The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-06-05
Latest Phase OF tho European War
Question.


the question Of peace or war have been oscil-
lating for some time past. One day war seems
imminent another day affairs wear more
peaceful aspect The mails which arrive by
the transatlantic steamers almost as regular
| as ferryboats keep us informed of the events
which produce those changes. The last news
is less warlike again in consequence Of the
action taken by several Of the great Powers
to settle the difficulty through a peace con-
gress. 1t was positively stated in an extra
edition of the Dresden official journal,
"that the proposed congress ct Paris had
been agreed to by all the Powers" and
that the first meeting would take place the fol-
lowing Friday. This, 1t was said by several
leading and semi-ofacial journals In Europe.
that active negotiations were going on
between the governments to that end and that
nearly all had accepted the proposition. There
| Is no doubt that invitations had been sent
from and to the several governments for
congress In fact the anxiety to settle the
difficulty peaceably was so great that these in
vitationJ appear to have been interchanged, the
same Powers both sending and receiving them.
Summing up and comparing all the news
from the different points, we think the Paris
| Constitutional comes nearest the truth In its
statement of the situation. II announces that
France and England had agreed "upon the
terms Of the communication to be addressed to
the governments concerned in the existing diff
fculties." Russia was expected to agree to
this, If she had not already done so. The Lon
don Globe makes the same announcement. La
France says if the congress meet 1t will be
composed of the representatives of six Powers
and probably also the representative Of the
Germanic Confederation. We suppose these
six would be the representatives from France,
England, Russia, Austria, Prussia and Italy.
The Constitutional remarks:- is impossible to
entertain any illusion upon the serious nature
of the differences between Prussia, Austria and
Italy; but when France, England and Russia,
after maturely considered agreement, under
take such o mission, 1t would be puerile to
suppose that they are not serious From what
has transpired the three courts seek conditions
Of agreement in territorial corporations
which would offer indemnities and satisfaction
to the claims Of Prussia, Austria and Italy.
The difficulty in the present state Of affairs
consists in finding the territorial compensa-
tons suited to each CASE"
The Constitutional, in these sentences, has
struck the key note Of tho whole matter. Ter
ritorial acquisition, adjustment or compensa-
ton lies at the bottom Of the difficulty, and
that, 1t appears, must be the basis Of peace.
But where is the territorial compensation to
be found Suitable to each easel" That Is the
real question, the real difficulty, and on 1t
hangs war or peace Is the map Of Europe to
be reconstructed, and are the treaties Of 1915,
which the Emperor Napoleon despises, to be
blotted QUIT II SO, who is to gain and who to
suffer- It Is difficult to see how q CON-
| gress can agree upon such nice question
when the ambition Of each Power will be
| lis controlling motive and when every one
will endeavor to gain something at the ex-
pense of some other one. Yet II three or four
Of these Powers could agree-if France, Eng
land and Russia could agree, for example,
the others must yield. The smaller States
would be at the mercy Of this council Of their
larger neighbors.
As to the territory which Prussia covets-
Schleswig- Holstein-about which the trouble
commenced between that country and Austria,
that could soon be settled II France, England
and Russia would say the word. The serious
difficulty is in Italy. The young kingdom Of
Italy Is full of ambition and revolutionary fire.
Inspired by the memories Of past glory, by
Its extraordinary success within the last few
years and by confidence In its destiny, 1t
seizes the present opportunity, reckless of con-
sequences, to aggrandize ITSELF The territorial
compensation to satisfy Its case Is venetia to
begin with. Italian unity is the cry; and the
Italians will not lay down their arms, unless
forced to do so by the great Powers of Ea-
rope, until they have realized some part Of
their ambitious object The Emperor Napo-
leon possibly might restrain Italy, though 1t
is not certain he could short of threaten.
ing war; but does he wish to do sol
In the reconstruction Of the map OF
Europe, and in these territorial corporations
alluded to by the Constitutional, will France
not como In for sharei 1t Is hardly possible
to conceive how Austria, the successor Of the
imperial dominion OF Rome, could be induced
to give up it's ancient and magnificent territory
Of venetia. Can this still powerful empire be
negotiated or driven across the Carnic Alps
II TO avoid war Austria would consent to part
with venetia, where Is she to obtain territorial
compensation Not from Russia or the Ger
man States. Eastward and southwark lie the
Danubian principalities and Turkey. Is she to
be compensated In that directioni And who
else Is to be compensated Ifons great Power
Is to receive compensation the others will want
II also. Thus we see that with all the pros
poets Of congress. with all the anxiety to avoid
war, there are great difficulties in the way Of q
peaceful solution. A congress may possibly
rearrange tho map ofEurope, but II that should
MT IA In likolv Tho aword vil1 Wa aro IN tho