The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-15
European Prophecies for 1855.

European Prophecies for 1855.
The Paris correspondent of the
London Telegraph, thus prophecies
concerning the events of this year,
his speculations being curious, if not
instructive:
The year 1866 will, / think, be q
marked year in the history of France,
and, indeed, of Europe. That it will
be year of profound peace I fully
expects for who really wants to fight?
There are parties in Italy and Austria,
perhaps, who might like to engage,
but as both the Governments know
better, such warlike aspirations are of
small avail. For the rest, the En-
peror of the French, who practically
keeps the key of that much quoted
Temple of Janus, has declared for
peace. England would scarcely fight
for herself, much less her friends,
and when those two Powers are
agreed, the rest of Europe has but
little to say. Still two great ques-
tions must, I think, be settled-those
of Rome and Venice. The Emperor,
it would seem, is determined to act
up to the strict letter of the Conven-
ton of the 18th of September, and
so I think it is impossible that the
Pope can remain in Rome, even
though guaranteed from an attack
without by this very Convention. So
poor old Pho Nino will either have to
migrate or to retire to the restricted
dominion of the Vatican, and those
quaint gardens where the ''Duke of
Wellington and other celebrities
are cut out in shrubs-like Mr.. Peck
shifts dwelling, it will be "poor
thing, but my own"-and then Rome
will become italian, and that vexed
question be solved.
Then the Venetian affair arises
before us, and that, too, must be set
tied. Lockers on might think that
Italy's difficulty might be Austria s
opportunity, and that now that Italy
must, perforce, reduce her army,
Austria might become not only more
obstinate as regards Venetia, but ag-
gressive as regards other territories;
but, then, 'lookers-on'' would forget
that such step, on the part of the
Government of Vienna, would force
the Emperor Napoleon to quit those
pleasant paths of peace into which
he is leading France; but it is useless
to discuss such chance in the face,
not only of Austria's impecuniosity,
but of her Emperor's ''other views. :"
1t will come to a bargain, you will
see, and Austria will swallow her
Hapsburg pride, and exchange what
is really barren honor for large
sum of Italian money, which the con-
cession of Venetia-invaluable to
Italy, but utterly worthless, nay,
very expensive to Austria-will per-
NIT the Government of Florence to
pay. These are the two great ques-
tions which now alone threaten the
peace of Europe; and, as the EN-
peror Napoleon is more than likely
to be already the accepted umpire in
both affairs, it is not wonderful that
his speech at tho opening of the
coming session of Parliament should
be looked for with interest sand
anxiety. AS I have before said, I
look upon the present as the most
peaceful period that has dawned on
us since the day, in 1868, when the
Imperial orders sent the French feet
to the bay of Salamis, and practically
kindled the Crimean war; and I also
consider that the great International
Exhibition of 1867, is material
guarantee of that peace given not
only by France, but by the European
Powers who have sent in their adhe-
renee to this great scheme of univer-
sal improvement.