New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-08
THE PROSPECT OF A EUROPEAN
WAR,

a feeling abroad, and it is evidently increasing
every day. that tho whole Continent is drifting
into war. 1t is easy to discover this appre'
bepsion in the tone of the Press, in the excite
ment of public meetings, in the speeches in the
Legislatures. in the manifold manifestations OF
public opinion. The very official dispatches
which try to allay the excitement tend, by their
oyer.officiousness rather TO add to it new fuel.
When and where general outbreak may be-
gin it is, of course, impossible to predict, but
it is easy to point out the spots where fright
full explosion, sooner or later, must necessarily
take place.
Poland, of course, will remain for the pres
emit the center and chief seat of tho revolu.
tionary excitement. The estrangement between
the Polish and Russian nationalIties IS now
greater than ever before. II, as the Russian
accounts maintain, large portion Of the high
sristocracy and of the peasants have been OPP
posed 10 the revolution, it is easy to foresee
that the continuance Of the war; and in par
ticular the growing hostility among the Rus
SLAMS to everything that bears tho Polish name,
the national party, soon enlist the sympathies
Of all classes OF tie population for the national
cause. OF the instruction in Lithuania, aud
the other Polish provinces. Immediately con-
nected with Russia, enough is known to pre-
Dict with certainty that very large proper
ton of the population will continue to den.
tify itself with the national aspirations of the
Poles. The unhesitntng rejection OF the Of
fered amnesty shows the determination Of the
Poles not TO be satisfied with anything short
of national independence. They as well as
Europe have learned by the present revolution
the strength which is still inherent in their ma
tionality. If the Russians, after the utmost
eIertions, were unable in three months, to
auell the unorganized and almost unarmed in.
surrectiou how much more difficult will it be
to suppress it when supported by the enthusi.
asm Of a population Of not less than twenty
millions, and which will ere long DO able TO
supply themselves with arms. The full under
standing Of this fact has now made Poland q
much greater danger to Russia than it has
ever been before.
The peril thus arising 70 Russia must be-
come vastly greater as soon as power is
found whose interest it is to form close
alliance with Poland, and to use the Polish
instruction for its own purposes. Such o
power Poland has found in Sweden, one OF
those countries which has adopted with enthu.
siasm the principle of nationality. During the
former Polish revolutions but little was heard
of Sweden; but now its whole population ap-
pears to regard the Polish cause as their own.
They remember that ia past years their ma
tonality has been regarded by Russia much as
she looked upon that OF the Poles; that it was
Russia which has destroyed her influence in
Europe, and taken from her her richest
provinces. Many Of these losses are irretriev-
able, but the Grand Duchy Of Finland still
speaks the Swedish language, and may yet be
recovered and with it the chief control of the
Baltic. Hence this uab0unded enthusiasm
manifested for the Polish revolution, an en-
thusiasm in which even the Heir Apparent has
openly taken part. Sweden must go with
Poland if she hopes to obtain q restoration of
what she claims to be the natural frontier of
her nationality. So decided has been the eX-
preston of public opinion as " make in prob
able that Sweden is ready to accept war with
Russia as soon as she may reasonably hope
that other grand Powers will not prevent her.
Sweden, Poland and the Polish Provinces Of
Russia combined would be undoubtedly foe
to meet whom would require the utmost exer-
tons of the Russian Empire. 1t would Sc
rously imperl the present position Of Russia
among the Grand Powers of Europe. Such
combat would at the same time be 30 great
shock to the whole state system Of Europe
as almost to compel other powers to take
part in il. 1t is evident that the same motive
which induced Napoleon to aid Italy in her
war against Austria for the recovery of LON.
hardy will tempt him to aid the Poles 10 their
struggle for national independence and Sweden
in hers for tho recovery Finland. There are
rumors that Napoleon has already resolved
upon taking such step, and that he has con.
cuded On offensive and defensive alliance with
Sweden.
IL will thus be seen how easily great Eu.
rOpcan war may grow out Of the Polish
revolution. We may add that serious war
in Eas.ern Europe is almost sure to lead to a
revolution in Prussia, and that Louis Napoleon
is generally believed to speculate upon such an
eventuaty as the best opportunity for extend
ing the frontier of France at the expense Of
Germany and Belgium. A war of such dimen.
sions would Of course make any European in.
Prevention in our own affairs impossible.