The Russellville Democrat., 1877-06-28
AustrIa's Hazard in the Eastern War.

| The empire over WHICH rA0ClS J J0S6ptl l reigns is made of parts so diverse, and
 even incongruous, that every European csnvulsion assails the stability of his throne. Four distinct and antagonistic
 races are included within his dominions In population of about 35 5,O00, ,O0o, there are 20, 900, ,000 of Sclaves, 5000, ,O00 of Germans, 6,000,000 of Hungarian
 Magyars, and 100000 or 5,O00,000 of Roumanians. The Sclaves are, moreover, to be divided into the Czacs, who occupy
 Bohemia and Moravia, and the Croats and DaImatians, who live on the confines of Sclavic Turkey. The mutual jeal- ousies of these races, their struggles for pradominance at Vienna, their widely separated sympathies, have made the problem of government a peculiarly difficult one to Austrian rulers and statesmen. Up to 1866, they were managed by the severe and simple pro- cesses of despotism. The defeat at Sa- dowa chastened AustriaI into constitu- tionalism and under the protection of the Lew system, each race has raised its cry, has claimed for precedence and privilege, and has rendered the possi- bility of an harmonious and united em- pire more difficult than ever.
 In presence of any European war, Austria's position must be a painful one; in presence of war between Russia and Turkey, the obtrusive and ostensible cause of which is the maltreatment of Sclavic provinces, and the emancipation and independence of Sclavic peoples, her perplexity reaches an alarming extent. Hungary, that large kingdom lying on the frontiers of Roumania, is especially jealous of the Sclaves, and of the pros spective increase of Sclavic power and influence, both inside and without the limits of the Austrian empire and Hun- gary, since 1866, has grown to be the most exacting as well as potent of the Austrian states. Andrassy, who was Hungarian rebel in 1S48, upon whose head a price was set, is chancellor of the Aus trian empire; and the empire can least of all afford to ignore Hungarian serti- ment. One of it's chief dangers is, then, lest the victorious Russians, having freed Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Bull garia from Turkislpmisrule, should erect these provinces into self-governing states on it's very borders. This step would prove d OOuUlC Cdiduiby tO <Auctild. lV would stir the fierce Hungarian hostility to the Sclaves to it's depths; and it would make the Creates and Dalmatians restless and impatient to separate from the empire and join their brother Sclaves in federal government. Or, 1T Austria, at last deciding upon war, should incor- porate Servia and Bosnia in her own dominions, it would give the Sclaves such predominance as to arouse a gene ral revolt in Hungary.
 There is another threat directed against Austria, another interest of hers imperiled by the present conflict. The Danube is the vital artery of her com merce with it's waters flow the life blood of her business prosperity. Russia is her hereditary enemy; and Russia's most solemn promises can not be trusted. Two centuries of diplomatic falsehood have robbed Russia of credibility. If Russia triumphs, she will command the mouths of the Danube, as the rebels did the mouth of the Mississippi before Far ragut took New Orleans and Grant Vicksburg. If that happens, and she chooses, she may we'll nigh ruin Aus trian trade. She may promise the free navigation of the Danube; but once in poss ssion she may hold it with as grim grip as she has always held anything of which she has once got hold. It may be that the great powers, who are all more or less interested in the freedom of the Danube, will compel her to loose her grip; but of this Austria can not be sure, no more than she can be sure that Russia's pledges will be redeemed. In her present condition, with her divided and restless races, her financial difficult ties, her slow success with the experi> ment of constitutional government; with her distrust and fear of Germany, her want of trustworthy allies, her army being disused to conflict, and her resour- ces checked by the war as it is, it is a very solemn problem with her whether or not to go to war the alternative having its great and grave perils, and threaten ing the very existence of the empire.- @, M Towie, in Literary Tube.