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    Untitled Article

    THE NEW AUSTRIAN CONSTITUTION . T HE Emperor Francis Joseph has at last been brought to confess that his vast dominions can no longer be governed upon the principles of an ignorant Oriental despotism * The confession is worth something , although it may be made in a spirit of fear , and for a purpose of deception . Coming at the time of the Warsaw interview , it has the appearance of an approximation to Prussia , and of conciliation towards the liberals of Germany , but if would be quite in accordance with Imperial duplicity if assurances were at the same time given to " Russia that the Hapsburg Court was far from intending to carry its provisions into effect . But whatever the ignorant , vicious * and deceitful young Kaiser may mean , he has done a o-ood service , and performed one more act that will tend to

    break up that Austrian system which Metternich felt could ¦ not . long survive his decease , by decreeing that henceforth legislative power shall only be exercised with the co-operation of the Provincial Diets as well as of the Reichsrath , and by suppressing the Ministries of Justice , Culture , and Interior , as universal central authorities , " some opportunity must be given , however small , for that independent local action which brings out able men , accustoms them to work together , and teaches the public upon whom they can rely . In Hungary the constitution is to be partially restored , and the Hungarian iano-uage introduced in all official transactions , and the University of Pesth is to be re-opened . The Reichsrath is to be increased to 100 , part of whom are to be elected by the Local Diets , and thus , all over Austria , assemblies will be constituted whose duty it will be to discuss public affairs .

    It must be expected that when the details of these measures are icnown , much will appear that is intended to pervert and obstruct the legitimate action of constitutional arrangements , but , at the worst , a great step has been made , and if Fkancis Joseph acts with the hereditary duplicity of his house , and with the perfidy peculiar to himself , he will be all the sooner checkmated , through the changes which his necessities have compelled him to introduce . The statements with regard to Hungary intimate a desire to separate her interests from those of Transylvania and Croatia , which is contrary to the fundamental laws of that kingdom , and against the wishes of the people . He will see in it only an application of the old motto , divide im et peva . with the loss of their

    Nor can the Hungarians be satisfied ancient rights to control their own taxation and , the management of the army . But , whatever defect the scheme may have , the first inquiry will be whether it is honest as far as it goes . Unfortunately , the Austrians have no guarantee for the good faith of their Emperor . If they look to the past , they find deliberate perjury and malignant treachery ; and if they survey the present , they see an unusual energy in military departments , the rapid transit of troops to Italy , the appointment of General Benedeic to the chief command , ^ and many other symptoms that war with Sardinia may be uppermost in their Sovereign ' s mind . It is absurd to represent these movements as merely defensive . There is no prospect that Victor Emmanuel will

    hazard a conflict for Venetia , if he can help it , durin g the present year . Gakibauh is too wise a leader to provoke a war with Austria until the Italians have done something towards the consolidation of the territpries they have already wrenched from their oppressors' hands . . Under these circumstances , it crosses every one ' s mind that the Constitutional scheme ismerely intended to obtain some internal peace while waging external war ; and this impression is not diminished by any assurances to a contrary effect . Even towards ourselves Fiiancis Joseph and his chief ministers were guilty of deliberate falsc « hood in their repeated denials of the patent fact that they wore sending soldiers to Ancona , and we should as soon think of believing a swindler ' s profession of honesty as of putting faith in any statements upon the authority of the Vienna Court .

    If the Emperor calls his Diets together before ho coiumonoes another Italian way , they will bo tolerably certain to oppose it . If ho goes to war first , and invites their support afterwards , they will bo oxtromely silly to give it ; but under no circumstancos oun they doom themselves secure against a violent overthrow so long as an onormous army is at the Emperor ' s command . The salo of Voiiotia and the Quadrilateral and the roduction of tlio army to a small peace footing , are the only guarantees whioli any rational subject of Austria would doom sufficient ; and it remains to bo soon Avhothor these can be obtained .

    It must novor be forgotton , that tho grautmg or promising this Constitution is a measure of fear and neoossity , which has been ungraciously delayed as long as possible , in tlio honpi tlin . * .. noanvcVvncr * n Mr . Mm aw nun ' s oxrjGafcation . "

    something would turn up . " So great is the scarcity of metallic coin in Austria-, and so intense . the distrust of the people , that whenever anyone is lucky enough to obtain a piece of money ¦ which had a real value , he hides it with jealous care ; At railway stations it is common for the . clerks to refuse to give ¦ any -change that cannot be effected in paper currency : and in the transactions of daily life there is the greatest difficulty in making any payments that do not absorb a half florin note . Not only are the people suffering intensely by this condition ¦ of impecuniosity , but the civil officials , the army , and the police , are all discontented , as . no one can live upon his pay , and everybody knows that the paper nominally worth a to

    pound to-day , may not be worth n farthing -morrow . Austria is , in fact ,- a beggarly bankrupt despotism , unable to borrow another sixpence in support of her evil system , but still squandering all her revenues upon her army , and turning towards Constitutionalism , as a man in the last stage of disease sends for any doctor reputed . to make wonderful cures . Whether Francis Joseph will be satisfied with his physicians , or clandestinely seek to emancipate himself from their control , remains , to be seen ' . Humanity can , however , take , comfort in ' the consideration that the . young man . and his system hav . e proved complete failures , and when the historian narrates the events of his reign , he -will not omit to mention that he-was very useful in bringing an hereditary , despotism to ruin and contempt .

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    ENGLAND AND HUNGARY . ^ P HE English people have a right to demand from Lord - * - John Russem . an explicit statement of the principles of his foreign policy . If he still maintains , in the spirit of his recent dispatch , that the cause-of Austria m Venctia is a just One , and still denounces the intention of the King ot Sardinia , to effect its liberation , he is acting m flagrant opposition to the almost universal convictions of the people . He may represent the views of the oligarchy , but his policy would be repudiated in every town . This should be clearly explained without delay , as although the Crown has a nominal right to seeresy and mystification m these matters , while no Parliament is sitting , its exercise amounts to a very dangerous and reprehensible violation of Constitutional principles . Looking , also , to the evident preparations on the part of Austria for anew war with Sardinia , we have a right to ask what" * views Lord John Russets entertains towards Hungary , and the application to that country of tlio doctrine of non-intervention . It is well known in London political circles that the 'Whigs arc strong opponents of the separation of Hungary from Austria , and it is believed on the Continent that Lord John Russell would consent to ^ a

    Russian and German intervention to prevent a rising m Hungary , if Sardinia and Austria should be again at war . m Upon the non-intervention principle , England should insist upon Germany and Russia leaving- Hungary alone ; while Victor Emmanuel , if at war with Fuancis . Joseph , ought not to be precluded from sending the . Hungarians aid , and thus effecting an invaluable diversion in favour of the Italian cause , renews the fears that exist lest France should take advantage of a new war to obtain possession of the Island ot Sardinia ! which would give her the . command of Genoa , iiut the worst way to prevent this , is to become the enemy pt Italy and Hungary , and the ally of the infamous Court of Vwnna ; thus committing a very grave international crime for tho sake of loded theory of the balance of power . .

    an exp It is a misfortune that England is ruled by a few old gentlemen , who are always striving to apply . the principles , current among cabinets in the clays of their youth . The interests of Europe are perfectly coincident with that natural process by which tho Austrian empire is breaking up , and this can only become dangerous through obstinate rofuenIs to recognise the rights of nations as superior to tho convenience of ^ ^ > of particular theories of balanced power . If Mi . Mi . Nfctt GmsoN , or Mr . Gladstone , remain members of the cabinet , which in I 860 or 18 C 1 repeats Lord Pamibh « tok s conduct ul claim to public

    to Hungary in 1858-0 . they will forfeit confidence and support '; nn < l although ho only occupies n subordinate position in the G overnment , Mr . Cm akmcsGiu in a bound-to leave it and denounce it . If Lord John J . 3 hm nets in the spirit of his last unfortunate despatch , wo ahoi ' ^ ° Uo a society formed for the purpose ° ^ ntclnngth ^ bringing'the pressure of public opinion *» m . Pon ™ cBU Tho wrong sic e . which we fear tho Govcmmoat a talcng , ^ b not omy § c criminal side but ; that ^ mo . ^ ^ ™^ Z n a ' war with France . There should uo iJ """ » » d x n in this matter , as there ii strong reason for d . sliwt and alum .

    Untitled Article

    Oct . 27 I 860 ] TJie Saturday Analyst and Leader . 891

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 27, 1860, page 891, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2371/page/3/