Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-04-08

selves would not appear to be considered sacred
even by Russia, one of the high contracting parties
The ST. Petersburg Gazette" of February l2th thus
speaks:
1t is evident from the language Of the Emperor of the
French, that France will not have to war until
the very last extremity If all Of Cancellation
should prove Of avail in that it would be better
to enter on hosttes than leave Europe in her present
situation. War must consequently be considered pos
slble and all that remains is to prepare for that sad
eventuay If the efforts of dplomatists lead to an ar
rangement so much the better but if they fall the ex
istng situation must then be accepted however dsa
greeable it may be. But is there not some means of
avoiding that disastrous necessity The present terri
tora division of Europe is founded on the treaties of
1915. 1t is in virtue of them that Austria possesses
the northeastern part Of Italy, the inhabitants of which
friendly to her The statesmen and the orators
of England constantly appeal to those treaties but is
not already too ate Treaties may be compared to the
vesal Virgins, who could only fulfil their sacred func
tons as long they remained intact Does not treaty
which has been nfrnged prove that it does not perfect
respond to the spirit which dictated it? As to those
of 1915, they have been so often violated that it is
strange they should be now invoked. If Europe had
desired that they should be involably observed she
would have opposed with all her force the revolution OF
$780, which overthrow of the dynastes which signed
those treaties The may be said of the revolution
of l848 cOurteously accepted by England; and
lastly of the revolution of December 2, 1852, which re-
established the empire in France and placed the rens Of
Il
Bonaparc family which had been deposed by the same
treaties. If, therefore, war is necessary in order to
mpart new life to those treaties, which have become
poweress because the principles which served their
bases no longer exist we regard 1t lndS-
pensabe to the tranquility of Europe. 1t has
been said that treaties international laws which gov
ern nations. No doubt they are and if the affairs of
the world were Interchangeable, treaties would be like
wise But if those documents, which ought to secure
tranquility in Europe on the contrary place her in
false and perious position it not evident proof that
that they have ceased to the purpose for which
they concuded Itmay readily be conceived that
those elastic conventions resembling they do the-nes
which stop only small fish, while the large ones can force
passage through, may please few persons, but
public opinion condemns them. Thus the pamphlet of
Napoleon ILL., ct PItalie says with reason That
Power which will not consent to the changes which are
generally considered to be necessary may nvohc treaties
and have written laws on its sde but public opinion
will be against it. Whatever may become the fate OF
the treaties OF 1873 it is not less certain that Italy
not remain IN the state IN which she is If Europe
does not decide to make inevitable changes there
will be armed collision, and on the day after a decisive
battle these treaties must be revised and re-moddcd
We most sincerely wish that Europe may escape those
terrible trials, but repeat that in opinion TIE
present situation of Europei scarcely preferable to
It is time that the nations of Europe should form only
one body. And if it be SO, how can we say, when on
member suffers, " hat is that to u.s.? But that doe
concern very much, because all organization sui
ers with that member. We shall quietly await events
and the Cabinets succeed in preventing the struggl
which seems imminent, we shall thank Providence bu
ft breaks out we at least hope that it will remove one
for all the causes which gave birth to it,
The New York Herad,' in an article of real abli
ty, comments upon the above significant paragraphs
1t asks "What was the Congress of Vienna, or tn
settlement OF Europe 1915 that it should stand a
unsurmounable barrier to the march of events? Al
arrangement made between four crowned robbers
quadruple alliance to parcel out Europe among them
selves for the benefit of their families and rends-th
Austrian Emperors and the king of Prussia in person
and the British king by his representatives. So ttl
were the rights Of nations respected in that concav
that it was proposed to annhilae the independence
France and divide her into pieces, like Poland Thi
catastrophe was avered only by the strong remonsranc
of Taleyrand, who in the name of Louis XVIII urge(
the doctrine of legitimacy and reminded the othc
monarchs that this the only title they held to hei
own thrones that by dsmembering France they wou(
have two forces to contend against, which, when com
bined might prove rresstable the force Of democracy
and the force of natonatyOr the severed parts of th
nation would inevitably be drawn to each other ant
become united His advice therefore, was that the,
should direct their hostility against Napoleon alone
This home argument prevailed. But in that Congress
IaleyraGd was not the representative of France nor
its rcigning monarch, who was then Napoleon, but 0
the dethroned Bourbon. The treaty was made wthou
the consent of France and Lord PaImerson admits tha
it was not altogether such the French nation wished
Upon what principle, then, is France or Louis Napo
leon bound by it?
The :" Herald enumeratcs other provisions of th
treaty One to strip France of her Rhenish provinces
her natural boundary being the Rhine; another to SC
cure to Austria the arest portion of Italy, conquere
from her by the sword of Napoleon another to ex
tingush the Napoleon dynasty, and to guarantee tn
throne of France the perpetual inheritance of th
Bourbons " Where asks the Herald "are tn
Bourbons now? Scattered to the four winds of Heav
en-, by two revoluOns-that of 1880, which overhrey
Charles y and brought Louis Philippe to the Throne
and that OF lS46, which overthrow Louis Philippe an
ey'mguShe1 the Bourbon dynasty. And where is th
Napoleon dynasty? Reignng in the Tuileres its rer
resentatiVe being the first monarch of Europe The as
sumption of sovereignty over all German States b
Prussia and Austria in 1892 the destruction Of POLAND
as kingdom, in 1882 and the separation of Begiur
and Holland united under the title of Kingdom of h
Netherlands all violations of the treaty of Venn;
The freedom and independence of the republic of Crf
COW guaranteed forever by the treaty of Vier
ma. 1t was absorbed by Austria in l847, Russia an
Prussia consenting. And now Austria occupies wit
her troops, not only the Roman legations but tt
E Duchies of Parma, Tuscany and Modena all in vio;
ton Of the treaty 1t idle, then, to rely fc
peace, upon the treaties and settlement of 1915
the French Emperor says, these treaties might do yer
well if the world did not move. But the world do
move. Napoleon is of the world, and not onI
q moves with the world, but he ps it onward.
The aspirations OF Austria appear to be in the san
q direction. The whole career of that Empire in Ita
shows total disregard of the treaty Of Vienna and
the rights of independent nations guaranteed therein
By secret treaty she altered the territorial limits
Italy recognized in the treaty of Vienna and the ord
of succession agreed to- and when in the troubles
l8489, she compelled by circumstances to dsclo
her secret treaty she excused herself to Lord John Ru
sels cabinet the ground of the many inconvenie
ces to Italy of the treaty of Vienna The Englis
! people Of the opinion touching the inconYen
ences," whatever some of the aristocracy may say
Their feeling is that if the Shylock of Austria mu
have his pound of flesh in Italy, he must take it on
own responsibility, and without any aid from Englap
The settlement of 1915 deposed the Bonaparte intere
to- tho+r