The Shasta courier., 1866-10-06
COURIER.
lThe Founder of the House of Hapsbure.

1912, poor curate was observed toiling up
a steep ascent, to administer to dying man
the las. consultations of religion. The air
was inclement, the wind blew high, the
tempest was raging, the sleet was descend
ing. His years were great, his steps were
weary. 1t was evident that zeal for his
holy office had supplied him with prefer
natural strength, and that this strength was
on the point of sinking. A moment longer,
and he whom q sacred sense of duty thus
impelled to pour balm on the life of another,
might have atoned for it by the loss of his
own. Buta spare, though stawart and steel
clad man. at this crisis rode up, and, dis
covering the extremity of the aged priest,
descended to his relief. He insisted that
the faithful follower of St. Peter should
mount his prancing charger, and on this
warlike steed-the venerable priest proceeded
to impart to the sufferer the last beatitudes
of religion. He administered the Eucharist,
and the recipient expired. A nameless being
had quilted this world, and gone to the un-
known realms of infntude but the conse-
quences remained. Many a man had thus
been shriven, and many wretch has thus
exchanged this life for another, still more
mysterious. A dynasty, however, in this
instance issued from the trivial act, and
that curate's devotedness, that dying mans
last earthly hours. The benifcence display
ed by the martial trooper, we may infer, was
then rare, as indeed it has often and gen
orally been since for he received the I'M
perial Crown as his reward. Rodolph of
Hapsburg (for it was he) is the only one Of
the actors on that memorable evening whose
name has descended to US, and his postcrity
still sit on one of the most powerful thrones
in Europe. Such, according to popular ira
dition. is the origin of the reigning house Of
Austria-deriving its existence from an act
of touching humanity, but since stained
with thousand follies and thousand crimes
But stern history, and sterner truth, compel
us to doubt if not deny, theincident. 1t was
for services to mitred prelate, and not to
an humble curate, that Rodolph owed his
elevation. The founder of the house of
Hapsburg was in reality merely one of those
chiettains, so common in the middle ages,
who established their Businesses near some
public road. and preyed upon all who came
within reach OF their stronghold. Rodolph
appears to have been only little more crafty,
and, till he attained to power, be was equal.
ly upscrupulous with the rest. By his great
address and vigorous physical force, he had
succeeded In subduing all his neghbcrs, and
evinced as much ability in uniting the dis.
cordant elements of his own and others
patrlmonial inheritances, as he subsequently
displayed in combining'the hostile influences
OF the various lands that were brought under
his dominion. The Archbishop of Mentz
CHANGED to be passing near this sagacious
freebooter's don aims, on his wav to Rome
and Rodolph, after brief parev, arrived at
the conclusion that it would be more advan-
tageous to aid the hol y man than to plunder
him. lie accordingly provided him with an
escort, and, as some say, accompanied him
to the Eternal City in person though the
latter part of the allegation is doubtful
Rodolph to the last retained an aversion to
Rome, which he described as resembling the
lions den, whence there could be seen no
marks of returning footsteps. AS it was.
however, the prelate showed himself neither
forgetful nor unworthy of the obligation
and a vacancy having shortly afteryards oc-
Cured in the empire, for which there were
three barbarian condidates-Otho, Alphonso
and Ottacar-princes now forgotten, Gregory
the Tenth was readily induced, on the inter
position of the archbishop. to terminate the
dispute by selecting an humber leader, who
appeared more likely to be guided by his ad-
vice. Rodolph was accordingly elected to
the imperial throne. Whatever might have
been his former conduct, the newly created
dignitary acted well. He seemed: to possess
an innate art for controlling men, and he
ruled them with equal equity and address. =
His antecedent history having familiarized
him with the art of freebooting, he took the
field against those who practiced it with not
less vigor than success, and robbery soon
became rare throughout the whole of his
dominions. Wider territories, too, we're
now added to his dominions. He showed as
much ability in acquiring new lands as he
had formerly done in securing booty The
whole OF Austria proper. or the old duchy of
that name, was soon reduced to his authority,
and his policy was such that he exercised a
still wider influence. Decision was not
wanting in the course of his conduct. In
one day he hung upwards of ninety robbers
at Erfurth, and in an incredible short time
reduced the castles of sixty feudal Chiefs
Their obnoxious system received its first
fatal blow from him. He had witnessed and
participated in its exercises, and now he ex-
erted himself to bring about its overthrow,
as not less menacing to the sovereign than
injurious to the subject. He effected an ar.
rangement with the Church but it was done
without any forfeiture of kingly power or
udufy uiSuIty. l1c IcuOuuCcu tuc pudutUH
of authority which previous emperors had
professed to exercise over that imperial city,
but he preserved the liberties and independ-
ence of Germany. Always polite, however,
Rodolph seized the opportunity of forever
terminating all rivalry by bestowing his
daughter on the son of his discounted rival,
as he had previously made use of three 9TH
ers for the purpose of gaining mis- election
by marrying them to the Electors of Bavaria,
Brandenburg. and Sa1ony. The hands Of
two remaining were subsequently trafhcked
away in a manner equally advantageous
and every symptom of revolt was soon sup
pressed by the promptness and address of
the elevated freebooter Till the hour of bis
death he persevered in his meritorious avs.
tenn of national improvement, and vastly in
creased the resources of the state. without
in any degree pressing with severity on the
finances of bis subjects. Justice was for the
first time regularly administered under him
in Austria by judges whom he appointed to
traverse every part of his dominions and in
tho abort apaca of \ ~ rla 1:E> L.