The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-03-02
Peace or War.

ions more perplexingly at variance, than
those advanced since the first day of the
year 1859, in relation to the Italian imbrog.
lio One portion Of the European press
strongly inclines towards the belief in war;
another considers that event inevitable, and
predicts it as one of the certainties of the
next spring or summer, and The third de-
nes the positions of both, insisting that
there are no sufficient reasons TO apprehend
a belligerant development. Yet, in every
one of these divisions, we discover journals
that otherwise command most excellent
sources of information. The majority of
the British press are on the side of the war
theory, and express themselves more decid-
edly in that sense than the journals of the
Continent, but it is to be considered that
England is a commercial country ant the
great money len der of the world-that Aus
tria is negotiating for fifty million dollars of
English gold, and Sardinia is about follow
Ing suit with loan of twenty millions, and
that seventy millions is somewhat of an
object of national interest 10 be loaned on
the best terms possible. The greater the
war cry, the cheaper will the Messrs.
RoTHscHiLD have TO sell the Austrian and
Sandman bonds. Then it is proper, no
doubt, that under any circumstances, the
lenders should be acquainted with The whole
magnitude of their risks. Moreover the
war.opinions derive strong food and sup
port from the ornaments, movements of
troops and preparations in France, from
the non-committal policy of the Monteur,
the Russian agtations in Turkey, and the
language used by the St. Petersburg press,
which is evidently intended 10 encourage
the elements of disaffection in Italy, and
which tells Austria very plainly that in the
event of an outbreak she need not again
expect any assistance or countenance from
that quarter. The speech of Queen VIcTo-
RIA, too, touches upon the subject with such
extreme caution, and so evasively, that but
for the Interpretation afterwards put upon
it by her Minister, it would have conveyed
the impression that it was framed rather to
warn than TO appease the public mind
Her promising to contribute, as far as her
influence can extend, 10 the preservation of
the general peace, and 10 the maintenance
OF the faith of treaties, without expressing
the faintest hope of success, indicates the
existence Of misgivings in the Cabinet as to
the efficacy of that influence, as well as
their conviction ofihe imminencv of danger.
But then we have, on The other hand, the
declaration in the House of Lords of the
Earl OF Derby, the head of the Cabinet, that
Austria had given assurance not TO interfere
with the internal affairs of Italy, that they
had also an assurance from the Emperor of
the French that he would give no assist
ance whatever 10 Sardinia in an aggressive
war, and that under these circumstances, he
lthe Earl Of y)thought there was strong
ground Tor believing that the recent appre-
tensions of rupture would prove ground.
less; and in the House of Commons, Mr..
DIsRAELr said that he had every confidence
in the maintenance of peace. 1t may be,
however, that these ministerial expressions
are .ess the offspring of conviction than
part of policy of repression of war senti-
ments in the Tuieries, by binding the EN-
2eror in the eyes of Europe to his promise
not to assist Sandman aggressions. And
NAPOLEON, he may have thought in giving
that promise, that he might keep it 10 the
letter, if not TO the spirit, without abandon
ing the grand Napoleonic idea of "regen-
Grafton of Italy," by simply permitting Sar.
dinia TO open the ball, and 10 make COM
mon cause with the revolutionisls in Aus
trian Italy forthe expulsion ofthe Austrians;
awaiting himself a favorable opportunity TO
interfere under some other pre,ext than that
of assisting Sardinia in an aggressive war"
And in the case the Sardinians, allied with
the people of Lombardy and Venice should
prove able TO achieve the expulsion of
Austria, he may not even contemplate any
active interference, but content himself, for
the time being, with the result, which would
be a great point gained for France and her
traditional policy of absorption. All this is
possible, and the assurances of the British
Ministry must, therefore, be received with
many grains of Observation-Disclosures.