The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-03


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THREATENING ASPECT OF AFFAIRS IN EUROPE
On the FIRST day of tire present year of Grace the
leading journal of the European press assured It's
many constant readers that for several months
the reign Of quietness is certain and predicted that
"tle public would receive from All diplomatic quar-
ters the most bland that the motto, not
only Of the French empire, but of all Europe, is
Peace. Scarcely had the said CONSTANT readers di-
gested their morning muffin, to which the perusai Of
the above hopeful assurance had impaired additional
flavor, whom atelegraph from Paris informed them of
the Emperor Eapoleon's significantly rude address
to the Austrian ambassador dispelled all their pleas
ing dreams Of universal harmony and good feeling,
and plunged them into the midst of what is called "a
war-panic.n Optimists yainly endeayorcd to alIay
the excitement and reconcile his Maesiys bluntness
of speech with the most pacific intentions pessrniss
loudly blew the trumpet calling the whole world
into the arena for mortal combat and drew the most
dolefnl picture of .the inevitable struggIe;" and
those who think the middle course the SAFEST waited,
and still wait, for further information before they
are willing to believe that the reign Of quctncss is
certain OF that general CONFUSION in Europe is
imminent fsagse Wsaas ~ as7 a
II is generally understood aud admitted that the
cause Of NapoIcon's displcasure against Francis
Joseph is the policy Of the latter in Italy par
,ticuarly in the Papal domnons The Gallo Em-
peror, who ten years ago. President Of the French
republic, bombarded Rome, restored the Pope to
hts temporal throne, and has since occupied,
by French troops, the Eternal City aud Cvita Yec-
CHA, finds that the promises of reform which he
made to the Romans in the name of his Holiness in
1919 not only remain uniulfled, hut the original
abuses ofclerical have been materially
aggravated and he finds too that, without any profit
to himself he is exposed TO considerable portion of
the disgrace which attaches to the Papal authorities
cor their iyrapnical excuses. In vain has he re-
monstraed with his protege and vassal in the Vati
can. The successor of st. Peter is obduratc to
threat and entreaty, and il appears his obst-
macy is attributable to the promise Of Austria ITO
support his Holiness in any contingency" Angry
al being thwarted, anxious to win little popularity
jealous of Austria, and perhaps DESTROYS of finding
employment for the 100000 "giors" seeking soldiers
whose bayonets support his throne, he .'snubs' the
Austrian minister in a manner that recalls the
angry address of his uncle to Lord Whitworth just
previous to the breach of the peace of Amiens,
makes sudden aud gigantic additions to his military
force, pats aggrcved and justly -indgnan Sardinia
the back, and encourages her "to avcnge Nova
IA Y promotes marriage between his cousin, Prince
Napoleon, and the daughter of King Victor Emanuel
and there be no doubt, instgaics the Sandman
Sovereign, in his speech on opening his Parliament,
20 tell the Sigaort Seaafor Signort Depaah thai be
es not ipsensiblc to Italy's cry of anguish, and
that he is prepared with his 100000 well-trained,
brave troops to obey the DEGREES Of Providence
that is, Whatever Napoleon Ill may direct. sas .5p
austrian troops pour into Italy, She has now
100000 fighting men there-a force larger by one
half than that with which Marshal Radetzlsy defeated
Charles Albert and reconquered the Iron Grown of
Lombardy for the House of Hapsburg- In Peschi-
era, Mantua, Verona, aud III the Roman legations,
the Austrian garrisons have been strongly REIN
forced, and, as measure Of prccaution, the Arch
duke Macmillan, the vcercy of Italy has sent his
young wife to Trieste and has put his house in order
for general nsmree ion
Ferdinand Of Naples whose cruelty isonly equaed
by his cowardce and who for the last two years has
been excluded from the pale of civilization blythe
two most powerful nations of Europe, is terrified
by the aspect of affairs in Italy that he has released
Carlo Poerio aud Settcmbrini from the dungeons in
which tlley have endured, for ten long years, the
most acute mental aud bodily suffering, because they
were guilty of fidelity to the oath which the King
took and broke, When Ferdinand is mercifuI and
clement the danger must be imminent
From ono end of Italy to the other the most in
tense agitation prevails. Both the people and their
opprcssors clearly believe in the approach Of
am internecine conflict, and the impression gains
ground throughout the European continent that a
collision between the Austrims aud their outraged
Italian subjects will almost certainly lead to gen
eral struggle in Europe With Austria and Italy at
war, Hungary is not likely to remain tranquil. The
sclavonic races which now yield an unwilling obo-
diepce 10 Austrian and Turkish rule win try TO CON
ouer their Independence Restless Poland can
hardly be expected 60 remain tranquil, and the Ger
mau liberals will not improbabIy, avail themselves
of the general melee 70 compose constitutions, make
republican speeches, and disturb the public peace,
EngIand, it is likely win be neutral in such
struggle She will twish 70 aid France in driving
Austria out Of Italy and ecyating number of pup
ne, kings in place Of tho German kaiser and in the
control of France after the manner Of the great Ma
poleon aud she cannot aid Austria in tramphng on
the rights and liberties of tho Hungarians and Ial-