New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-15
THE EUROPEAN CONGRESS.

THE EUROPEAN CONGRESS.
The statement which made part Of the news by
the Hungarian, that England would send repre-
sentative to the approaching European Congress
for the settlement of the affairs of Italy, without
insisting upon any conditions appears to rest solely
ON the authority of the Dresden journal. What
warrant that paper has for the announcement does
not appear. None, We suspect, beyond Its own con-
lectures. Those coniectures are probably based
upon rumors a6oat in Europe that at late meeting
between the Prince Regent of Prussia and the
Emperor of Russia a mutual understanding was
arrived at as to their course at the approaching
Congress favorable to the views of England. As
neither Prussia nor Russia are Catholic Powers,
there is so far at least basis for sympathy and
operation between them and England, however
little they might in general be inclined to the doc
trine that the wishes of the ruled ought to have
any influence over the question who shall be the
rulers.
If England can have satisfactory assurances that
her views will prevail in the settlement of the
Italian question, of course she would not think
it necessary to insist upon any conditions
preliminary to taking part in it; but failing such
assurances, the declaration of Lord John Russell at
Aberdeen and the arguments of the leading British
newspapers against taking any part in the Congress
would seem to stand good Why should Great
Britain allow herself to be used merely to give
sanction and additional authority to an arrangement
entered into quite independently of her, and over
which she could exercise no contro2 As she had
taken no part in the Italian war, why mix herself
I'D in a peace not conformable to her view of the
rights and interests of the Italian people, and which
so far from assuring quiet would only be likely to
lead TO new disturbances and agitatiOns, and prob
ably to a new war? But even if Russia, Prussia
and Great Britain should have come to an under
standing, of which there is yet no evidence, as to
the stand they would take in the Congress, they
might still have some difficulty in controlling its de-
cisions 1t would not be easy to resist the claim
of Spain to o seat in that body, and should Spain
Join the side of France and Austria, there would
then be tie in the Congress. 1t is indeed
suggested that Napoleon is not sincere IN
supporting the reinstatement OF the banshed
Dukes and that he would readily give in, if he
could find any plausible preteXt for 1t, to the plan
of the annexation of Central Sicily to Piedmont.
But whatever his personal feelings or incnations
might be. he has committed himself, first by the
armistce of yilafranca, and then by the treaty of
Zurich, to the programme laid down on those occa-
sions in way that puts lin under sort of neces
sity to do his best to carry it out. After having
appeared in this whole Italian affair as the leading
parsonage upon whose decision everything has de-
pended after having first made the war, and then,
without consulting with anybody, not even the
King of Sardinia, stopped it short as suddenly as he
made it, it would hardly comport with the position
he has assumed in relation to this whole affair, that
in the final settlement he should seem to be over
ruled and Italy to its consolidation and future
security not TO him. but to Others 1t would hardly
comport with his policy that Sardinia should be
indebted to others for an increase OF strength
that would tend to diminish her dependence
on French support, and TO weaken The
ties of that alliance sealed with so much
French money and French blood. The letter
of which the Hungarian brings an abstract SAID to
have been addressed by Napoleon TO the King of
Sardinia does not, if it is authentic indicate any
disposition on the part of the Emperor to allow the
settlement of Italian affairs on any basis materially
different from that laid down at Villafranca This
letter expressly sets up the obligations assumed
there as incapacitating the Emperor from fsyoring
in the approaching Congress any arrangement In
consistent with that agreement. The plan, how
ever proposed in this letter varies from that agree
ment in some particulars. Though it is still insisted
that Medina shall remain State by ITSELF this de-
mand is no longer made in favor of the banlshed
Duke-the publication of whose private correspon-
dence rejecting so severely upon Napoleon, would
seem TO have damaged him in that quarter. The
project suggested in this letter is to give Modena to
the young Duke of Parma, whichlatter principally
il is proposed, by way of sop in the pan, to annex
to Piedmont There is also suggestion that Tus-
cany may be enlarged by portion of territory,
which can scarcely be any other than the revolted
Papal province Of Romagna. The scheme, also, of
an Italian confederation, with the Pope at the head
of it, is still persisted in and this, being idea
OF his own, Napoleon viii be slow to give up
REGENERATION.
Whatever may be said about the regeneration