The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-22
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS.

EUROPEAN AFFAIRS.
The Lordon Spectator has lately been sur
veying with anxious eyes the aspect of affairs
in Europe, and utters melancholy forebodings
of the future of that Continent Its view Of
the situation may be summarized in two
words-dullness and disquiet. From every
country except Great Britain, says this jour
nalistic Cassandra, there comes up a sort Of
groan of melancholy and alarm.
The emancipation of the serfs in Russia,
and the so-called administrative reforms of
Alexander II have done very little good to
the Empire, if it be true, as asserted by Mr..
Koscheloff and the diplomatic Schuyler, that
society is utterly disorganized, that the aris-
tocracy have been superseded, as regards
the peasants, by official superintendent who
are more tyrannical than themselves that the
peasantry are discontinued and unwill-
ing to use their new powers of SELF
government, that the officials are slip
ping back to the old regime of
repression, and that all, especially the young,
"are oppressed by feeling of deep, unquali-
fed despair" There are doubts among the
statesmen as to the safety of society; in the
army as to its efficacy; in the people as to
their prospects; in the Emperor as to the re-
suits of his reforms The social disturbance
in Russia is marked by an inclination to
threaten the rich and to commit violent crime;
the finances are believed to be in grave disor-
der; the army, in spite of desperate
efforts, is not fully reorganized; and,
as Mr.. Schuyler's report has recently
shown, the Asiatic provinces are
honeycombed with discomfort and
infested by corruption with which the Gear,
however willing, is unable to contend. There
is q sense Of failure and Of trouble to come
in the air. In Germany-so recently elevated
to the top of the world-all classes, except,
perhaps, the great military officers, are ill at
ease. The statesmen fear that too much rests
upon Bismarck's single life. The professors
and the people fear that Germany may yet be
attacked by coalition, and support meas
ures under which liberty of discussion
seems coming to an end, criticism on
Prince Bismarck being treated as heinous
crime, and even members of Parliament be-
ing punished for expressing their opinions.
All classes are oppressed by the iron rigidity
with which military service is demanded, and
all suffer under that rise in prices consequent
on the spoliation of France. A thinly-veiled
religious war is raging in half the provinces of
the Empire. Thirteen millions one-third of
the people are mortified by attacks upon their
creed, sanctioned with exultation by another
two-thirds. Germany, therefore, is not con-
tent.
In Denmark semi-political, semi-social
war is raging between the proprietors and the
peasantry, in which the dynasty itself is
menaced. In Scandinavia the upper classes,
who now fear Germany as much as they ever
dreaded Russia, have not yet been able to re-
organize the army they consider essential to
their freedom. In Austria the doubtful ex-
pertinent of dual empire is about to be re-
vised, there is universal suffering under a |
financial crisis, and growing impression that |
the safety of the State is menaced by pecuni- |
airy corruption. The army is constantly being |
remodeled, yet its leaders never seem conf
dent in its strength. In Turkey bankruptcy |
is rapidly coming on, the conflict between |
the empire and the vassal princes grows daily |
sharper, and no where is that feeling of |
despair, Of which Mr.. Koscheloff speaks, SO |
predominant as among the upper classes of |
Turkey.
In France the whole energies of q great |
people are taxed to bear new military bur-
dens, and to pay tor the expenses of lost |
war, while the opinion that another equally
dreadful one is at hand weighs upon all
minds. Society is shaken by alternate fears
Of the advent of Communism or Imperialism,
and waits uneasily for doubtful future The
condition Of Spain is that of country where
political life is nearly extinct, where rebel
ion not involving one-tenth part of the popu-
nlation cannot be crushed, where the treasury
cannot be filled, and where the most patriotic
spaniards feel compelled to 60 into voluntary
exile. Belgium is torn by religious strife and
threatened by Germany, while the Irish prob
EN- is still impending like black cloud over
Great Britain, and the newly created King
lom of Italy has not yet been able to put
lown the organized brgands who roam over
he Island Of Sicily.
The above picture is not q rose-colored
ne, and our London confrere may view mat
ers and things in general with jaundiced
we; but certain it is that the present condi-
ion Of Europe, with millions of men
Inverted from the peaceful pursuits of agri-
ulture and industry to engage in the un-
'rofitable occupation of soldering is neither '
promising for the future. nor in any degree
satisfactory or reassuring for the present.
The worst blow received by Tilton since he
7as deserted BY magazine, is that Just adj
by George Alfred Townsend.
ieorge Alfred calls him ga vain giraffe, gra-
inc on the ineffable"