The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-12-10
The Crisis IN Austria.

sis. The work of the compromise was
shattered; this is the summary Of the stu
ton, and TO all who have watched the de-
velopment of events there eau be nothing
more disheartening. At first sight there
might be some doubts as to the real authors
of what canno: be described as less than a
calamity. 1t is undoubtedly true that TIE
Bohemian Nationalist, exasperatet by a
long course CT insults to their race, aud
injustice to their country. have shown few
which the crisis required. The warlike
Czechs have hardly concealed their con-
tempt for those "cultured Germans" whose
ancestors came to the University of Prague
for enlightenment and civilization. On the
other hand, however, it becomes impossible
to refrain from acknowledging that the
German Centralists, both by the ferocious
insolence of their supremacy in the past,
and by their recalcitrant and inflexible Oh
stlnacy in the present, are beyond all COM
parison mainly answerable for the existing
Embarrassment.
And after all their triumph, what have
the German centralists achieved Z How
have they advanced any substantial inter-
est of theirs : Do they expect to be able to
reassert a domination against which his
tory has for ever decided3 The thought is
chimerical. The Germans are not a third
of the population of Austria proper-Aus-
trfa within the Leitha as it is catled-and
OoStucS UCiuS low Iucy aic "Iuely QlViUcu.
Broad belts, SO to speak, of Sav national.
ties are interposed= between the German
sections Of the Emf ire. In Bohemia alone,
fully 100000 Germans find themselves
confronted by 3,50O,O0 Czechs. 1t is
simply absurd, under such circumstances.
now that no German Band can be relied on
to force the Teuton yoke on unwilling ma
tions, to dream of ruling the Slav popula-
tions of Austria according to German
ideas. The attitude of the Emperor since
the Resignation of Count 1Lohenwalth has
been a significant indication of the inner
ent weakness of the Centralists for any
purpose loftier than obstruction. Was u
Centralist leader, 4 Giskra, q Hasner, a
Schmerling, or any other ultra German,
summoned to replace the retiring Premier?
There has not apparently been n thought
of the kind. On the contrary, all the po-
litical symptoms lead to tho conclusion
that Francis Joseph is resolved on nothing
SO firmly as to have done with the ultra
Germans. For many days Count Beust
kept his chamber on the ground of a severe
cold, but it was already broadly whispered
in Vienna that the complaint of the Cen
tralst statesman would not have taken so
decided turn but for the convenient ex-
cnse it affords for absence from imperial
deliberations to which Count Beust had
not been invited. SIT is notorious" wrote
the Ailgemeine Zeitung, "that Count Beust's
advice has not been asked by the Emperor,
and that he knows no more of what sort
the next Ministry is to be than the rest of
the public" For q time Count Potocki
was mentioned as likely to resume the du-
ties which Count Hohenwart came to fulfil
in last February; and between Potocki
and Hohenwart there cannot be said to be
any distinction. Such a nomination would
have merely meant that one Federalist.
was to be changed for another. The AN
nouncement contained in the latest tele-
Df tI,a s~k- - II n
lersperg tends to confirm the impression of
the Emperor's reluctance to allow the Cen
tralist fanatics to reap the fruit of their
ill-got victory, for it is stated that the.
members of the new Cabinet are men of
moderate views. And moderation in Aus
tria at the present moment must mean APP
proach to Cancellation. 1t would, indeed,
be hard to suppose the possibility of any
thing else; for if the representatives OF the
National;ties attend the Reichsrath, they
are two thirds of the deputies while if
two-thirds Of the deputies were driven by
studied disregard of their wishes to
adopt policy OF abstention, it would be IL
farce to talk of governing by means of the
remnant of q Reichsrath. But though the
course of events in political circles at
Vienna exhibits this inclination towards
tho maintenance of conciliatory views, it
is unfortunately only too certain that the
fall of the reforming misistry has worked
uASChISi III DOHeIul1. NOC
the ieuss discouraging feature of the situa-
ton is the passionate dislike of which the
Magyars and Count Andrasy are tho OBJ
jects almost in common with the detested
German. "Audla>y has destroyed the
compromise" writes the Pokrok, the organ
of the moderate Czechs "theIe must be
vengeance. The assailants of our liberties
must be made to feel that we can have as
little regard for theirs" The unauimous
refusal of the Bohemian Diet to eject dtpu-
ties to the Rcichsrath is deplorablc proof
of the existing cNasrerntion.
Amid the general distraction, Russia.
which would regard Il powerful and con-
tented Austria as the most inxiaribir OBJ
stacle to INSCRIPTIONS. ambitions looks on
with unconcealel satisfaction at the pro-
gross of troubles from which she expects
TO draw profit in her own good time
During the period when it seemed likely
that Count Hoheuwart's policy would be
crowned with success, the Pans!avist iouI-
nails of Russia were full of affected con-
Germ at the manner in which it was being
endeavored to wean "brother Slavs" from
'their natural attinties." To-day when
that policy has been interrupted, although
it cannot be said to have fallen throuGh