New-York tribune., 1883-03-18
4 CENTURY or DIPLOMACY.

A retrospect Of Prince GortsChakOfTs career
reveals striking changes of character in th
liplomacy Of tie century. Born during the
interval between Napolcons Italian campaigns
and the conquest Of Egypt, he witnessed in his
youth the final triumph Of the coalitions against
France and attended the closing sessions Of the
Congress of Vienna. His diplomatic appren-
tceship was served during the forty years OF
peace Intervening between Waterloo and Sc
bustopol Tie greatest individual force during
TINT period was Mcttcrnich's will As the mas
ter-desiguer of the European State system,
which was reconstructed after the NapOl-onc
wars the Austrian statesman held unique
POSITION on the Continent. Having presided
over the historic council which had revised the
public law of Europe, he made it the supreme
business of his career TO interpret and enforce
that law. Tie order Of public life having been
established. he regarded every departure from
il, in respect 10 dynasty frontier, constitution.
institutions and modes of administration, as "A
breach of European faith. What he aimed TO
do was to keep not only Austria but the whole
Continent precisely as il had been left IN 1918.
The State papers recently published IN his Me-
moirs show how sternly be set his face against
innovations and disturbing tendencies in every
quarter. The terminating idea Of his policy
was expressed in his Emperor's political tcsta-
Inent to the present sovereign; "Govern and
hange nothing" In order to govern without
change, lie would do as little as possible, and
never anything that was new. Activity must
be repIessed at home and abroad by an orderly
and mechanical system There must be stagna-
ton, COMB essiOn and uniformity every where.
HIS god was System. Reverence for that god
implied red tape. routine, DactiOn and absOlut-
ism in domestic administration, and IN Cont
mental diplomacy Il rigid adherence to the poll
icy Of mastery inactivity.
For forty years there was paralysis Of the
real functions Of government, n deadcnlng OF
the natural impulses of nations Diplomacy
had two set phrases the maintenance of the
balance Of power" and the equilibrium of dy
nastic forces" 1t was diplomacy Of trivial
chatter and sterile inaction, and n statesman of
original genius, as Gortschakoll undoubtedly
was, must often have rebelled against it. When
the Crmea had brought the long peace TO Il
close and be was appointed Ncsselrodc's sue
cessor after the Treaty of Paris had been signed,
he lost no time in separating himself from the
contemptuous sentence, "AustIa is not n Ma
ton, but only Government" he gave express
sion TO Russian resentment toward an ally that
was accounted trcatherOus, cOwardly and un-
grateful and his own scOrn Of policy of sys-
tematic inactiOn in foreign complications; aud
i'm the enigmatic phrase, Russia does not sulk-
she collects herself" hc created the impression
throughout Europe that man of action had
arisen. That this impression was well founded
is proved by his diplomatic memorandum sub
mtted to the Car in 1864, and Published a
year ago in Germany. In that secret memoir he
outlined policy by which Russian prestige
was 10 be restored in Europe and Austrian du-
piicity punished. Use was to be made of ltal-
ian unity, OF the French alliance, und of Ger
man dounion, in humilIatns Austria, and by n
Panslavic league under Russian primacy Turk
lsh authority was to bo gradually undermined
in the Balkan peninsula. 1t was n programme
Of action and aggression, involving startling
changes and ccaseless disturbance in the Eu-
IOpean State System. The Russian Chancellor
adhered to it rigidy Throughout his career at
the Foreign Office
Meanwhile, new circle Of diplomatists had
arisen who would not sacrifice TO Meternicl's
idols. There was crowned intriguer who
bad entered upon the Italian campaign under
a contract whereby France was to be paid in
territory for its military services There was "a
statesman in Berlin who had learned mt Frank"
fort to despise those solemn prgs, the Austrian
diplomats, trained in school of routine, re-
straint and naction. Events moved fast The
wellwOrn tradition Of the balance Of power
was speedily forgotten. European obligations
were renOunced. Tho remonstrances of the
courts against Russian cruelty in Poland were
rendered harmless by Bismarck. Gortschakofl
looked on while two great States invaded help
less Denmark in defiance of European treaty.
The two treaty breakers quarrellng over the
spoils, Austria lost her last province in Italy
and the leadership of tie German states, and