American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-06-07
The Practical Issue Between Austria
and Prussia.

Many persons not familiar with tn,
real practical issues involved in tn,
great controversy which isarrayins
the German powers in hostile atti
tudes, and exciting so much anxiety
through out Europe and the civilized
world, conclude that they are not
sufficiently substantial and import.
ant to justify or provoke the serious
results apprehended and threatened.
Indeed, the practical points of what
TO so many appears to be a mere
quarrel on questions of national hon
or and punCtiliO, or of political pow
er, are hardly taken into considera-
ton by the great majority of people,
who, reading of the fearful prepare
tons for war ando the profound ag-
itation throughout central Europe,
and continually asking what is it all
about what will it come to how is
it to pay, cui bono, to either or any of
the polemics or bclligerents ? The
truth is, that the politics of that COM
plicated organization known as the
German Confederation are as diff
cult of comprehension by our people
rs the metaphysics Of the German
philosophers. There is no need, how
ever, on this occasion, that we should
renew our many endeayors to master
and eXpound the motives, conditions
and obligations Of this leauguc Of
the forty German States, and of the
disputes between them, which have
ripened into a general armament, and
brought the disputants to the verge
Of war, when we can find a more sat
istactory and rational solution of the
main controversy between the two
great powers, its motives aims, which
Is much more reConcilable with the
IDEAS that prevail through the Chris
ti0n world as to what constitute the
the just, rational and proper reasons
for going to war We refer to the
commercial considerations that
have doubtless cXerted the CHIEF in |
huence over Prussia and Austria in |
driving them to their present atti-
tudes.
Prussia has for many years yearn- /
cd for sea ports on the Baltic and
North Sea. 1t is this ambition or
avarice of hers, which has produced |
trouble of the Schleswig- HOlstein
which for the last halt cen
fury never fails to get all Germany I
into turmoil, and the rest of the
world into a dense fog, whenever
these States have no other more seri-
Gus business on hand. PruSSia'S de
sire to secure access to, and ports on
the German Ocean and the Baltic has
been the principal motive, IN all
these disturbances. But as her III
terferance in the difficulty between /
the Schleswig- HolstienerS and Den
marc could not be made without the
sanction of the German Confedera-
lion, and in their name, Austria with
ler profound diplomacy, always in
sisted upon co-operationg with Prus-
sia in all her movements and inter
terences in the Provinces. Accord
ngly, when last year the COntedera- I
ton insisted upon their right to pro ]
.ed the revolving Duchles, Austria j
sent as large a force as Prussia and
when the result was the detaching
If the DuchieS from Denmark, Aus
ria stepped in to prevent Prussia
rom absorbing the States and secur- !
ng her much desired ports on
he Baltic and North Sea. So Prus- j
ia got nothing by her motion, and
las ever since been in very bad hu- ;
nor, and her bold and ambitious ]
'hief Minister (Bismark) has labor {
d and intringued to get Austria in I
o such a strait as would afford PFus- I
ia an opportunity of bouncing upon
er coveted prey on the Baltic. In !
nlfllment of his purpose. it has not u
cen difficult to arouse. the Italian 9
eople and government into one of "a
heir periodical excitements for Ital-