The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-12

LIZ 0xkClI L.
resorting to coercion, and that he will have his
own way ia any event SO far as the genera.
subject is concerned, there can be no doubt that
the great saajority of the people of these United
States are sound upon one point-and it Is the
most important of all just now-that the Union
must be preserved; that this country is too
young, too strong, too self-reliant to be broken
up by few crazy fanatics. Before the Pre-
sidential election we were all getting
along comfortably enough Our exports
exceeded our imports, the harvest was
most plentiful, money was easy and
business Of all kinds was never better. Now,
certain individuals are doing their best to
break down trade to ruin our commercial in
terests, and to turn the whole country into one
vast lunatic asylum. We arc of the opinion
that it will be much better for these crazy
people to keep cool, and see how things turn
out. If it should happen that the secession
movement resulted disastrously to the seceders,
how absurd would their Northern sympa-
thizers appear. The members of the Old Do
minion Society were wise in declining to take
political action at this time. The time for
resolutions" addresses, orations, &C., has
passed. All that we have to do now is to
keep our tempers and wait the issue of events,
which we can neither direct nor anticipate.
War Imminont In Europe-The Conti-
mental Governments Aiming.
There is every indication that fearful
struggle is now impending in Europe. Not
withstanding the mystery that shrouds the
movements of diplomacy, it is becoming evil
dent that all hope of compromise on the
Venetian question is despaired of. The Aus
trian absolutists hold, in regard to Europe,
pretty much the same position that the black
republicans occupy in relation to tho slave
States. They would rather deluge the earth
with blood and risk the integrity of the en-
pire itself than yield one iota of the abstrac-
tons which they have set up as their political
creed.
This stif-necked obstinacy is, as might be ex-
pected, accommodating hourly fresh perils round
the Austrian monarchy. From the military
preparations which are being. made in Moldo-
Wallachia Bosnia and Servia, it is evident that
Garibaldi's meditated attack upon Venice is to
be made the key Of grand revolutionary
rising in the Danubian Principalities and Hun
gary, with the object of completely dismem-
bering the Austrian empire, and of creating
new governmental organizations out Of her
dependencies and those of the Porte.
These projects are not of recent con-
ception. Ever since success crowned the
Arct toll ION thavy hova
turing between Garibaldi and the Hungarian
revolutionists, Kossuth, Count Teleki and
others. There are grounds for believing that
Louis Napoleon and Victor Emanuel are not
entirely strangers to them; otherwise it would
be difficult to account for the readiness with
which Garibaldi was induced to postpone his
threat of attacking Venice Immediately after.
the conquest of Naples, and to retire for sea-
son from political affairs.
Whether this conjecture be well founded or
not, it is certain that France is making war
preparations on a vast scale, exceeding even
those which preceded the campaign in Lom-
hardy. Besides the augmentation of her
already large army by the increase of the effec.
tive strength of her infantry regiments, and the
formation Of new regiments of cavalry, for
mounting which she is making extensive
purchases of horses in Eastern Prussia, she is
converting all the steamers she can purchase
into war vessels and transports. This does not
look like mere contingent support of Victor
Emanuel within the limits of the conditions
which France had publicly assigned to her CO.
operation. Notwithstanding the declaration at
tributed to the Emperor in revising M. Pereire's
pamphlet, that he did not desire to extend the
present boundaries of France, the conviction
cannot be excluded that their expansion con-
stitutes the main object Of his present increased
ornaments. In the complications which the
stubbornness Of Austrian diplomatsts is foster
ing in regard to Venice, Hungary and the
Danubian Principalities, he sees prospective
advantages to France, and he means to be in
readiness to avail himself of them. Sardinia
only obtained the Duchies by the cession of
Savoy and Nice; the acquisition Of the Two
Siciles will have to be paid for either by some
further sacrifice on her part or by her joint aid
in promoting French designs on Austrian ter
ritory. Napoleon thinks, of course, with Kos
suth that the peace of Europe can never be
secured until Austria is reduced to the con-
dtion of second or third rate Power, and he
has no objection to be made the instrument of
stripping her Of some Of her overgrown pro-
portions.
The recent concessions made to the people
and press Of France, and the consolidation of
the English alliance, are additional evidences
Of the magnitude of the struggle which
is at hand. That it is likely to be of more
serious character than any that the present
generation has Witnessed is shown by the sud-
den anxiety which the Emperor bas manifested
to enter into the path of liberal concessions.
Before engaging in a conflict which may be Of
some years duration, and which is uncertain in
its results, he feels the necessity of strengthen
ing himself at home, and the relaxation Of his
political system, with closer rapprochement to
England, is, he believes, the surcst means OF