The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-04

SLAMS had been defeated. But at that hour the
army of the Grown Prince, by wonderful
stroke Of good fortune, or good management, or
both, appeared In, and cut right into the Aus
trian centre, rolling IL back, and defeating the
entire army. IL has since trans pired that IL the
Prussians had followed up their victory, ana
attacked the Austrians during the panic and
confusion incident to the retreat, that they
might have utterly ruined Benedek's army ana
gone into Vienna without another contest; But
q victory Is only just less exbaustng tnan
defeat The Prussians had no reserves 10 push
on for the prize within their grasp, ana tne
Austrian Empire was granted a longer tehureol
existence.
Marshal Benedek was virtually superseded
The Archduke Albert, the victor OIL 0us,t9Gzza' Gl'
was recalled from Venetia, and appointed Com
mander in.chlet of the Army OF vienna, COM
posed, for the most part, oi troops Withdrawn
from Benedek, VINO Is thus reduced TO toe con-
Gition of a general without an army. Marshal
Benedek's course IN this campaign is open to
considerable criticism. We are not yet in pos
session of data TO warrant a DEFINITE conclusion
respecting his precise responsibility for the
10 know that he has failed. He performed
nothing in the campaign in Bohemia worthy
of his splendid reputation. Perhaps he was
victim Of the incapacity of his subordinates
and superiors, and of red tape and official
stupidity and routine. But he mutt have had
inherent defects. He was too slow, and proba-
bly, too sangune He should not have permitted
the Prussians such easy access through the
have overwhelmed them in detail. The COM
bnation OF the three Prussian armies at the
right time and place must always be fatal to
Benedek's reputation as a general. Perhaps,
also, he calculated little too largely on catch
ing the Prussians in q trap. There can
be no doubt that an Austrian victory
would have been even more disastrous TO the
Prussians than the battle OF Sadowa was to the
AustrIans. Very few Prussians could have
escaped back through the mountains II SadoWa
had resulted differently. They would have been
overwhelmed and Benedek could easily have
carried out his threat of capturing Berlin.
But these contingencies only Illustrate the in
finite chances of war. The Prussians calculated
and fought we'll. The stern logic of the sword
has decided the long-veXed question OF Austrian
or PrUssian supremacy in Germany. Prussia
will henceiorth be the representative of German
nationality. The dream of the school-men and
the aspirations of poets has been realized.
The Germans are no longer without a country.
new nation of thirty millions has suddenly
started into existence. The Germans have
shown that they are as brave as they are indus
trious and learned; and we may be sure that
even Bsmark cannot long deprive them of
the constitutional rights that may be expected
10 follow as a complement OF an assured
nationality, known and respected throughout the
world. In place of thirty-iye free and inde-
pendent States to yeX aud torment the people,
thele will be only one-Prussia-and all true
Germans will rally around her as the repre-
sentative and champion OF "Dcr Fuderland."