The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-10-19
The European Concert.

Tho doctrine of q balance Of power in
europe was exploded many years since.
The European concert has taken its
place. Both may in some measure agree
in origin and oil. cctS thDy 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. 1t re-
sembles the effect produced by the In
trusion of an explorer into cavern ten
anted by bats and other night birds, or
by the approach of boat within gum
shot OF u rocky haunt of sea-fowl. There
may have been silence solemn and pro-
found the instant before. In moment
the air rings and vibratcs with hundreds
on thousands Of screams. At the Eu-
lOpean concert the performers are fixed
- their posts. They are mute, or if
they touch their instruments the
result is as faint ~ whisper.
But they are always ready to burst
into II tumult of sound. They are
waiting only for some one to stir,
though it be but q member of their own
company reused by q disturbing dream.
Nobody hears of the concert of Eu-
rope unless when the whole tiook of
States has been aW akcncd to full diScord.
The tuning of the instruments occupies
so large Il 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 instance
single State which does not find cause
for mortal anxiety in the designs, real
or supposed, OF its ncighhors. Russia,
besides her domestic cares, can not dis
Srmb." that she breads Germany, cnvies
England, ard is jealous of Austria.
Austria rcripr0cat"S the sentiment of
Russia, and has until lately boon mis-
truStful of Italy. Italy looks asllnnce mt
France, aud is alarmed that in any pos
siblc territorial scramble she may fail to
obtain her legitimate share. French
nggrcS,onS in TuniS diSmaycd her. She
is prepared TO fall into q panic at imag-
mary British encroHchmrntS on the Nile.
Spain regards the North African coast
as lying within her traditional province.
She has recently discovered that as
Mediterranean Power she is hound to be
scared by the Chastisement of Arab mu-
tlneerS. France is conscious of an Obli-
CATION to convince herself of her strength
by its use, while resolved to reserve her
acluai forces for future and dsslmilar
contingencies. She wishes that nothing
should be settled without her, and moth
ing be done by her. Holland and Bel
gum and Denmark are not free from
their own grounds Of apprchcnsions OF
clAngc3 outside which may affect them
| New States like Greece and R0umania
and Scrvia and Bulgaria are 1T the stage
OF national life when the demarc9tion of
patriotism and sclishncS - is ilnperccpti-
bic. Turkey knows that she is look ed
upon by the entire Continent as q car
caSs doomed to be CIT up; she harbors,
nevertheless, the grandeSt projects of
rctrleval and eXIltation. Since the Ber-
lin Congress this has been the relation
OF Europe in its several parts; yet Eu-
rope las managed to survive. There
have oeen continual crcaking and groan-
!nH. AT TWO or thrc' periods 4 spaSm
mas travcrsod the maSS which it was
manlfes!ly 100 dangerous not to cndeav-
or to tranIullize. Every commencing
cffOlt at paciIicAtion has on each occn-
sion been followed by an outbreak of
dlScordS which have affrightcd the world
rs if beginning Of dissolution They
are the regular mode in which Eu-
ropcan concert starts. After n little
more experience mankind will refuse 70
be frcttcd excessively by sucl symptoms.
Ihey are tribute 10 the v;%nr of the
themc which finally dominates and har-
monies the whole. LON,iOn TufA