Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-02
THE AUsTRIAN-PRUssIAE QUARREL
What England Thinks of it.
From the London Times.

From the London Times.l AIs
The communications hitherto exchang-
ed between Austria aud Prussia must ap-
pear strangely wide of the mark On the
only question really at issue these docu-
ments observe an absolute silence.
Neither Count Karolyi nor Count Bis
mark so much as mentions the name of
Schleswig or Hostein. For all that the
world can discern in the language or ar
guments of the notes, the difference be-
tween the two powers amounts to nothing
but vague and baseless sentiment OF
mutual distrust Each charges the other
with assuming an attitude of hostility,
and requests to know what such an at.
titude means, and how it can be justified.
Austria said that Prussia was calling out
her troops, and yet laying all the blame
of the proceeding on the Governments at
Vienna Prussia retorted that Austria
had taken the initiative in these arma-
ments and compelled her to follow the
lead. But then Count Karolyi de-
clared for the Emperor of Austria that
he had not the slightest intention of at
tacking Prussia, and Count Bismark,
when thus challenged, promptly replied
that the King of Prussia had not the re-
motest idea of hostilities against Austria.
Though, however, in this reply, Prus-
sia had given the assurance which was
asked for, it was not accepted as satisfac-
tory Austria resumed the correspon-
dence by asserting that Count Bismark
had spoken of war as inevitable, and that
the armaments of Austria had been oc-
casioned by that declaration. She al
legged, too, that Prussia had been intrigu-
ing against her in Italy, and demanded
that the Prussian armies should be forth
with placed on a peace footing again as
evidence that no war was intended
This method of conducting the contro-
versy suits the purposes of both sides,
for neither chooses as yet to speak plainly
about the true question at issue. The
real bone of contention is Schleswig-
Holstein, of which, while Austria holds
one end and Prussia the other, Prussia
desires ALL Recent proceedings, on the
part of Count Bismark, gave reasonable
grounds for the suspicion that the gov
ernment of Berlin meditates the actual
annexation of the two duchies by some
maneuvre or other.
The present attitude of Austria, it must
be owned, is strange enough to occasion
some unfeigned embarrassment at Berlin.
Count Bismark may naturally wonder
that Austria, after going with him thus
far, should now positively refuse to 60
any further. He must have overshot the
mark in pretension and menace, other
wise Austria would never have turned
round with the anger which not only her
government but her people are now dis
playing. 1t is probable that she sus-
pected and disliked the policy of Prussia
from the beginning; but after she had
once embraced it and joined her arms
with those of Prussia for the spoliation
of Denmark, there could be in Count
Bismarks eyes but one end to the tran
saction. If Schleswig and Holstein we're
to be wrested from the Danish Crown,
and yet not assigned under a new prince
to the Germanic Confederation, they must
devolve upon the conquering powers, and
ultimately upon Prussia alone Ii might
suit the purpose of the moment to make |
a temporary partition of the plunder and
divide the occupation Of the Duchies be-
tween the two invading armies; but Aus |
stria wanted no territory in those regions,
nor could Holstein be valuable posses |
sion in her eyes. SOONER or later, as
Count Bismark might fairly calculate,
Austria would be willing to part with her
share in the spoil, not, indeed, for moth
ing, but for an equivalent in some shape
or other. Nor would Prussia have been
at this point of the busi-
ness. Count Bismark was ready 10 buy
Austria out at fair valuation He Of
fered between e7 200, 900 and 9S, 900, 900
in money, and would have been open TO
any other reasonable proposal in the way
Of barter or sale. But Austria has upset
al these calculations Whether she has
1t length determined to resist the aggran-
iizemeutof Prussia, whether she has been
by the overbearing insolence of
her rival, it is needless to conjecture
out now, at the eleventh hour, she has
policy which is fatal to the
expectations Of Prussia. She no longer J