, 1866-07-10

Germany under her sway and "that
which we have contributed to establish
IN Italy must be maintained," that is,
Austria must not win so completely as TO
re-establIsh her power in the Italian Pen
inSula. Those are the limits fixed by
the supreme voice of Europe, but within
them the Powers may ruin each freely,
and Napoleon, when the ruin is consum-
mated, will only see that such '~sconter-
mlnOus provinceS' as may desire TO be
annexed to Francc,-as Nice and Savoy
were supposed to do,-shall be g"ratifed
in their desire. 1t is possible that eds
interested'' declaration may be reassur-
ing to Kaiser and King, bat it is not cal
culated to be very reasSurlng TO England,
which runs some risk of seeing a Con-
grcSs for the redistribution of Europe as
sembIed without her presence, and with
o9t an inclination to pay any attention to
her wishes or interests. France is cX-
tremely moderate" Us to avoiding ALI
ances, or any visible share in the war,
but she may not be quite so moderate in
demanding her share in the profits of
peace.
The Emperor's letter adds distinctly
~ tiC uld5 IIC'AuC vi ISSltiS NllCD seem
to grow daily greater. Italy adhcreS to
her original demand for Venctia as it
stands; but Prussia, scOrDing to put for
ward the Duchies as the ground of quar-
rel, now demands a reconstruction Of the
Bund, with Austria expelled from lis
limits, with herself, that is, alone and SUI
preme among a world of little States.
She is to control German policy, and the
German fleet, and the German army,
though the communicable may be
shared with Bavaria, under an arrange
ment evidently not lntcnded TO endure.
The Princes may continue TO live as Lord
Lieutenants, in Il monarchy one and indivi-
sible, but all substantial political power
will pass to the Empcror-King of Ger
many and Prussia. This is the very con
tingtncy which the Emperor Napoleon
in his manifesto considers so grave-the
disturbance of the equilibrium of Europe
for the benefit of a single Power. On the
other hand, all accounts from Vienna con-
cur in the statement that the wal in the
South is regarded as of minor importance,
that Kaiser and people are resolved to
punish the 'insolent audacity" Of the
rival House. Prussia istto be crushed
and compensation for Venetia found in a
great accession of strictly German terri
tofy-an object which Prussia will resist
almost to the death. Her dynasty will
not surrender the province won by SO
many years Of battle and suffering, nor
will her people consent to be regarded
once more as citizens Of a %second-rate
State. AS the Courts get excited the
issues widen, till the masses begin to
perceive that they are vital, and we seem
once more on the threshold of a war in
which the combatants Will be nations as
we'll as armies, in which the prosperity of
whole countries, the bone and sinew OF
entire populations, may be engulfed. The
letter of the Emperor, the movements of
Russian armies, all remind Europe omi-
nously Of the existence of Powers still
in the background, who, when the origi-
nal battle is finished, may step forward
to the front indefinitely to prolong the
strife. 1t is too late now to pause. The
vote'of the Diet ordering Federal execu-
ton in Prussia, the Prussian demand that
Austria shall be expelled from Germany,
the expulsion of Austrian troops from
Holstein, the extraordinary language of