NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Tire Foreign news has most political weight; though perhaps home events most loudly strike the ear.
The political aspect of Northern Europe has greatly changed : the. conference at Warsaw has ended, and some striking results hive already issued. Last week, we saw that Prussia had stepped between the fighting Danes and Germans, and bidden them settle their historical controversy by the negotiations which usually. conclude, instead of precede, the actual business of mutual destruction on the battle-field. In Hesse-Cassel, following up her declarations on the side of constitutional patriotism, she had stood across the body of that small state, had flashed her sword in the face of Austria, and had repeated from the months of her military heralds the written words of -lier diplomatic agents, "We will not suffer the military meastires, of Frankfort to be executed in Hesse-Cassel." Austria seemingly hesitated before so brave a champion ; and Prussian schemes of pelftical aggrandizement appeared to be hastening towards success. The conference at Warsaw served but to aggravate the subserviency of Austria, without exaggerating the power of Russia : indeed, the patronizing attitude of Russia was qualified " insolent," and the voluntary attendance of Prussia was viewed# the result of a loyal regard for the "peace of Europe." The face of the political" situation " is now reversed. Undismayed by the bared "sword of Germany," Austria sent her armies across the frontieri of Hesse-Cassel into the Southern capital of the Electorate ; and, by beginninestablish the authority of the Elector, she is executing the Frankfort mandate which Prussia pledged herself to oppose. To the Stadtholderate at Kiel she despatched her " inhibitorium," as chief of the Confederation, against further hostilities with Denmark; and by holding out the threat of similar acts to those which she has performed in Cassel, she practically revivifies and supports that Frankfort Diet which Prussia continues to ignore and combat with verbal negations. And Prussia, thus flouted, meekly acquiesces. The "coward's blow" marks her very forehead, and yet her sword rises not to vindicate the heroic taa&hens of the house of Hohenzollern. It is not because Bavaria and Wurtemberg will eke with a few score thousands the hundred thousands of Austria's exercised armies that Prussia avoids to fight; nor could the representations from England or France hold down the Prussian army., did the Prussian nation, from which it springs, homogeneously and warmly sympathize with the scattered nationalities still struggling against the league of absolute sovereigns. The weakness of Prussia is explained by the apathy of her people, who have lost all hope of German regeneration from the chameleon policy of Prussian statesmen ; and the powei of Austria is but reflected from the centre of that political system in which she now revolves only as a satellite. It is the Magician of the North who by a single wave of his wand has benumbed the arm of "the military state" of Europe. It is Russia who will hold Austrian lands safe from Prussia in the East, while Austria shall extend Russian influence over distant German statesin the West ; it is Russia who puts aside Erfurt abstractions by rendering Austria the efficient representative of Frankfort formalities ; and it is the " advice " of Nicholas that paralyzes the arm of Prussia, when " representations " from Englaud or France would pass unheeded, and "demonstrations" by Austria would but rouse the national energies. In the chapter about to be opened at the "free conferences "which we shall behold in Dresden, Russia will be the sole arbiter and dictator of the revisions to be vouchsafed in the effete constitution of the German Confederation. Already she has ordained the "exclusion of all representation of the German people," and the including of the
Sdavonie element, which predominates in the portions of Austria not German. In the last point, she almost formally secures the granting of her old claim to representation in the Diet. The last report -from Berlin, that of the death of Count Brandenburg, will probably little affect the development of the policy to which he acceded at Warsaw. The Count was head of his party
more by aristocratic and princely relationship, and feeling, than by intellectual mastery. A vigorous writer in the Daily News sug
gests that Prussia looks, after all, for a territorial gain in compen sation for political disgrace : the journalist forecasts a "division of Germany as the upshot of the "free conferences." Recollect ing Poland, we cannot say that the thing is impossible. Prussia
might doubtless consent to yield Baden to Bavaria or Austria and Holstein to Denmark, if the military strength of the two limes
were made to annex instead of separate her provinces on the Rhine. But at the least, the "free conferences will lead to a new arrangement of the "balance of power" in Europe. Two years
since, if this had come to pass, 3-ohn Bull woald have recalled
how at the last European settlement his voice was powerful and respectable, and he would have claimed and exercised his fair share of present influence : now, though his power is still unquestioned,
his pretensions wouldprofoke a diplomatic sneer. He may have the consolation of seeing his claim set forth in most spirited de
spatches, but that must suffice ; he may "have his say," but with that he must be content : if in the end he find that others have got all the glory and gain, he at least has seen the "peace of Europe " kept, and for once he has not had to pay the cost. No less excluded than ourselves from the important councils of Europe is the Government of the French people, and it is one of the notable facts of the day that a great European war has seemed imminent and the French people been neither in the turmoil nor anxious to enter it. They are prospering by peaceable industry ;
and the fruits of prosperity have been so long denied them, that,
in the pleasure of their first acquisition, they are deaf to the shout of preparation for war. They equally disregard the personal squab bles and intrigues of those who profess to rule them. The clamour about General Changarnier and the President—now silenced—has raged almost solely in the journals of the Parliamentary parties : the citizens paid little regard to it, and the populace scarcely heard of it. The newly-elected Spanish Cortes assembles in a temper of docile Moderatism. Queen Isabella alludes courteously to Great Britain and the restored relations of the two countries ; and a "definite settlement" of our debt is promised for the hundredth time. America is in continuous ferment about the Fugitive Slave Act, and parties in the States are further crystallizing round this new centre of organization. At the Cape of Good Hope, Sir Harry Smith has received the Queen's patent for embodying a local elective Parliament, whioh with him, and under control of Colonial Office consent, shall make laws for the government of that settlement.
