Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-05-19
The Cause OF "a European
War.

The Cause OF "a European
War.
The warlike spirit of Europe, which has
been so long effervescing. has before this
time reached crisis. Austria has laid
down an ultimatum to this effect, that Sar.
dinia must disarm in three days or war
would be declared. These three days
would have expired on Sunday, the oath
ult and as there was not the most remote
probability that Sardinia, having a strong
ally in France, would do any such thing
as disarm. it seemed inevitable that war
must not only be precipitated upon these
two States, but upon the whole of Europe
Such was the intelligence of last week. and
such Intelligence demands the attention OF
everybody. The steamer which arrived
Yesterday brought rumor that Austria
i,ad extended the time for the answer to
fourteen days, but not jo, or title of the
warike preparations had abated. AS very
few Americans ever pretend to keep posted
on the complications of European dlplo
macy, most every one finds himself at a
loss to account for ihis threatening state of
affairs, and the first question very natu-
rally is, what is the war for?
The beginning Of the difficulties extends
back as far as the year 1915. In the trea-
ty of Vienna Of that year, by which the
conqucsls Of the first Napoleon. and, in
fact, all the lesser States Of Europe, were
divided among the greater ones, and the
whole geography of the continent changed,
Austria Obtained as her portion in Italy
the two States of Lombardy and Venice,
and SAVOY and the a5roeSe republic were
attached 10 Sardinia. The latter State was
made Independent, but Lombardy, as the
Lombardo Nenitian State may De called,
was made mere Austrian province, and
her troops have occupied it ever since
Lombardy and Sardinia are the two north
ern States of Italy, the former having Mil
an fal its capitol and Venice for its chief
seaport. and the latter having Turin for its
capitol and Genoa for lis chief seaport
The former borders upon Austria and the
Adria'ic Sea. and the latter upon France,
(separated only by the Alps and the Med =.
iterranean. and they lie adjacent to each
o other, having only the river Ticino between
them, branch of the Pc. Lombardy has
always chafed under the rule of Austria
her people are uneasy and often revolution
AIRY, and it has been necessary for Austria
to keep large force in the province in or.
der TO maintain her supremacy. Nor has
she been gultless of the tyranny and op-
preston which has been charged upon
her. Espionage, false information, arrest,
imprisonment, torture, and execution have
been the fruits of Austrian rule. But
Austria has not contented herself with one
Italian State, but has extende her influ-
ence 20 the southward until Modena, Par
ma, Tuscany, the Papal States. and Naples
have been made subject TO her. She has
made treaty with the King Of Naples
binding him never to grant constitution
nj government to his people; she has made
similar treaties with Modena and the 9TH
er States, giving her the right to garrison
fortresses within their territories In all
places she rules with tyranny, grinding
the people, and remorselessly nipplng all
attempts at liberalism by the strong arm
of her military.
This gradual extension of Austrian in
fiuencc has bsen looked upon with anything
but complacency by the other European
powers. Sardinia has always been the
most liberal of any of the States in South
ern Europe here have gathered the patri
OTIS of Lombardy and other States, who
have been driven out by Austria, and they
have found ready welcome the oppros-
sion to which Austria has subjected these
States has CALLED her. and she now de-
mands that these expressions shall cease.
and that the people shall be raised up in
stead of ground down. Besides this, Sar
dinia has an ambition for confederation
of Italian States, well knowing that she
would herself be the first and ruling pow
er among them Her devotion to consti-
tutional liberty in the other States is there
fore wholly for her own good Just so it
is with France. Austrian dominion in It.
ally must be opposed at any risk, for the
very reason that it precludes French do
minon, Ever since 1G49 has Napoleon
kept his troops in Rome, and he would like
TO extend his influence to other States.-
But Austria is ahead Of him. and Austria
must be put down. Not that Napoleon
would pursue any such oppressive policy
rs Austria does; that would not be foI his
own good; but he is opposed to her be-
cause she is opposed to his interests
Therefore France sides with Sardinia, and
both the cause of constitutional liberty,
the amelioration of the condition OF the
people, and the relaxation of actual OPP
preston. the ostensihle grounds on which
they oppose Austria. These may be the
real motives of their action, but no one be-
lieves IL. Still, the course of France and