The New York herald., 1866-06-29

The Critical situation or E-rePs-wsr
Actually Commences.
We have given our readers the important
intelligence BY the Java of the actual COM
mencement OF war In Europe. The German
Diet, in adopting the proposal Of Austria by
. vote OF nine to six Of the States and prinei-
palities represented, for the mobilization OF tho
army Of the confederaoy, and in adopting
resolution expressing the adherence Of the Diet
to the Austrian proposition Of the indissoluble
character Of the Germanic Union, had driven
Prussia to the extremity Of secession much
like our Southern secession-and the iAaugurar
ton Of war. These proceedings In the general
Diet ct Main occurred on the
l4th Of June, and Prussia, ON the 18th, declar-
ing the confederation dissolved, marched
hostile force into each of the States Of Hanover
and Saxony, a. allies Of Austria, being two Of
the eight supporters Of Austria In the Diet.
The other six, unless strictly neutral, will DO
subject to the same treatment from Prussia.
It appears that the eight votes supporting
Austria represent population Of nearly four
teen millions and military contingent Of
nearly one hundred and seventy>hvs thousand
men while the votes supporting Prussia rep
resent population Of hardly three millions
and military force Of some thirty thou
sand five hundred men. It will thus be seen
that by q very suggestive division of the
Germanic Confederation Austria stands ap-
proved and Prussia is rebuked. We presume
taet it Is because the Germans are mostly
inclined to look with adherence and alarm
upon the "happy accord" that has oil this
time marked the relations between Bismarck
and Louis Napoleon, and between these two
and the King of Italy. How, then, are we to
account for the boldness Of Prussia in resort
ing TO actual war against the overwhelming
vote and military strength of the German
Bupds why is she 80 quick to seek COL
lision between her six hundred thousand troops
and the opposing thirteen hundred thousand Of
the German family 1t is because Napoleon
stands behind Bismarck and is ready to ad-
vance to his support when the grand drama
shall have been fairly opened.
With a degree of frankness which in the
chief Of European diplomats is perfectly re-
freshing, Napoleon says, in his famous letter
to bis Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. Drouyn
de Lhuys, that had the late proposed Euro
pean Congress been entered into by all the
parties concerned, eve (Napoleon) should
have desired for the secondary States Of the
confederation (German) a more intimate
union, more powerful organization and a
more important position" (the First Napo-
Icons confederation of the Rhine, perhaps),
and for Prussia more homogeneity and force
in the North Chose Danish Duchies, and pro-
badly one or two others most conveniently,
"and for Austria the maintenance of her great
place in Germany." Here we have little
buncombe, and especially may 1t be so con-
sidered when Napoleon goes on to say we
should have wished besides that In considera-
ton Of q reasonable compensation Austria
should have resolved to cede Venetia to Italy"
But mark the GOODNESS of his closing declara-
tion-"In the war which Is upon tho point OF
breaking out we (Napoleon and France) have
only two interests-the preservation of the
European equilibrium and the maintenance of
the work which WE have contributed to build
up in Italy"
Is not that clear enough! A free transla-
tion Of this imperial speech simply means that
this European war is the work Of Louis Napo-
leon; that Bismarck, of Prussia, has played the
part of his convenient instrument In view o.
a reward too tempting to be resisted, and that
the armies of Italy are set in motion with the
full understanding that France in due time
will again descend from the Alps and resume
the good work Of Italian unity and independ-
ence, where it was suspended at Villa Franco.
This war, in short, is the work Of Louis Napo-
leon, and his purposes are to upset those de-
tested treaties Of 1878, and to reconstruct the
map Of Europe according to the imperial pro-
gramme Of Napoleon the First.
But in the armies of Russia moving down
upon the Austrian frontier there is the same
danger threatened to the nephew that over
threw the uncle. Russia stands ready to join
Austria when the fray begins, and from the
moment that Russia shill be thus committed
against France as the empire, we may look for
the revival of the old Holy Alliance, and the
prosecution Of the war to the restoration Of |
the Bourbons or the French republic. Napo-
leon thus far has been splendidly successful in |
his projects Of European war beginning with |
a rupture among the Germans but in the very
opening Of the conflict the legions Of Russia |
moving down towards the Danube threaten TO |
spoil all the calculations Of the game so far |
as any profits to Italy, to Prussia, to Louis |
Napoleon or TO France may be concerned.
The DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CANADA AND ENa- |
LAND.--While the Canadians are boiling over |
with rage and demanding indemnities Of the
United States for the late Fenian raid tie |
press and people of England are thanking us
in the most cordial manner for arresting the |
progress of Fenianism They see and realize |