The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1866-07-05
THE EUROPEAN WAR.

leIICr OIL Napoleon TO his MINISTER Oh
Foreign Affairs puts in nutshell
the position, purpose and probable re-
suit of the hostile movements in Eu-
rope. 1t is war on one side for the
reconstruction of Europe, and on the
other for the maintenance of the exist
ing order of things. Prussia desires
an extension of territory Westward, the
prolongation other Northern boundary
to the German Ocean, and the consoli-
dation of Western Germany, with it.
self as the ruling State, thus making
Prussia at once great naval and mil
itary power. Italy wants Venetia
and Austria wants to defeat the schemes
of both Prussia and Italy. France pro
fesses to want nothing, but really de
sires to extend its northern boundary
to the Rhine.
The occupation of Schleswig Hol-
stein and the consequent dispute which
is the proximate cause Of the present
quarrel are by this time familiar to our
readers, but the real cause is the old
contest for ascendancy in the German
Confederation, ,and the Prussian tenden-
cy to aggrandizement of territory and
power. The battles which deluged
Saxony and Silesia with blood in the
past are to be fought over again, with
the probability ofgreater results than
in former contests on the same ground.
There are three phases to the war
which has just commenced, the Ger
man, the Italian, and the European
AS between Austria and Prussia, it is
in one sense particularly a German
question-being ON the surface mere
ly q dispute as towhether the Duchies
wrested from Denmark are to be free
members of the Germanic Confedera-
ton, divided between Prussia and Aus
tria, Or become part of the Prussian
Kingdom-about which, per Sc, the
rest of the world cares nothing. In
the South of Europe it is contest for
the liberation orcontinued subjugation
of Venetia, with the sympathies of the
whole world outside of Austria on the
partof Italy. But as the contest once en-
tered upon cannot but result in mate
rial change in the status of the belliger-
ent powers, the ''balance ofpower' will
be affected, and the question becomes
European. Hence France and Russia,
finding their interests likely to be af-
fected, are preparing to take part on
whatever side each shall deem for its
advantage.
A glance at the map will show the
peculiar situation of Prussia. Cut off
from its newly acquired possessions on
the Danish peninsula and also from
the German Ocean by the kingdom Of
Hanover and the principalities and
duchies Of North Germany, it is sepera-
ted from it's territory in Wespthalia
and the Rhine Provinces by the petty
States of Middle Germany. To extend
its frontier to the ocean and secure the
"homogenity'' of Prussia will require
absorption of the petty Kingdoms and
States now lying in the way, and this
undoubtedly is the intention of the
Prussian government.
In the meeting of the Germanic Diet,
where the last diplomatic struggle was
made previous to the overt act of war,
the question was on the mobilization
of the Federal. army. This was the
test question, Austria proposing the
measure and Prussia opposingit The
vote of the Middle and Southern Ger
man States was for Austria; that of the
Northern States, with the exception of
Hanover, for Prussia. The vote of the
minor States represented population
of seven to one in favor Of Austria, and
those who voted for Prussia probably
did so from the knowledge that their
isolated situation placed them entire
ly at the mercy of that power.
The action of the Diet was held by
Prussia to be declaration of war. And
the Prussian armies Immediately enter
ed Hanover on the one side and Saxo-
ny on the other The Hanoverian
troops have fallen back towards the
Southern boundary to unite with the
Austrian troops stationed in that vi
cinity, and North Hanover has been a
bandoned. Once in, the Prussians will
probably attempt to retain possession
of the kingdom as establishing claim
to it in the final settlement. A signifi
cant sign Of the intention of Prussia is
contained in the announcement Of the
semi official paper that it will hereafter
publish news from the Elbe Duchies
under the heading Prussia" and from
the States formerly belonging to the
Confederation under the title s'Middle
European Group Of States.'
Whilst Prussia has been thus active
in taking the initiative Austria has not