Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-28
From the n. Y. Courier and Enquirer.
lh0 lGur9 nean Difficulty.

/ The successive events and circumstances
! WhicfS within the period Of four short months
have changed state of profound peace on
Continental Europe to a state Of open war,
are now well worth being recalled in their
order, IN connection with their concurrent
effects upon the public mind and the fnan
cial world.
During the two or three closing months
OF last vear diplomatic correspondence had
been carried on between Frame and Austria
on the subject Of the proposed Austrian oc
cupatlon OF Servia, and also upon the ne
cesslty Of ameliorating the condition of Italy,
but so quiet was it that it excited little or
no public attention. Up to the first day Of
january the public composure and the course
OF business, remained undisturbed. But
on that memorable day the Emperor Napo-
leon at his reception Of the Diplomatic body,
addressed the following portentous words to
the Austrian Ambassador:
81 regret that our relations with your
government are not so good as formerly,
but | beg of you to tell the Emperor that
my personal sentiments for him have not
changed"
This was very much in the same style
that the first Napoleon had addressed the
English Ambassador prior to the rupture of
the Treaty Of Amiens, and it at once excl
ted alarm-and all the more from being en-.
tlrely unexpected The French securities
at once tell one per cent. at the Bourse,
and all commerce was seriously checked =
These ill-etfects increased until the govern
ment itself became apprehensive and on
the 9TH of tile month the Emperor's official
organ essayed to calm the public mind by
the following language:
For some days past public opinion has
been agitated by alarming reports, which
the government feels bound to declare un-
founded, as there is nothing in our diplo-
matte relations to justify the fears which the
said rumors are calcaluted to produce
But it was of no avail. The Three Per
Cents, which at the close Of the wear stood
at 72f. 80 still refused to rise above 71f,
The events whicA directly followed we're
not at all calculated to relieve the public ap-
prehension. On the 9th it first became
known that marriage was designed between
Prince Napoleon and the daughter Of the
King OF Sardinia. On the 10th the King
opened his Parliament with a speech that
BODIED trouble, the concluding sentences Of
which were:
"Our country, small in Territory has ac-
CURED credltin the councils of Europe. be-
cause it is great through the idea it repre-
sents and the sympathies it inspires. This
position IS not exempt from perils. since,
while we respect treaties, we are not insen-
sible to the cry ofanguish which reaches us
F from so many parts Of Italy.
''Strong in our concord, confding in our
good right, we await, prudent and decided,
the DEGREES OF divine Providence.'
It was known that this speech had been
previously communicated to the Tuilleries,
and there retouched. Ofcourse alarm made
: further progress at the Bourse land the three
J per cents. fell to within fraction of TO-
About this time the Austrian Cabinet gave
, explanations on the Servian question, which
removed difficulty on that point Yet it
was remarked that warlike preparations were
being made in the south Of France. The
Moniteur contented itself with the single
outgiving above quoted, and relapsed into
silence Financial apprehension continued
to increase. On the 9th Of the month the
Three Per Cents were down to Gsa On
the 3Oth the marriage Of Prince Ma poleon
with the Sandman Princess took place. -
/ Five days afterwards came the memorable
) pamphlet, L'Enpereur Napoleon III, e1
{ ltolse, which was known to have been pre-
pared by the direction Of the Emperor, il
not by his own hard It's strong advocacy
Of the Italian cause added to tie panic-ss
much so that the government seemed to feel
the necessity OF more caution, and at the
opening Of the Chambers three days after.
wards, to wit, Feb. 7th, the Emperor
speech was couched in mild and very indef.
mite language, while the speech of Count
de Money The President Of the Peers, was
strongly pacific. Yet the Moniteur contin-
ued to maintain strange silence, while the
Presse, which was known to be under the
, immediate influence Of Prince Napoleon
poured out violent language in favor Of war
,, The public securities continued to decline
but on Feb. %, it was announced that Lord
Cowley was to 60 to Vienna as mediator,
and the imm ediate effect on the Bourse was
slightly favorable Yet the constant con
centration Of troops near the italian from.
tier, and the general activity at the arsenals
and dock-yards, operated against the return
Of confidence. An inspiring effect, howey-
ever, was produced March 9th, by the res
ignation Of Prince Napoleon of his post Of
Minister of Algeria and the Colonies, and
by an article in the Moniteur, Of the same
date, containing the following paragraphs
''In the presence Of disquietudes which
: are without foundation (naal fondee,) as we
like to believe, and which have agitated the
public mind in Piedmont, the Emperor
; promised the King Of Sardinia to defend
him against any aggressive act on the part
Of Austria. He has promised nothing more
and it is known he will keep his word.' =
Moreover the examination Of these sub
! jects entered on diplomatic line, and moth
ing authorizes MS to believe that the result
) Of it will not be favorable to the consolida-
tien Of the public peace"
"We have just indicated what is real ia
the thoughts, the duties, and the tenden-
) cies of the Emperor, all that the pure ex-
aggerations Of the press have added thereto
is pure imagination, falsehood and raving.
France, it is asserted, is making consid-
cradle warlike preparations. That is a com
pletely gratuitous imputation."
These manifestations sent the Three Per
~