The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-10-18
The European Concert.

The doctrine of a balance of power in
Europe was exploded many years since.
The European concert has taken its
place. Both may in sonic measure agree
in origin and objects they operate by
different procedure and amid different
circumstances. The balance of power
was positive, and worked by positive
means. Nations combined actively to
put down the attempt Of another to over
step its boundaries. Concerts are OF
various kind. The European concert is
of very peculiar sort indeed. It re-
sembles the effect produced by the In
trusion OF an explorer into cavern ten-
antea ~ hafe md other night birds, or
by the approach OF 8 boat within gun
shot of rocky haunt of sea-fowi. There
may have been silence solemn and pro-
found the instant before. In q moment
the air rings and vibrates with hundreds
and thousands of screams. At the Eu-
ropean concert the performers are fixed
at their posts. They are mute, or If
result is as faint as a whisper.
But they are always ready to burst
into a tumult of sound. They are
though it be but member of their own
Nobody hears of the concert of Eu-
rope unless when the whole flook of
| States has been awakened to full discord.
The tuning of the instruments occupies
so large a space in the performance that
| the harmony, if or when it is reached, /,
scarcely seems to have furnished the
occasion for calling the audience togeth-
er. At the present time and for long
time past it is hardly possible to oinstance
single State which does not find cause
| for mortal anxiety in the designs, real
or supposed. of its neighbors. Russia,
| besides her domestic cares. can not dis
| semble that she breads Germany, enyies
! England, and is jealous of Austria.
| Austria reciprocates the sentiment OF
Russia, and has until lately been mis-
trustful of Italy. Italy looks askance al
France, and is alarmed that in any pos
sible territorial scramble she may fail to
obtain her legitimate share. French
aggressions In Tnnis dismayeG her. She
| is prepared TO fall into panic at imag-
mary British encroachments on the Nile
Spain regards the North African coast
as lying within her traditional province
She has recently discovered that as a
Mediterranean Power she is bound to be
scared by the chastisement of Arab mu-
| tineers. France is conscious of an obi.
! CATION to convince herself of her strength
| BY its use, while resolved to reserve her
actual forces for future and disslmiial
contingencies She wishes that nothing
| should be settled without her, and moth
ing be done by her. Holland and Bel
! Qium and Denmark are not free from
Their own grounds of zppFe1ezz E1nss d
changes outside which may affect them.
New States like Greece aud Roumania
and Seryia and Bulgaria are at the stage
of national life when the demarcation OF
| patriotism and selfishne IS is impercepti
bic. Turkey knows that she is looked
| upon by the entire Continent as car
cass doomed to be cat up; she harbors,
nevertheless. the grandest projects OF
/ retrieval and exaltation. Since the Ber-
| lin Congress this has been the relation
of Europe in its several parts; yet Eu.
| rope has managed to survive. There
have been continual creaking and groan
| ing. AT Two or three periods spasn
| has traversed the mass which it was
| manifestly too dangerous not to endeav
or to tranGuillize. Every commencing
effort at pacification has on each occa
| sion been followed by an outbreak o.
| discords which have affrighted the worlG
as if beginning of dissolution. They
are the regular mode in which Eu
ropean concert starts. After little
more experience mankind will refuse to
be fretted excessively by such symptoms
They are a tribute to the vigor of tht
theme which finally dominates and har
monies the whole.-Lo,sdon Truth.