The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-09-29
AstOrm Gathering in Eastern Europe

AStOrm Gathering in Eastern Europe
From nc Eew York Post. Nh - y II
There Is still no reason TO assume that
o general European war is imminent. But
the situation in Eastern Europe is critical;
and any one Of several men has now the
power 10 bring on n terrible crisis. Russia
secs In the war which now occupies
France and Prussia perhaps her very last
opportunity for advancing upon COnstan-
tinoplC. The spirit Of German unity,
under Prussian leadership, extends so
rapidly that Austria is threatened with
early disintegratiOn, and may believe, that
even Russian aggrandizement In the Dan
ubc or at the Golden Horn would .he q
cheap price to pay for the humiliation Of
North Germany. Francois certainly des-
perate, and would redeem her frontier
even at the sacrifice other Eastern policy.
These are mere possibilities, but they
arc greatly strengthened by other causes
Of jealousy between St Petersburg and
Berlin. TO understand these, 1t Is neccs-
sary 10 remember that there is o constant
struggle going on between tho Sclavonic
and German races for preponderancc In
the border lands OF the two great nations,
and that It is peculiarly bitter just now N
tho Baltic provinces Of Russia. yAl.gi.
The eastern shores of the Baltic were
settled during tho middle ages by enter
prising emigrants Of tho German race.
Their intelligence and energy gave them
the control Of the land and OF Its inh3bl-
tants, and for some generations they made
this region one Of the most prosperous
and progressive districts In Europe. Des-
olated by successive invasiOns, and subiu-
gated BY ono barbarian cOnqueror after
another, they still retained their language,
religion and local customs, and they still
cling so teuaciously TO these, alter o cen
turY and half OF NTuscovite rule, that
the proprietors Of the soil and the traders,
politicians and thinkers Of Liv0nia, in.
Guiding Estland and Kurland, arc German
PrOtestants, with municipal institutions OF
their own, Us distinct from those Of Rus
sin as II they had never been a part ofthc
empire.
For many years there has been an in
fluCntial party in tho Court of the Gar
that has advocated tho policy Of "lSus-
sianizing" the whole nation. The, "Panf
sclayonic' movement has gained enor'
NOUS strength since tho Polish insurrcc-
tion .of 1868. It has now become the
avowed imperial policy to crush out every
language but the Russian, every church
but the Greek, and every vestage Of munI-
ipal laws and customs that are inconsls-
tent with democratic CGsarism. The
struggle between tho autocrat, with his
tanatical sclavcs, on tho ono hand, and
tho spirit and culture Of western civilian
tlon on the other, grows more lively every
year. Tho University Of Dorpat, though
within ono hundred and fifty miles Of st.
Petersburg itself, has always been o pure
" German institution, and has held its
own beside tho foremost centres Of science
in Europe, being, ut least In astronomy
and medicine, almost pre-enlinent among
them. But the government Is using all
It's power 10 destroy this noble school, by
forcing upon It tho Russian language and
Transforming It into an instrument Of lie
own despotism.
By the treaty Of 1909, in which Sweden
ced6d this territory to the Car, It was
provided that the people should forever
enjoy their own language and 70.
lllGton undisturbed. But Sweden, the
only other party to this compact, has
neither the power or a strong motive