If France is menaced with internal disorder, it is the
cause of commotion in every surrounding. country. X. Latuartine'e eloquent but not unambiguous circular .to the diplomatic agents of France, has raised doubts of hostility that it was meant to prevent : " qui s'excuse, s'accuse." All neighbouring Europe is shaken. Germany rings with the rising voices of her peoples, and the jangle of preparing arms. The Ex-King of the French, anxious for the sufferance of his brother Monarchs, had waived the old claim to the Rhenish provinces; but he is gone, and the Kings who oecupx that region in portions remember with alarm that the Franke have not forgotten their aboriginal Salle lands. But living na- tionality is stronger than traditional ancestry, and from Holland to Bavaria the people of the provinces on the left bank of the river proclaim their determination not to be absorbed by France: This Anti-Gallican spirit appears to be really national. On the other hand, the people, animated by the example of the French„ turn round upon their rulers, and declare that if they resist the invader, they must be paid in the concession of more popular in- stitutions. Nassau hurries concessions ; Baden resounds with popular demands ; so do, Meese Darmstadt, Hesse Cassel, -Bavaria, Wurtemberg ; the outlying province, which Prussia so strangely shared with the Swiss Confederation, Neuf- chatel, has proclaimed itself an independent republic ; and the Rhenish provinces of the same kingdom, before known. for their sturdy demands, are not likely to lower their tone. This movement towards free institutions is of a stricply Popular kind, and counter to the sectional interest of Royalty: The defensive armament of the Rings appears to he directed not,
only against foreign invasion, but also against internal disorder ; and, according to reports, some kind of "swopping" is to take place—Prussia to lend Bavaria troops, Bavaria to help Austria, Austria to keep down Italy, and so forth.
Austria, implicated in the intricate conflict of interests in the Germanic states, occupies a position quite peculiar, from being also entangled with the fermenting politics of Italy ; and here she meets with other antagonists. Her Italian provinces are in the most alarming condition : it is reported that even Austrian officers in the army have been " fraternizing " with officers in the Italian regiments; and at Milan; under martial law, the son of the Viceroy Archduke has been placed under arrest—he is related by mairiage-to the King of Sardinia. Touching the relations with France, King Charles Albert is said to have declared that he would do whatever England did ; which would imply a very close adhesion to English policy, and a corresponding closeness of sympathy and alliance. King Ferdinand is again bombarding his faithful subjects in Sicily, and scandalizing Lord John Rus- sell's father-in-law, who had too charitably answered for the
good faith of a Neapolitan Bourbon. . In Spain, the never-settled Government of Narvaez is taking extraordinary powers to keep down revolutionary movements. Northward again Belgium continues to be technically" tran- quil -
quil " but, while again, Anti-Gallican spirit of independence will make her aid any policy which would prevent France from en- closing her, as it would do by the assumption of the Rhenish boundary, the Liberal movement stimulates the activity of Government in making conciliatory advances. In all these countries, every Government has some combina- tion of dangers, internal and external, to deal with ; revolt and invasion are dreaded by every section of Europe. Austria is pur- sued by the demands of its several states like a debtor by his creditors. Prussia can hardly put up with the summary inde- pendence of Neufchatel, cannot abandon Austria will not leave the Rhine undefended, dares not oppose a feeble front towards her too close ally Russia, and, without all these demands on her attention, would have quite enough to do in negotiating peaceful reforms at home. Bavaria is distracted by a like multiplicity of claims,—while Lola Montez is still running in the poor King's head. So it is all round.
England is likely to have many complimentary invitations and petitions for her patronage. But she has done enough. No more subsidies to support Legitimacy. Opinions have altered here since Waterloo : England will abstain from war ; and if she did interfere, it would not again be on the side of the so-called Holy Alliance. That state must be very manifestly and purely in the right, and in very hard straits, that can overcome the aversion to war which now possesses the English people and re- strains the English Government. Short of that case, it will be enough for her to defend her own peaceful rights,. and toi lend the moral support of her approval to the nations who ar4helping themselves.
