Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-26
THE ETHIOPIAN SITUATION

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION. H1
The situation in Europe is quite diff
cult to comprehend by a large majority
of American readers. The very names
Bismarck, Moltke, Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-
Darmstadt, Schleswig, Holstein, Hohen-
zollern-Sigmaringen, al confound and
bewilder the reader, who is not familiar
with European politics and European
geography From some of the difficult
culties which beset the path of the general
reader we will endeavor to relieve the
minds of the patrons of the UNION AND
| AMERICAN.
In-Order that clear comprehension of
the present situation may be obtained, it
will be necessary to answerthe questions:
What is Prussia ? What is Austria?
What is Germany What is the German
Confederation? WHAT'S the North German
Confederation? What are the South
German States? Who is Bismarck
Prussia is kingdom, composed Of
Lithuania, part of Poland and some of
the German States. Austria is an empire,
composed of Hungary and some of the
German States Germany or the Father
land, consists of number of principali-
cies, duchies, celebrates and States of
various names, some of which form
part of the empire of Austria, some form
part of the kingdom of Prussia and
others belong to neither of these powers.
The German Confederation was formed,
after the fall of Napoleon /, by the Con-
gress of leading European powers at
Vienna in 1915.
The object sought to be obtained by
this Confederation was the maintenance
of the safety of Germany, internally and
externally, and of the independence and
integrity OF its respective States. 1t is
out of this Independence of these numer-
Gus little States that most of the troubles
of Germany have grown. The affairs of
this Confederation, composed of part of
Austria, part of Prussia and several
other Germanic States, were managed by
a representative assembly called a Diet,
which met at Frankfort on theriYer Main,
and sat permanently but with the power of
adjournment. Austria presided over the
Diet. In 1866 war was made upon
Denmark, 1.-The result of which was the
seizure of the Danish Duchies, Luneburg,
Schleswig and Holstein by Prussia and
Austria conformity. 1t must be constantly
borne in mind that Austria acted for it.
self as separate andindependent empire,
and Prussia acted for itself as a separate
and independent kingdom, and each acted
as part and parcel of the German Con-
federation. Austria up to the time of
which we are now speaking, (the war
against Denmark in 1865-66,) was the
recognized head of the German States.
This joint ownership Of the Danish
Duchies led to angry discussions between
these two great powers. The subject
was brought before the Diet, and the vote
of that body was against the pretensions
Of Prussia. This vote and the previous
refusal of the Diet to recognize Prussia's
equality with Austria in the Confedera-
tion, caused the former power to with
draw from the Confederation, declare it
dissolved, and make known the basis of
a new Confederation from which Austria
was to be excluded. The Diet refused to
recognize the existence of such state
facts, declared the Confederation indisso-
luble, and protested against the conduct
of Prussia. The immediate consequence
of this was the short and sharp war be-
tween Prussia and Austria, lasting but
few weeks, resulting in the disastrous de-
feat or Austria at Sadowa, followed by
the treaty of peace concluded at Nicols-
burg June 26, 1866. By this treaty Aus
tria renowned all connection with the
German States, beyond the limits of her
own empire, and engaged not to oppose
the formation of confederation of the
Northern German States under the su-
prcme auspices of Prussia.
The North German Confederation, as
formed after the dissolution of the Ger
man Confederation in 1866, consists of
Prussia and the German States north of
the river Main. Hohenzolern, which
is one Of the South German States, al
though it is south Of the Main, some
distance from the remainder Of Prussia,
and entirely surrounded by other States,
yet it is a component part of the Kingdom
Of Prussia, and has been since the year
1849. The South German States, notinclu-
ding those which form a part of the Austri-
an empire, are Baden, Bavaria, Hesse-Darm-
stadt, Liechtenstcin and Wurtemburg.
They do not belong to the North German
Confederation, yet they have concluded
military conventions with. Prussia, by |
which they are respectively bound to |
furnish quota of troops in the event of |
invasion.
Count Bismarck is the Prime Minister
of William, the King of Prussia By |
his successful diplomacy, resulting in a
large accession Of territory to the King
dom of Prussia, and in giving her undis-
puted supremacy in the German States,
and in humbling her ancient rival, Austria,
he has established a character as 4 states
man second to that of no man of this
generation.
a LONDON letter, describing Minister
Motley's Fourth Of July party, says:
i" The singular beauty of some of the
American ladies was more talked about
by the English guests than the Declara-