The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-05-12

The latest foreign news leaves strong
reasons to fear that the flame of war
has already burst forth in Europe, and
that Austria, Sardinia and France are
NOW engaged in deadly struggle for
supremacy or existence, as the case
may be, and that other powers soon
will be, if they have not before now
been, involved in the struggle. The
character of the intelligence published
in the Adcertiser yesterday, makes it
more than probable that Austria is bent
on war, or the absolute submission not
only of Sardinia, but all her Italian de-
pendences, to her arbitrary and tyran-
nicalrule. She requires Sardinia to dis
arm, and refuses the demand of Victor
Emanuel to admit her to seat in the
proposed Congress. She has also alb
solutely rejected the proposition of
England for general disarming of the
belligerent powers. The effect of this
decided action on the part of Austria,
is seen by the effect it had upon the
French fund-the truest test of the
prospects of war.
In view of the strong probability
that the next arrival from Europe will
bring the announcement that the con-
test has actually begun, brief refer
ence to the primary cause which has led
to it, will undoubtedly be acceptable
to our readers, or those of them who
have not kept Thoroughly posted in re-
gard to the progress Of the misunder-
standing between Austria, Sardinia and
the other powers which are likely to be-
come parties to the struggle. DR.. Shell
ton Mackenzie, the literary editor Of the
Philadelphia Press, has furnished that
paper with an interesting article on the
European crisis, giving the state of the
war question at the time of writing, and
incidentally glancing at the causes
which are in fair way to involve al
most all Europe in sanguinary con-
test. Preliminary to reference to an
explanation of the influence which has
induced her to endanger the peace of
Continental Europe, and very likely of
Great Britain also, it viii be necessary
to state, that Austria, besides large
domain in Germany, also holds the Ty-
rol, Bohemia, Hungary, a large slice Of
what was once the Kingdom, of Poland
the countries which line the northeast
of the Adriatic sea, as well as large
portion of the north of Italian terrific
ries, covering about 10000 square
miles, and containing $500, 900 inhabi-
tants, were secured to Austria first by
the treaty of 1914, and confirmed in
1915, on the Punishment of Napoleon
to ST. Helena. Sardinia, which forms
part of the northwestern boundary of
this Austrian-Italian province, is much
larger, containing nearly 10000 square
miles, and population of over 4,00o,-
900 inhabitants.
There has ever existed a deep-rooted
jealousy and prejudice on the part of
the Italians towards Austria, and there
probably ever will, treaty or no treaty
peace or no pease. The consequence
is that Austrian Italy has always kept
Austria in fear of an outbreak, and to
hold them in check she has been COM
PEELED to maintain an immense military
force scattered all over Lombardy.
These soldiers are, as matter of course
most cordially hated by the inhabitants
of the country. They regard the Au-
strian as an enemy and oppressor, who
ought to be swept away from the face
of the earth. The Austrian soldiers
have kept this feeling of hatred con-
stantly alive by their vexatious tyranny
from the General to the drummer.
They have always shown themselves
the willing instruments of the Execu-
tive authority, and have always taken
especial delight in annoying the native
inhabitants upon all possible occasions.
In this petty tyranny they have been
encouraged by their superiors. They
uphold, with their bayonets, the dread
full system of espionage, secret false in
formation, arrest, torture, execution.
Viewing the manner in which this
dreadful system is worked, we have of
ten wondered that the hot-headed Ital-
ians have not risen en- naasse, and in
one night swept away every one OF
their white-coated oppressors. They
chafe under the tyranny-they fret
they grumble-but they forbear to
unite and strike.
Though the Lumbards and the Ven
etians have long chafed under these
acts of oppression and outrage, and
have even conspired to throw off the
yoke of the oppressor, nothing was
ever accomplished towards securing
either their liberties, or even remedy
of the evils under which they groaned.
Austrian spies always betrayed them,
and exile, the dungeon, or the scaffold,
ever kept them down. They gained
nothing even by the revolution of 1s4s,
but on the contrary lost much; for the
then King of Sardinia was defeated in
| his efforts to succor Venice, was defeat
ed, and compelled to abdicate in favor
of his eldest son, Victor Emanuel, the
present King. With his fall, declined
| for the time, the hope of uniting LON
hardy and Sardinia, and of making an
independent sovereignty of the two,
Involving, of course, the expulsion OF
the Austrians from Italy. The efficient
services'rendered the Allies in the Grim
can war by the King of Sardinia, has
created the most amicable relations be-
j tween him, and England and France
and this friendly feeling is likely 70
~