The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-14
Earopean -congr


we take the following article from the
London Times as to It's character,
and as to what it can and cannot do:
No general war ever breaks out in
Europe without being preceded by a
proposal emanating from some qlaar-
ter or other to refer all matters in
dispute to. congress. Everybody
always processes his readiness to en-
bark in it, but.nobody will undertake
to abide by IFS decisions 1t is an
admirable means for gaining time,
and Tor Investing extrayagant and
overbearing proposals with spuri-
ussand defusive semblance of mode
ration; but it is the most unlikely
way in the world to solve any serious
and cnvenomed difficulty. If, in
deed, the congress were prepared, as
is said to have been suggested by the
Emperor of Russia, to enforce by
arms its decisions against dissenting
members, machine would be pro-
vided ready to the hands of an am
bilious power which might work re-
suits us disastrous to the libe rites of
Europe as the Amphictyonic Coun-
ell under the presidency of Philip of
Macedon did to the liberties of an
cient Greece. But though the deci-
sion of congress might possibly be
suggested by Justice, the execution
of them would infauibly be dictated
by policy, and we should probably
not have long to wait before we wit
messed as gross an abuse of the power
Of carrying ont the general decree as
that which Austria and Prussia ex-
hibited when they undertook to act
as the agents Of the Germanic Con
federation in the case Of Denmark.
A congress is often an excellent
means of giving effect to rights which
have been previously established by
an appeal to arms. 1t can reduce
into form and give pcrmanence to the
weu-ascertained results of victory and
defeat. But when countries carry
their preparations for war to such
lengths as Prussia, Austria and Italy
have now done, they must look for
the adjustment of their rights and
the settlement of their quarrel to an
agency more efficient than TINT of an
European congress. They can, if
they please, draw back from the ex-
treme pretensions they have put for
ward, and assume again the tone of
moderation they have discarded; but
we shall require much stronger evil
dence than anything which has yet
come TO our hands before we believe
that Austria, for instance, will sub
NIT her right to Venetia to an Eu-
ropean congress; that Italy after
having given Garribaldi command
and called upon the revolutionary
party TO aid her. can undo all these
things, and wait patiently for the
tardy decision Of n conclave of diplo-
matists. We sincerely hope we are
mistaken, but it would seem as if all
parties had been careful to close
against themselves this loop-hole of
escape. An intimation from the En-
peror of the French that he is in
earnest opposed to the war, and will
take definite and intelligible course
Immediately against the first agSres-
sion on its breaking out. would have
more effect than the deliberation of
any European congress. We have
no doubt that he possessed the
power, had he chosen to use it, to
prevent the storm 1t may be
question whether it has not now ac-
quired dimensions which even his
skill is unable to subdue.
1t is not generally known, says a