The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-06-14
....c, ar Affairs In Germany.

and as this will be Immediately iolioweu, vi
course, by the ordering of the French army
under Marshal Pellissier TO the same from
tier. the danger Of collision seems 10 be inn
minent. In the Southern States of the
German Confederation, IL had already been
known that the war fever ran fearfully high,
and that Bavaria had even violated her
neutrality by allowing the passage of 10000
Austrian troops through Munich, on their
way TO Italy. Coupled with this intelli-
Diet al Frankfort held in April, the minor
States Of Germany had declared that in
certain contingencies military measures
should be resorted to-that Prussia, in such
an eventuality, claimed TO take tho lead
that there were rumors OF Prussia's order
ing out her Landwehr early in June-and
that France had sent q special COM
missioner 10 compromise matters with Ger
many il possible. Commenting upon this
state OF things the Paris correspondent Of
the London Morning Post, said, about FIVE
weeks ago, at is believed, by some people,
that the small German States, with Prussia
at the head, will eventually come TO the
rescue of Austria. If so; the scdr acould
become universal, for Russia could not do
otherwise than JON France, schieh would in
polpe a revoh Of the schole Christian popuIa-
ton ofthe East, and wtthin year ve might
find the Russians at Constantiaople." II the
report be true that the troops Of the Confed-
ration have been ordered to the Rhine, the
cveutuality indicated cannot be long in be-
coming fixed fact, and then it will remain
to b. seen whether the other branch of the
prediction will be verified, that is whether
Russia will unite with France, and march
upon Constantinople. Should 1t be so, as
now seems probable enough, the selfish in
trisues OF Austria will not only have de-
prived her forever of all hope to obtain the
Principalities, the long cherished object OF
her ambition, but it will have thrown that
most desirable region into the arms Of Rus
sia. From the beginning Of these troubles,
Prussia'has expressed a decided antipathy
to being dragged into war for the sole
benefit Of Austria, without an object which
can be called German in any sense Of the
word But she seems to have been carried
along by tide which she could not resist,
and this resulted necessarily from the
iniquitous character of the German Con-
federation. AS that association seems des-
tined to play q conspicuous part in coming
events, it may not be amiss, in this place,
to give slight glance at its origin, objects,
and Constitution.
The Empire Of Germany, or as it was
originally called, the Holy Roman Empire,
existed from the time Of Charlemagns to
that Of Napoleon l. BY its constitution, the
r,tpor Stoto ~ QUAD snrt CF
feudal obedience to the Emperor who re-
sided at Vienna, and though the constitu-
| ton had been greatly modified since its
| construction, it still existed until the battle
! of Australia placed the Empire at the feet
| Of Napoleon in 1905. BY the treaty Of Pres
| burg, which was signed on the Goth Deem
Der OF that year, the electors of Bavaria and
Wirtemburg were created kings with large
accession Of territory wrung from the I'M
| willing hands Of the Emperor Francis, and
| both Of them were declared sovereign and
| independent, their feudal obligations to the
empire being thereby entirely abrogated -
| At the same time and by the same treaty,
| the sovereignty of Baden was also solemnly
established. This treaty gave the death
blow to the pretensious OF the House of
| Hapsburg to be called Empersrs of Germany,
since so large portion of Germany was de-
clared absolved from all dependence on
| them. But the empty title was still retained,
| although sixteen Of the Western German
powers had, in the meantime, formally en-
tered with Napoleon into that alliance
known in history as the Confederation of
the Rhine until the first day of August,
1906, when thu French Ambassador at the
Court of Vienna, formally announced that
his master would no longer recognize the
existence Of the German Empire. As Ma
poleon was at the moment omnipotent at
Vienna, the Emperor Francis yielded to ne
cessity with the best grace he could assume,
and on the 9Th ofAugust formally aunoun-
ced his abdication Of the title of Emperor Of
Germany, and his assumption OF that of En-
peror OF Germany instead. The Confede-
ration Of the Rhine, which professed to have
for its object the securing of peace internal
and external, was dissolved by the over
throw of Napolcan In its stead was adopted
the Germanic Confederation, the Princes Of
Germany never entertaining for a moment,
the idea Of reinstating the old German En-.
pire. The Confederation was established
in 1915, and the terms upon which it was
based were confirmed by the Congress Of
Vienna in 1920. 1t protested to have in
view the independence, inviolability and
| internal peace Of the German States. That
| it was calculated TO subserve the ends Of
justice, so far as other States are concerned,
We think will hardly be maint ained, at least
| in America.
BY the 40th article of the constitution it is
provided that if federate State commence
| a war beyond the federal States as a Euro
| pean power, this war becomes foreign to
| the Confederation. This seems to be eoui-
| table enough but mark what follows: In
| the 46th article, it is provided that if such
State is threatened or attacked in its pos
sessions outside of the Confederation, the
obligation to take measures Of common de-
Tense, 10 participate in the war, or to furn-
ish help, is only incumbent upon the Con-
federation if the Diet, after having deliber-
ated, in limited council, find by the plu-
ralty OF votes that there is danger to the
common territory. The very elastic nature
of this provision authorizes war for any
cause, or of any character, provided only
the Diet (of which, by the way, Austria
holds the presidency choose to think it may
be dangerous to Germany. Austria, for
instance, may invade France upon the most
unjust OF pretexts, or upon no pretext at all,
and the Diet may think or affect to think
the common territory in danger, and the
Confederation bound to assist Austria to eff
feet the total conquest Of France. In the
present war, certainly entirely foreign to
Germany thus far, the Diet may affect to
see danger to the common territory in the
expulsion of Austria from Italy. Should
the French and Sardinians be successful.
and the Austrians retreat, they must not be
pursued into Carenthia or the Tyrol, but
must be allowed to stop there, and recruit
their forces, because to follow them TO their
stronghold is to endanger the safety Of the
common territory. In one word, this Con-
federation is based upon the principle Of
backing its members in the commission of