The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-16

The European Congress which is about to as
semble at Baden Baden, for the purpose of discuss
ing the Italian question, can scarcely fail of bring
ing the controversy to pacific termination. When
parties to quarrel consent to leave the points in
dispute to the decision Of mutual friends they vir
tually bind themselves to abide by the verdict
whatever the nature of that verdict may be. Now,
at the Baden Congress, if Austria obstinately refu
ses to make the concessions which will be required
of her, there can be little doubt that those conces-
sions will be wrung from her by the threat of an
armed coalition. Successful as her diplomacy has
usually been, it will demand, on this OCCASION all
the skill, and prudence and sagacity, of her plen
potentiaries to encounter with any hope of even
partial success, the force arrayed against them
Neither of the four great Powers who are to be
represented at the Baden Congress have any SYM
pathy with Austria in her Italian policy, and al
though England and Prussia and perhaps Russia
aso will defend her title to her Lombardo-
Venetian possessions, none of them have
shown any disposition to respect her occupation Of
the Papal legations or her secret treaties with the
independent Duchies. 1t is within the range of
probability, aso that her claims to the succession
to those principalities will be brought under dis
cussion and defnitively adjusted. In any case,
Austria must come out of the Congress weaker
than she entered into it, because she will be de-
prived of portion of that influence which she has
been accustomed to WELD so despotically in the
Italian peninsula 1t will thus be seen, that the
energetic policy adopted by LOUIS NAPOLEON and
Count CAvoUR has already produced salutary
effect. 1t has lifted the Italian question out of the
slough of despond, " in which it was the interest
of Austria to keep it submerged, and by striking
at the root of the abuses which have been so long
practiced with IMMUNITY, has rendered it essential
to the peace of Europe that those abuses shall be
promptly corrected. Unsupported by Austria the
Neapolitan Government would not dare to sanction
those atrocious crueles, upon alleged political
Offenders against which France and England have
heretofore demonstrated in vain. Within the last
thirty years the people of Italy, two successive
OCCASIONS have struggled TO relieve themselves
from the tyranny of their rulers, and, in each in
stance, it was the iron hand of Austria that de-
feated their efforts-reduced them to subsection, and
re-nstated their oppressors. In Naples, in the
States of the Church, and in the Duchies of Mo-
dena, Parma, and Tuscany, her authority was as
paramount as in Lombardy and Venetia. 1t was
against the system Of NAL administration, which
was thus sustained and perpetuated, in Southern
and Central Italy, that Sardinia protested at the
Congress of Paris. To the plea advanced by Aus
tria that the Italians were not prepared to appre
ciate q larger measure of freedom, Count CAvoUR
proudly pointed to the prosperous condition of
Sardinia under a limited monarchy and a constitu-
tional form of government. To this there could
be no answer properly so called, and none was
therefore made. Austria fell back behind her old
absolutist entertainments, and declared, in sub
stance that she had perfect right to do as she
pleased with that which was her own. 1t remains
now for the Congress, which will shortly meet at
Baden, to define the limits of her authority, and
however much she may be disposed TO rebel against
the restrictions imposed upon her. she will hardly
dare to appeal to arms in defence of treaties to
which the other Powers refuse their assent, or in
vindication of claims which they pronounce I'M
tenable. But there is another aspect of the ques-
ton which it is proper to keep in view. Even
admitting that Austria reluctantly consents to
withdraw her garrsons from the States of the
Church. and to modify her treaties with Naples
and the Duchies, on condition that she shall be
confirmed in her possession of Lombardy and
Venitia, it will still depend upon the Italian people
to accept or reject the compromises thus effected
If they distrust the good faith of Austra-and
they have every reason to do so-or if they regard
the measures adopted. as deceptive, iusory, or in
adequate; even if Austria herself is disposed to
get rid of the pledges she may have assumed, ii
needs but popular outbreak in some part of the
peninsula to put the quarrel beyond the reach Of
diplomatic adjustment. That the armed truce
which now exists should be brought to violent
close by revolutionary movement on the part OF
the Italians themselves, is without doubt ardently
desired by Sardinia, and might not be altogether
unwecome to Austria, who, by plunging into a
war, may hope to escape the perils of bankruptcy,
or to be left at the close of the struggle less ham,
pered by pledges and with less loss of prestige
than is likely to be the case in the event of her
conforming to the will of the Baden Congress.