has, for many centuries, been divided into
! separate states, more or less independent.
After the downfall of the great Napoleon in
| 1914, there was general readjuStment of
| European boundaries, and the italian PENN
sula underwent another subdivision, being
made to consist of nine different kingdoms,
| principalities and states. The chief of these
| have been the kingdoms of Sardinia and
| Naples, with the Lombardo- Venetian king
| dom which pertains to Austria. This foot
hold on the peninsula, Austria has con-
stantly sought to extend. By secret treaty
and by arms, she has contriyed to obtain
despotic authority over one state after an
! other, until now all but brave little Sard-
MIA, with its constitutional government and
| liberal king are practically under her con-
troll. Every attempt made by the Italian
States to enlarge their franchises has been
successiyely thwarted by the hand of Aus
| tria. More lately, her encroachments upon
Sardnian independence have led to protests,
to diplomatic negotiations, to military prepar-
ations and the verge of war. The powers
that side with Sardinia, in favor of Italian
independence, are not actuated by any alb
stract devotion to freedom, but by a resolve
to preserve that balance of power" which
was thought to be so nicely and definitely
adjusted by the compacts of lSl4'l5. These
compacts have been violated before, on Sc
veral occasions, and by other parties than
AUSTRIA but never with consequences so
threatening to the jealousy regarded ''bal-
ance." 1t is considered impolitic to allow
any one power the entire control of Italy,
and the gradual acquisition Of such control
| by Austria is the ostensible and immediate
cause Of the impending war. There may be
ulterior motives actuatng the different part
ners in the strife, but the avowed one is the
protection of Italian independence. The
conflict thus seems to be one of rival and
jealous dynasties, in which the masses have
no heart-stake, and which promises nothing
| for human rights. Yet if it results in the
humiliation of Austria, the people of Italy,
if not Of Hungary and other countries, may
achieve their freedom and acquire the boon
of Independent, constitutional government
under native rulers, whether king, prince
or president Hence, if war comes, it must
be watched with profound interest by every
lover of liberty, in the most remote corners
of our land.
During the Crimean war, the sympathies
of the American people were mostly on the
side of Russia One reason of this was,
that Russia had to contend singlehanded
against several great powers, in apparent vi
olation of the popular rule of I" fair play"
but the chief reason was an hereditary spite
against England. Our two conflicts with
the mother country left ranking in the ma
tional memory an ignoble hatred, which is
only now beginning to die out. 1t is to be
hoped that in the dread contest which may
ere this have commenced in Europe, the
sympathy of our country will be more wor-
thily bestowed. Whether England be in
volved in the fray or not, may we be spared
the unnatural spectacle of republican peo-
pie siding at heart with the oppressor against
the oppressed.
THE HEsPERIAN, for June, has just come