New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-11
THE GERMAN pIFFIcuLTY.

whole of Germany. The situation is, indeed
peculiar and remarkable Austria is the type of
all that is most detested among the German liber-
ais; of all that is most feared among the lesser
States, whose independence is constantly observed
BY the shadow of this overgrown and unwieIdy en-
pire
And yet Austria, retrogrossive, despotical as she
is, has commanded the sympathies Of the German
liberals and Of the lesser powers in the existing
quarrel with Prussia. Bismark had calcu-
lated on the support Of the minor powers
in his recent movements but he found
that the animosity of the popular party, and
the fears of the Princes were suddenly transferred
from Austria to himself. His reactonary home
policy, his violent attacks on the freedom of dis
cusson on the liberty of the press and on the rep
resentative principle, alarmed and aienated the
liberals, and his evident design to aggrandss
Prussia at the expense of the rights of the people
of the Duchess and of the German Confederation,
raised the opposition and all of the other Ger
manic powers. Everybody knew that if Prussia
went TO war it would not be so much for the an
nexation of Hostein as for the purpose Of assur-
ing and consolidating Prussan supremacy in Ger
many. The absorption Of Holstein would be only
the first step towards the absorption Of the other
lesser States and thus the consummation of Ger
man unity would be only the establishment of
Prussian despotism under the guidance of the
greatest living apostle of absolutsm.
Bismark was not slow to perceive that his
designs were well understood by the public, and
he was too sagacous to hazard an immediate
collision in the face of the protests of all of Ger
many, and without either the moral or material
support of foreign powers. Hence, he concluded
to turn upon his path, and to make a bold strike
for the favor and support of the popular party.
He suddenly addressed himself to the Frankfort
Federal Diet with proposition to call German
Parliament together in which all the States of the
federation are to be represented the elections to
be conducted on the principle of universal
suffrage and the Parliament to receive and discuss
the Prussian proposals for the reform of the fed
GRAFTON. Thus the man who had been the bitterest
enemy OF any reform, who had upheld the cause
OF absolutism with an' almost unparalleled vigor
and audacity, assumes the role of the apostle of
liberty and throws the torch of revolution into the
midst of Germany. All Europe was taken by
surprise by this bold expedent. Its effect, thus
far, has been to modify very materially the situa-
ton and attitude of the two disputing powers with
relation to Germany and the rest of Europe.
Austria would have preferred war to the conse.
quences which must result from this act Of Prussia
in placing herself in the van Of the liberal move
ment. In war victory was possible, and indeed
probable. Ina conflict sprnging out of the CON
troversy as it has existed up the present moment,
Austria would have had the sympathy and sup
port of the popular party.
But in struggle for supremacy Of influence in
Germany, in which Prussia, under the lead of an
astute and unscrupulous politician, would be the
representative power ofliberalism and reform, and
at the same time Of German amity and federation.
Austria would be very sure to encounter defeat.
The German people will probably grasp at the
offer made to them by Prussia, and the German
princes, always with the fear of revelation before
their eyes, will not dare to oppose the eonvocation
OF parliament. Bavaria, Wurtemberg Baden.
and Saxe-Weimar have already declared that they
do not intend to offer any opposition to the Prus-
sian scheme and of these, the first three have
heretofore been the most strenuous antagonists of
Bismark's programme. We NAV therefore take
it for granted that the German parliament will
meet. But who can tell what will come of the in
evitable electoral agitation, which will conyuIse
Europe from the Baltic TO the Rhine, and from
Italy to the North sea? Who can predict the ma
tnre and the issue of the struggle which NAV thus
be precipitated between the German people and
their thirty-six princes? Who can tell that Count
Bismark may not have overreached himself with
this ingenious scheme to lessen or destroy the in
huence of Austria? Who can say that another
epoch OF royal hygeiras may notbe impending over
Europe-another era of turmoil and trouble and
revolution? And who can foretell what, after all,
will be the conclusion of this inevitable and infinite
SChesWig HOlsten difficulty, which seems euuaIIv
hard to keep tied up and to unrayel.
,,-- --=-=---a-t . '-=--
MALICIOUS JoKWG.-A young gentleman named
young lady named Leonard. residing in Vi,Ia IN
the same county, have for some time been en-
gagged to be married, and the bappy day which
was to make these
Two souls with a sinpIe tbonqbt
Two hearts that beat as one
was named for Thursday, the 26th milf. How nm
certain are all our earthly plans, On Thursday
last Mr.. Ackley received note. curt and comnrS
hensiye informing him unon consideration ftba
writer had experienced change of heart and ask
ing that the engagement be considered at an end
This was an unfortunate dilemma. The ruests
had been invited, every preparation had been
made for the approaching nnntiais and b1t
reazad 10 hs fitted then ' t rou a nope was 20 9e
discarded aboye iii +o josn fbn I",ty ;11 Ine
VOC go n,cb AclIay b9d que eatL lo9l,
went with his grief. Having told the sad story Of
fitness he daciara5 be roS v,lo Sa9 sCusy ol
erU woV took tbe Cars T far Voa az ~ Tnce ao M e SIS
sibl9, the reason for the sudden change Of mind on