The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-19
The Wharf.-The Position of Austria.

aonmcnt of the European conference iof
tho paciication of the brewing troubles
ni that part of the world was not eX-
plicit as to the ground assumed by Austria,
who was charged with ob>tructing and
frustrating the conference. Few could
have imagined what that Empire did to
have caused this dcplorahlc result. This
naughty act was explained by Mr.. GLAD
STONE. Chancellor Of the ENchequcr, in the
British House of Commons on the 9TH OF
June. lie stated that, on the evening be-
fore. tclcgraphic message was received
"from France, stating that, in the opinion
..of the French Government, the con-
.icrcncc was al an end, in consequence of
"thc answer from Austria imposing con-
EDITIONS that were regarded as impract-
cable" And when We come to see the
nature of that answer, II is not wonderful
that France should come TO that conclu-
sion. The substance of il is this; She re-
CURED Il definite assurance that all the
Po,rcrS ,rlict ,rcre 10 take part in the pro-
Iccted con ference should BE- ready to renO,nce
hepWS1dt Of any special or particular IN
,ereSt to The de,rimeni Of the general tran
q,dAity; and. according to Mr.. GLADSTONE,
the Austrian Government went on further
toexplain that sentiment by saying that, in
order that the work of peace which the
cabinets had in view might be in 4 con-
di,ion to be accomplished, ii appeared 10
them indispensable that il should be
agreed beforehand to exclude from the
deliberations of the conference anything
that would tend 10 give to any of the
States who were then invited To the meet
ing any territorial augmentation or increase
of power.
No wonder that this took the life out OF
the conference. The answer was pat !:
You do take my life when you take from
me that whereby live. Acquisition was
at the bottom of the whole matter, am.
peace could have been established in ID
earthly way but by genial entertainment,
at the diplomatic table, in which tn
great Powers should slice up and divide
amongst themselves bits Of territory be-
longing to helpless little States. To have
objected 10 this agreeable feast, Austria
must be the most intractable and moroSe
!, ,x, f. .~eFs. She must have been very ill.,
a' ',ara, III III very cynical. Why, her condi-
Iinrness mount to exacting that eve "a
'ufeu d.. n conference should be 4sm !.
lions are 'an,N pnablc conditiop-.;a scr. >
member OF thel,. ogether -.ation. '"e>''
Such an unreaSon ' u ..ecessa-'ly. ont OF
the ouestion-aNed very lmpracticable.
Ifmade generally affts;llSable to diplomatic
and deliberativc bodies, it would put an
end to them all-they would all follow the
peace conference. imagine that just be-
fore the meeting of deliberativc body
some solemn "grey beard should arise
and proclaim: Gentlemen, before we go
Unto delberation it must be understood,
land each person here must solemnly asse-
"verate that in the proceedings ofthis body
abe has no Interior view of personal advan-
"tace OF benefit, and no selfish ob.icctto ac-
"complish; in other words, that each and
"all of you enter this hall with clean hands
land pure conscienccs." What would be
the end of any such condition as that
Why, it would be simply the end Of all
conferences and congresses. Austria should
lie voted a nuisance, and turned out OF the
family of nations She is tile most unrea-
sonable of kingdoms. With oil our con-
fidcnce in the virtue of the British Govern
mep,. We are not even sure that she could
enter q conference on such absurd condl-
tions, Austria is simply marplot-a
prude.
The conditions OF Austria are indeed
stor of Fest joke of the season. They were
c house droitly introduced, and took as i'm
all demon, effect in dispensing the conference
IN; ne hev. Ut ,tribution box in scattering
80 III GO ria was the only Power in
.snSs,Ssus s0i who wanted nothing, and she
.tssl lex as well as sagacity in de-
that the other members should
1.-THE same position that she did.
psNtles were originated by the desire
ne territory, and Austria knew that
they could not be quoted save by dividing
out the territory coveted, including some
of hers, amongst them. She therefore
determined that if the congress met with
ont and cooperation, there should
,or A., hands, and that she would
showing u. '"nclave in which She
49,, no drawn intoa.~ '""rity without
,,,a ,e in decided nli.- greed
.ome shield to protect her from tn.
md selishness of the majority.
Ordinarily, these kingdoms are all alike
all equally selfish; but Austria certainly
-,.,ds forth in the difficulties now agi'a''he
Europe without reproach'
Conference OF no conference, the M"i'
ws have believed, was inevitable. Inc
rrspcb Emperor has plainly declared Ms
intention to wipe out all traces OIL 'ne
treaties OF 1915: detesting them AZ 'n'
ur.a, wrong and humiliation OF the NAfo,
LEON dynasty and Of France. fruss'" "ne
Italy afforded the opportunity ior inc graz
aca,ion of his ambition and ms re'ens,
He therefore encourages the war. III
does so simply for this object, and not a.
the enemy of Austria, and If 1t can u
concluded to suit him without putting
French army in the field, he will take N
part in the war. But this may not b.
apI ha ,nay hays. az, faCa n hand