Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-02-11
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
THE STATE OF EUROPE.


The month of March, so called after the
god Of war, was once, in the earliest period
of Roman history, the first IN the calendar.
1t is still the season for opening military
campaigns, and takes precedence OF all other
months in the revolutionary programme OF
1861. On the Kalends Of March, if the or
acles speak true, o beginning is to be made
of deeds which shall throw the far-famed
Ides into the shade. Portents thicken,
wild rumors ostle with facts, and ominous
savings are attributed to princes, statesmen,
and soldiers, as the critical hour approaches.
Austria and Italy are known to be arming
for deadly encounter, and nothing but
desperation could induce the former to of
fer, or Hungary to refuse an ultmatum
which amounts to little less than an lmpe-
rial capitulation. The sale of Nenetia, SO dis
tasteful to German pride, is becoming equal
ly distasteful to Italian patriotism; and there
is too much reason to fear that what the one
party scorns to SELL the other will scorn to
buy. 1t is whispered that Cayour, daunted
by the threatened ascendancy of Mazzini's
partisaus in the new parliament of Italy, Is
listening to Suggestions from conservative, if
not from hostile powers, as to the best means
of stemming the revolutionary torrent. No
one seems to doubt that states hitherto neu-
trail will be implicated in the coming strug-
GLE Now it is said that the old alliance be-
tween the triumvrate of governments which
divided the spoils of Poland is already revi-
we'd and that Russian aid will again be invo-
ked to quell the Hungarans; then that ne
gotiatons are on foot to compensate Austria
for present and future losses at the expense
of Turkey. Every nation, however remote
from the theatre of war, is, with more or
less reason, suspected by its neighbors to
be arming. RiAed cannon are being manu-
factured for the military commission of the
Germanic confederation at Frankfort, and
even for the new southern confederation of the
United States. Prussia, while she shrinks
from the nobler responsibilities of her posi-
ton, is renewing her paltry agitation in
Schleswig- IIolstein: Denmark is girding her
self up for resistance, which she would hard
ly venture to offer if she expected to stand
alone. France, as usual, is preparing for
every contingency" and while the Monlteur
Enthusiastically confirms the report of an
addition to the imperial guard by designat-
ing it as "incorIect," great activity is admit
ted to prevail in the French arsenals, and
new mortar is announced which is to super
cede "anything yet accomplished by the Arm
strong and Whitworth guns" Even Eng
land is believed on the continent to be prepar-
ing for action in the Mediterranean, and is Is
far from improbable that the secession of the
Southern States in America, by re-opening
the slave trade, may play part in the Eu-
ropean crisis of 1861.
There is abundant ground in the mere fact
Of this general uneasiness and sense OF lnse-
curity for very grave apprehensions 1t ~
natural that the minds of certain class should
recur to the years 1889, 1880, and 1913 for the
Interpretation of present events, and regard
the exile of Caprera as destined to be the arm
ed apostle of anarchy. The watchword OF sop
pressed nationalities" was first heard among
the war cries of the French revolution, and
a strange family likeness may be detected IN
all the popular movements which have toll
lowd that marvellous epoch. Theories OF 90
cial and religious freedom are mxedup with
territorial questions, and a bond of secret in
teligence seems to unite the restless spirits Of
various countries. The intention of conn., pie
ting the unfinished work of 1880 and lS4S is
all but avowed at the revolutionary head
quarters: and, in particular the Hungarians
demand an absolute conformity with the pre-
cedents of the latter year. No wonder that
alarmists tremble for the political destiny Of
Europe, and that some who sympathized
with the liberation of Naples begin to lose
faith in their principles. 1t is one thing,
they will say, to repudiate the doctrines of
the holy alliance; it is another to acquiesce
in revolutionary propagandism. If Garibal-
di is to set himself up as the general cham
pion of the oppressed, what is to prevent his
appearing in Schleswig- -IIolstein, or even in
Ireland ?-Londom Times Of Jan. 81.