The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-08

in this instance to return by September, for his
presence among them at Syracuse this fall may
be simply question of life or death to the Tam
many brethren in reference to the Charleston
Convention.
The Prussian Army ON tho Rhiue-Probable
Policy OF that Power.
That Prussia has determined to place her army
on the Rhine, and has already asked of Hanover
the necessary permission 4 march through its
territories for that purpose, IL beyond doubt
Further than this, the position Of that Power
towards the several belligerents is not at all
clear. Conflicting reports of her intended prof
fer Of mediation are continually circulated and
contradicted, most if not all of them having
German origin. As natural consequence,
the bases upon which she is reported to propose
that the Allies and Austria should come to
an arrangement are such as in the present juno.
ture of affairs France and Sardinia could not
accept, and in this way Prussia is held up as
ready to side with Austria and declare war
against France. If the movement of the Prus-
sian army to the Rhine had taken place after a
grave diplomatic disagreement with France
such step would have grave significance.
But this disagreement has not taken place, for
the offer Of mediation has not yet been made.
We must, therefore, look for some other cause
than q determination to declare war against
France which has instigated Prussia to this step.
If she is really honest in her rumored intention
to endeavor to mediate between the belligerents,
she may have taken this step before making the
offer, go as to be In position to meet every con.
tingency, without the necessity of doing what
might be looked upon by France as a menace
ifperformed after the failure of the negotiations
Should her offer fail, she would then be in posi-.
ton to passively await the initiation of war by
France. If this is the true reason that has insti.
gated her to advance her army to the Rhine, the
step itself may conduce to limiting the war to
Italy, and an early peace
But we do not believe that this is the sole rea.
con for the course of Prussia. 1t is not in &C
cordance with her time ,honored policy and her
past history. Ever since Frederick the Great
founded the Prussian monarchy it has been the
enemy of Austria, and its aim has been to be-
come the leader of Germany, If not to absorb the
whole of it under the Prussian crown. This
is what many of the smaller German Powers
have long feared and fought against,
and it is what they still fear. In fact
they can exist only by playing Austria
against Prussia in the Confederation. In this
state of affairs Prussia is cheating the whole of
Germany, and through Germany the world, as to
her real aims. She does not wish to see Austria
triumph, even in part, and would gladly see her
driven entirely from Italy. She would go even
further. If any of the nationalities, or all of
them that now compose the heterogeneous Aus
trian empire, should follow the movement of
Italy, and break their thrall, she would rejoice
at heart, and prepare to gather up come of the
fragments of the broken sceptre. This she
would be prepared to do by having an army on
the Rhine; and the step she has now taken, by
preparing her for such a contingency, may as
well be warning to Austrian sway in Germany
as to France.
That Prussia at the present juneture should
undertake single handed to stop the destruction
of these Vienna treaties which the voice Of all
the world, except Austria and the Cardinal
Antonelli, has declared to be Ubiquitous, is not
to be supposed. Yet single handed she would be
in undertaking it. England has declared en-
phatically, through her recent change of Minis
Try, that she will give no more millions
and undertake no more leadership in
Continental wars. The Manchester school
has taught her that nations, like men, get along
much better by minding only their own business.
Russia, too has pronounced against the Vienna
iniquities, and knows very we'll that any con-
tinued effort to maintain balance of power
which requires in time Of peace to be propped
by three millions of bayonets must soon prick
the nationalities into bloody revolution.
Without England's gold, and the support Of
Russias Cossacks, Prussia is not so foolhardy
as to 60 to war with France. She may tole
Austria on to ruin by such a hope, and keep
Southern Germany quiet through it, until it is
too late for any one to prevent Prussia from
being the preponderating Power in the German
fatherland.
Mr.. WINTHROP AND Mr.. RIvEs ON THE SLAVERY
QuEsTIoN-We publish to-day patriotic letter
from Hon. r. C. Winthrop of Massachusetts,