The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-18
CHAR L Es TON
FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY is, 1867.
AUSTRIA IN A CRISIS.

AUSTRIA IN CRISIS.
France il rapidly recovering her position, re-
Gently lost, of arbitsr in the politics Of Europe.
There is great intriguing on feot At this time
and all the arts of diplomaoy are exhausted IN
the rival efforts Of Prussia and Austria to SIC
ceed in obtaining the alliance Of France. on
the one hand, sBIsNAEcK is endeavoring to pro-
dnce = coalition between Russia, France ana
Prussia, which, of course, would secure Lac
latter against all assaults from Without ana
leave her free to work out the problem OF re-
construction in Germany to her entire satlsfae-
ton. On the other hand, however, Austria Is
plotting to secure an alliance with France and
Italy, which would soon give different aspect
to the position Of affairs in Europe The latter
fslliance appears the one preferred by the army,
press and people Of France; and unless some
unforeseen contingency arise, it may be cen
sidered certain of accomplishment
That Austria needs a strong prop to lean on,
is too well known to require much argument
Her troubles for years have been neither few
nor light, even before the wars with France
and Italy in 1859, and with Prussia and Italy
in 1866 Defeat in battle, and large. loss Of
territory and population, have greatly asgri-
waited the situation. One Of the original and
lasting sources of these troubles is the hete-
rogeneous composition of her subjects. She
has been for centuries attempting to join to-
eether what God and nature have declared
asunder.
These difficulties have become still more mp
parent since the assembling of the Provincial
Diets, nineteen in number, each of which rep
resents one of the distinct nationalties of which
the population of Austria is composed, or
several nationalities living together in the
same province. These deliberating bodies are
indeed not invested with the same legislative
powers which are exercised by our State Legis-
latures; they simply receive an opening ad-
dress from the Emperor, discuss propositions
referred to them by the imperial government,
and then, in turn, submit to the latter such
wishes as they may entertain and venture to
express. But they serve to indicate the drift
of public opinion.
OF these Provincinl Diets the Hungarian is
the most important and the ostintercsting, for
the reason that, next 10 the Germans, the Hun
garians are numerically the strongest, and by
! their wealth, culture, and national spirit, the
most influential race in the Austrian empire.
In the Hungarian Diet the controlling party is
that of the moderate Liberals, under the leader-
ship, of DEAK, one of the first public men in
Europe. That party insists upon tho appoint
ment Of separate ministry and tho establish
mcnt of separate administration for Hungary,
and has expressed that demand in an*address
to the Emperor. The next strongest party is
that of the Radicals, who refuse to negotiate
with the imperial government at all as long as
the national constitution of Hungary, uniting
that country with the Austrian empire only by
personal union, the Emperor of Austria being
at the same time King of Hungary, is not re-
established. And in case this is not done, the
Radicals think of completely separating Hun
gary from .sustria by revolutionary means. at
present the moderate Liberals have the ma
jority in the Diet, but the Radicals are gaining
ground every day, and it is said that a large
majority of the Hungarian people are already
on their side.
While Hungary thus threatens to become un-
contro1lable, the representatives. of the Italian
districts in the Diet Of Tyrol boldly advocate
their separation from the Austrian empire and
their annexation to the Kingdom of Italy. At
the same time the leading men in the Diet of
the German provinces declare that their sepa-
ration from the great German Confederation,
which is now forming under the leadership of
Prussia, cannot long be endured. In Bohemia
the Czechs, the most numerous race, pronounce
themselves openly in favor Of separate admin
istraton for that ancient kingdom, while in
Galicia, which is Inhabited by Poles and Ru-
thenians, the Poles are jubilant over the ap-
pointment of Pole, GoLUcKEwsK1, to the
governc:ship, and the Ruthenians, who belong
to the Russian race, fearing to be oppressed by
the Poles, look to Russia for help.
Thus we see in every part oftha Austrian
empire agencies Of disintegration busily at
work to loosen the ties which hold the incen-
gruous mass together, and to dissolveit into
its component elements. Itis a conglomerate
of centrifugal forces, which can be held together
only by central power strong enough to strike
down every attempt at revolt, or by the most
enlightened craftsmanship able to create in the
different n%ionalities the desire to stay together
under a common head Whether the Austrian
Government, with bankrupt treasury and an
army beaten, disheartened and dissontented,
will be able to set and keep on foot such an
array Of power as so perplexing problem de-
mands for its solution, may well be doubted.
At the time Of the Hungarian revolution in
l849, Austria owed her salvation only to the
timely aid rendered by Russian army Of
200, 600 men. But Russia will not again fill
the breach. France alone, of European powers,
can be looked upon as probable ally.
A YANKEE school-marm writing from Rich
mond, Va, to the New York Citizen, expresses
her surprise and astonishment at very many
things she finds in the city Of seven hills. She
clearly thinks herself in parti6us smfdelidus.
Being very self.sut6cient she, of course, dis
dains to ask for information Of those able to
l. L Z. ii