The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-19
c. Il 4 r LES S T O n
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 10, 1866.
TIE GERMAN MIDDLE.

TIE GERMAN MUDDLE
The papers have been filled now for months
with wars and rumors OF wars in Germany,
Austria and Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony.
NAPOLEON and VICTOR EMANUEL have been
banded about by telegraph operators, till the
plain unlearnedin-German reader is at his
wits end, in his vain attempt to fathom the
complicated questions of German geography,
SUhleswig- -Holstein succession and nation
ality, to say nothing of the difficulties he
must needs encounter in his effort to master
the collateral questions of the Rhenish pro-
vinces, Venetia, the Danubian Prinoipalities,
Roman influence, Fenianism, and dozen
Others all entering as factors in this great
chronological problem.
The Atlas gives him but little assistance,
for, if he succeeds in locating Austrie and
Prussia, he will be almost certain to break
down in his epdeavor to ASCERTAIN what con-
Ietitutcs Germany. Books Of history and geo.
graphy will afford him little or no light, for
this same German Confederation or Diet is
something SUI gemeris; a myth-exists only in
the abstract. Hence, it is 80 difficult, not to
say impossible, to offer anything like lucid
| explanation to one not to the manor-born.
Nothing will serve US better as IN illustra-
first volume of the Life of FREDERICK THE
GREAT, by THOMAS CARLYLE, wherein he
industriously sits to work to meet this desi-
deratum, aud tell the world what is meant by
Prussia. lie gives an epitome of her terrific
rial and dynastio history, and we venture to
say, not one person in hundred will read
the said first volume faithfully through, or if
they do, they will probably be none the wiser
for it.
| Your ordinary man of business has not
time for such historical, genealogical refine
ments, and rather than break his head pour
ing over great dusty tomes-and his jaws, in
the effort of pronouncing the cacophonous
teutonic aomenclature-he gives up tho vain
and unpromising pursuit in despair, and rests
content to read the laconio kilograms, indif-
ferent whether he understands them or not.
| We have spoken several times before on
this great pending question, and from time to
time commented on the new Developments
We have given it as our opinion from the
first, that there would be no war, and that the
quarrel would be amicably adjusted. Thus
far we have been correct. Our correspondents
it is true, now inform als, that notwithstand-
ing the mutual protestations of the two great
German Powers, of desiring nothing but
peace, that the one will disarm, if the other
will, and that both desire nothing so much as
United Germany-yet, after all these assur'
anoer, the threatened attitude continues.
Italy has lately come ON the stage ns one
Of the chief actors in the drama-has n large
massed force On tho border,' Austria is thus
seriously threatened on the north side BY
rapaoious BIsmARK, with hundreds of thou
sands Of we'll disciplined troops, ready to
pounce upon any weak or exposed place
On the south, the Italian brigand waits 70,
something to turn up. They are both willing
to wound, but afraid to strike 1t is said
they are afraid of the great and silent French
Emperor, who sits at his ts BILE and casts hi.
eagle eye, over the political chess board. Ht
has as yet made no move, but is supposed t
, be engaged studying combinations, and wher
the game is ready to open, he will show hi
mastery by mating his adversary in few
moves.
/: Count BlsmARK hos played deoidedl,
! bold game, and been clearly defeated. What
1 ever turn events may take, his career is run
He has made too many and too serious blum
: ders in his calculations; and will scarcely b.
able to hoodwink his King or people an,
longer. The papers say he is going to Ems
fashionable watering place to mere ever,
y day people, but exile and Coventry to th
n oil powe rful minister.
!, Germany is full Of enthusiasm just now
from the Rhine to the vistula, and from tn
+. Baltic and tho North Sea to the Alps and tn
o Adriatic. The prospect of national unity
y SO long the young poets and patriots dream