New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-30
THE S1LZBURG CONFERENCE.

|
able interview between two Emperors. SadOwa
was year old. The new supremacy of Prus-
sa in Europe was not yet so absolute as to
create panic in France, but was still evident
enough to fill the Court Of the Tuileries with
| a very serious anxiety, and a certain resent
ment. The Empire was at its apogee. There
were some atrabilious critics, some cOnceited
Republicans, who said it was worm-eaten,
| and predicted its early fall. But the world
treated these predictions with contempt, and
| thought no more of the facts brought for
ward to sustain them than of that pretended
horoscope which was passing from hand to
hand, by which the dates of the birth and
accession of the Emperor arranged in
certain manner footed up the sum of 1870
precisely as the same dates in the life of
Louis Philippe and his Queen arranged in the
same way came to 1913. The writings Of
clear-sighted publicists, of independent
soldiers, of conscientious dplomatists, who
saw that all was not well and uttered notes
of warning were regarded as no less absurd
than the prophecies of Nostradamus and
Madame LcnOrmand In spite of Mexico,
of Gastein and K0nlggratz, of Villafranca,
and dozen other failures of imperial
| policy, there was still good deal
of prestige about the Emperor Bona
| parte that summer when he came
to Salzburg, the guest Of Austria.
Francis Joseph was reported to be
| very anxious for the immediate conclusion of
a treaty of alliance with the master of the
spider-webs of intrigue and the thunderbolts
of war. He was still sore, and his people
l. &c tbn
year before. There was an indefinite desire
| for vengeance against Prussia, unconnected
| with any distinct question of policy. In fact,
| the results of the war were accepted as inev-
table. Nenctia could never be restored to
Austria, nor could Germany be prevented
from federating under the hegemony of Ber-
lin. But in spite of this evident aspect OF
affairs, there was feeling of uneasy revolt
against the situation among the Austrlans
which made the prospect of a French alliance
very popular. Few people then imagined that
such an alliance could be anything but omnip-
otent in European war.
The conference was marked by the greatest
eordiality. The f6tes and excursions were
brilliant and imposing. Every outward demon
stration of cordiality and perfect understand
ing was exchanged between the two sove-
reigns; and to mark the occasion as one of
the highest significance, Prince Metternch,
who had arranged the visit, was invested with
the Collar of the Golden Fleece. But Austria
owes it to the prudent reserve of Count Won
Bcust that the Emperors separated as they
had come together. There were no
committals which should compel either
power to join in the adventures
:, ;l,lo hot
then the sagacious Saxon fOresaw the crash
which was one day to come between France
and Prussia. and preferred to have his SOW
ereign's hands free in that event. There Is
as little doubt that Louis Napoleon was then
brooding bis plan of attack, and would have
liked well enough an assurance of a diversion
from Silesa when he moved forward to the
Rhine. Yet France seemed then so strong
and Austria so weak. that most superficial OBJ
servers thought it a mistake for the Imperial
Royal Cabinet to have neglected that Oppor-
tunity for this powerful protection.
The reserve of that interview and the con-
scquent immunity of Austria in the recent
great war have opened the way to the confer
ence which is promised for next week. The
ancient capital of the Prince Bishops of Salz
burg is again to witness the meeting of
exchanged hasty bus kindly greetings at the
little mountain retreat of Ischl. 1t is reported
that at this first interview the foundation OF
the friendly understanding was laid, which
the Ministers of the two sOvereigns have since
been celebrating in detail and will sub
nit for final approval and ratification
during the visit at Salzburg. This was
originally intended TO be done at Gastein,
but the prelmnaries have occupied
more time than was expected, and the Kaiser
Wilhelm has been allowed to comfort his
rheumatism at the renowned electric baths,
undisturbed by politics. The interval has
been well employed by assuring the adhesion
OF Italy to the proposed alliance, and this fact
lends additional probability TO the suggestion
we made some time ago that it was the inten-
ton of the two German Empires to adopt some
uniformity of attitude upon the question of
the relations between the Church and the
State. 1t is probably the prospect of being
forever guaranteed against any Intervention
of France which ight, in the interest of the
Pope, endanger her newly acquired unity and
capital, which has induced the government of
Victor Emanuel to enter this German league.
There are several subjects of the deepest
interest to occupy the attention of Bismarck
and his ancient enemy, Beust, in these first
moments of good understanding. The mere
enumeration of them would occupy too much
of our space. First, as demanding immediate
treatment, is the question of the repudiated
! bonds of Roumania, upon which it is desra-
! bic TO obtain 50 strong combination of Eu-
ropean powers IA will impose upon the Gov
eminent of the Sultan; then the question of
Galicia and its cognate question of the Baltic
| provinces; tho Pan-slavic agitation I'm Austria