Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-05-13

intelligence announces, have already com.
menced active hos,iliiics The following
article from the v. Y. Tribune. written be.
fore tho last arrival, in anticipation OF tho
struggle. will DO valuable a, the present
time. as showing the actual position Of Aus.
tria:
TnE ITALIAN WAR.
The war with which Europe Is no ~ Sc
riously menaccd-il. indeed, rs seems most
probable. It be not already bsgun--is not,
30 far at least as Austria, Sardinia and the
people Of Northern Italy are concerned, any
new OF sudden movement. IL il, in fact,
but continuation or n new crisi. Of that
great eommotion by which ten years ago
Europe was shaken to it, center, and by
which the existence Of the Austrian Empire
was most seriously threatened. Tho two
great impulses TO that movement were, first,
the desire for representative governments
and popular and liberal administrations
and secondly. the sentiment Of nationality
the desire on the part Of subject races and
countries to throw OF iCreign Jokes by
which they had been for a longer or short.
or time oppressed, and to substitute there
Tor native and domestic rule. Austria,
from the very constitution Of her empire,
mainly made up as she was and is OF sub.
jcc, nations and races held in military sub.
fiction, was the chiei seat OF tho explosions
which had their origin in this latter scn,i.
men,. Under their effects she lo., Italy for
the moment, was Obliged to maintain a des-
perate and doubtful struggle IN Hungary.
,riumphing at last only by foreign aid, eI.
perieneins an instruction even in Bohemia,
which from long subsection had been con.
,srtcd almost into German province.
The impulses which shook Austria 80 49,
versly ten years seo, though suppressed and
snbdued at the time. are now In full opera.
ton again. at lcas, in Italy. and under au-
spices more favorable 10 success. or at leas,
more mcnaeing TO Austria, than at that pc-
Rod. Though Austria retained her hold on
Italy. the movemsn, Of lsis. by the new
position which It gave TO Sardinia. GRATED
u new danger for the Italian dominion OF
Austria which has ever since hccn augment
ing. and against which Austria ha. been
ever since struggling to put herself in II po-
si,ion Of deIen'e. Within tia, period, Sar-
DINA has risen from being the least respcc,.
cd nation. in Europe into an undi.puted
moral prrpOnlsrancc among the States Of
Italy. and TO an admission on term. Of
equality into diplomatic congress with the
hrstnIe Power. Of Europe. She has given
to the Italian States an example, which
cannot be gainsayed, Of the practical advan.
tases OF n liberal government. She hs,
made the idea Of Italian independence the
leading motive OF her policy. and has sue
cecdcd in causing herself TO be looked up to
by the grca, mass Of the northern Italian
popul',ion as their champion and destined
savior.
Austria on the other hand. has no, been
idle. She has indeed done hut lit,le-un.
der all the circumstances Of the case, II was
not, pcrhap. possible for her to do much
to give herself u moral bold upon her I,al.
ian provinces. The only thing Of this sor,
che has attempted, is the eoncorda, with
the Pope, by which she has sought to bind
the Catholic clergy to her interests. But
as the provisions Of tia, instrument are all
Tor the benefit Of the superior clergy, 1t
may DO doubted whether the village priests
can have thus been bought UG from that
hostility TO foreign domination OF which
they gave very decided proofs in the move
meni Of ten years ago, Her chief reliance
has been upon material means. She has
devoted herself with zeal and perseverance
aud regarllessness Of expense to improve
the communications over the Alps, and to
strengthen her military position in Italy.
Not content with the stronghold OF Venice.
and the eitadcls OF Pesehiera, Verona and
Man,na, the strongest and bes,-appOiniei
in Europe. and mutually supporting each
other, kept mp to the highest point Of eff.
cheney, and guarded by powerful army in
the Geld, she has occupied strong petitions
In thu territories OF her feeble ncighbors
considering j, essential to her safety to sup
press any spirit Of insurrection there, not
less than in her own territories. The Pa
pal provinces on her borders she has taken
under especial guardianship. having strong
earrisons in the great towns OF Bologna
and Aneona, and, in fact. occupying the
Romagna and the legations with force
which makes her Emperor the virtual mas
tar ofthat country. As TO the dnchies OF
Parma and Modena. they are. in their pre-
sent shape, virtual creations OF Austrian
diplomacy. which has endowed them with
mere outward show Of independence.
To all in,epts and purposes they are Aus
TRAN provinces erected into principali'i,s.
as provisions for junior members Of or de-
pendents upon tho imperial family, to
which they are 10 revert In the event OF
their present proprietors having no i''ne'
In these States Austria has assumed the
position Of a proprietor. regarding them as
outworks which she must occupy lest the
spirit Of discomfort and instruction should
spread thence into her own provinces. and,
indeed rs substantially part Of her Italian
domain.
But while Austria has thus strengthened
10