THE EUROPEAN QUESTION : WAR.

The Italian question haS suddenly expa=nded to propertienti'iniolVing nearly the whole of Europe, and events have succeeded each'other so swiftly, and have become so intermixed that we shall best consult-the interest of our readers by describing as nearly as possible the facts in a collective shape.

The report that the- AuStrian ultiniatum had been presented at Turin preceded by three days the accomplishment of that act. On the 79t11 April, the day after our Minister-sled made.their statements in the Bri- tish Parliament, the Austrian Government indicted the summons to Piedmont and Count Buol signed it. In'this document Count Buol re- minded Count Cavour hal AuStria had acceded to the proposal to as= semble a Congress, and went on to state that as pacific deliberations would have no chance of success . amid the dash Of arms, Atstrin had proposed that the Sardinian army should be placed on a peace footing and that the free corps should be disbanded. England supported this proposal, but Sardinia refused to adopt it, This caused a feeling of regret in the-Court of Vienna. Had the proposal been accepted Austria would have removed the troops stationed, without any intention of attacking Sardinia, in Lombardo-Venetia. Thns. disappointed the Emperor of Austria determined tq make a last _effort.; and, therefore, he requested the Government of Sardinia to say " yes" or "no," whether-it would phi& its army on a peace footing and, disband the Italian volunteers. The bearer of the note would wait three days for an answer; if it were negative or evasive, then "to his great. regret" his 'Majesty "will be

obliged to have recourse to force of arms." .

Before this note could be presented its contents became known. Eng- land, Russia, and-PriirsalarforivardedProtests of varying degreg of energy in expression, to Vienna. • The Emperor of the French- summoned his Legislative' Body and the King of SardinianciiitiOked his Parliament. The latter met on Saturday at noon, :,when' Count Cavour delivered the fa- lOwing speech iu the Chamber of , Centlemen,Tbe Great European Powers, with te intention - of treating the Italian oneetten by means of.diploinaey, and of trying whether it were not possible to resolve it pacifically, determined, in the month of March, to convoke a Congress to that end. " Aostria, bower, made lisp adhesion to that project Subordinate to a ConditiOn that regarded Sardinia .done—the coadition,:thatis, nf her pre;. viouiediaisrmansent. Such a pretension, repelled without hesitation_ by the grog's Government as nnjust.frind conirary_to the.diOnty_ of the country, iound support from none. of taeCabinetsi. Mails then fiithififuted'another for it—that of a gene-fist diaarmilMent, "This new principle gave rise to a series. of negotiations, -which, in spiteof the fret-pigmy and.supidity of telegraphic communications; continued several weeks, and resulted in the prepOsition of England, with Which yois are -well acquainted, and which Was accepted by Frince„ Russia, and Prussia. Although Piedmont perceived to _how .inany, doubts and incon- veniences the application of this principle might give rise, nevertheless, in a spirit of conciliation, and as the last possible concession, she adhered to it. Austria, on the contrail; lies Concisely refused it. That refusal, news of which reached.,us tram .all parts of Enropei was officially an- nounced to us by the representative of Englinkat Turin, who signified to us, by order of his Government, that the :Vienna Cabinet bad 'determined to address to Piedmont a direct summons to' disarm, requiring ii -definitive reply in the term of three days.. "The substance and the form-of such a summons can leave ,no doubt in the eyei of all. Europe sato the true intentions of Austria:. It is the re- sult and the conclusion of the great offensive preparations Which-for a long time past Austria has-been making on our frontiers, and which in-these list days became still more potent and menacing. " Under these circumstances, in the face of the grave dangers that threa- ten us, the King's Government believed it to be its ditty to' present itself without further delay before the. Parliament, and to ask of :it those powers which it .considered necessary ,to provide for the defenee„pf the coontry. I therefore begged your President immediately to call together the Chamber,

then dispersed for th i e Easter holydays. .

And also yesterday, at a late hour, indirect intelligence readied us that Austria was delaying to complete the proposed direct surammis to,Pietimont, but, as she has refused the English prcipositien,- thidlObexionitaill tribdify the state of affairs, nor can it modify our resolution.

"In these circumstances the dispositions taken by his Majesty the Em- peror of the French are for us at once an encouragement and a reason for gratitude. " We trust, therefore,_ that the Chamber will not hesitate to sanction with its votes the proposal of conferring upon the King the fuU powers which the times require.

." And who can be abetter guardian of our liberties ? Who more worthy of this proof of the confidence of the nation ? He whose names ten years' reign has made a synonym of loyalty and of honour ! He who always held high and firm the tricoloured Italian flag! He who is now preparing to fight or liberty and independence ! Be assured, gentlemen, that if you confide, in these critical circumstances, the supreme guidance of affairs to Victor Em- manuel, Piedmont and Italy will unanimously applaud your resolution."

The Minister's speech was listened to with profound attention, and re- ceived with applause. The following is the project of law for the concession of extraordinary powers to the King's Government during the war :— Art. 1. In case of war with the Austrian empire, the King shall be in- vested with all the legislative and executive powers, and shall be able, under Ministerial responsibility, to perform by simple royal decrees all the acts necessary to the defence of the country and of our institutions. "Art. 2. The constitutional institutions remaining intangible, the rmg's Government during the war shall have the faculty of making dispo- sitions for the temporary limitation of the liberty of the press and of indi- vidual liberty."

The Chamber without discussion, after a formal consideration of the project in its bureaux, adopted it by 112 to 24. In the evening the Army was placed on a -war footing, and divided into five divisions of infantry and one of cavalry. The King was to command in chief with General La Mare:lora for his second. The other generals were, comman- der of the, division of the Guards of Savoy, General Durando ; of the division of Piedment and Aosta, General Cialdini e of Cuneo, General Cuechiari; of Pignerol and Casale, General Fend ; of Savoy and Aqui, General Castelborgo; of the cavalry, General Sambuy; and of the engi- neers, General Menabrea.

Before the Parliament had hardly dispersed, Baron Kellersberg en- tered Turin. He came from the Austrian head-quarters, and he bore with him, and presented Count Buol's summons to disarm.

On the same day, the 23d April, the Germania Diet held a sitting. Prussia had been careful to disconnect her proceedings from the sum- mary measures adopted by Austria, and the official journal of the Go- vernment had been anxious to show that, while Prussia preserved her position as a mediating power, her military preparations were solely for GcrMail purposes. She had prepared three corps d'armee, destined to form the federal contingent. On the 23d, her Minister at Frankfort formally presented a proposal to the Diet, pointing out that as "the re- pose of Europe is seriously menaced," it was time for the Confederation to adopt general measures for its defence.

" Iu acting thus, Prussia, I am expressly charged to declare, manifests no aggressive tendencies, inasmuch as she proposes, for the sake of the Cou- federation itself, to preserve after as before her position as meditating power, in order to arrive at the solution of the pending European question." He therefore proposed, " That the High Federal Assembly shall invite the Go- vernments of the Confederation to hold their principal contingents in readi- ness to enter on a campaign, and at the same time to make all preparations necessary for arming the fortresses of the Confederation."

The proposal was unanimously adopted. On the motion of the Presi- dent, the Diet decreed the formation of a federal army in the Rhenish Provinces; it will consist of the three Prussian divisions and those of Bavaria and Wurtemberg, having as reserves the oontingents of Baden and Hesse. This army will be from 170,000 to 175,000 strong. Count Reehberg also announced that he was authorised to declare in the name of his government that Austria placed at the disposal of the Diet her three corps d'armee, consisting of 110,000 men. A military commission was formed to provide for the arming of the federal fortresses. Prussia will command the federal army. The destination of the bulk of the force will be the Rhine.

The French Legislative B3dy was summoned for Monday, but the meeting was adjourned until Tuesday. In the meantime regiment after regiment left Paris for the South—singing songs of battle, and cheered by the crowd. The Imperial guard was placed on a war footing ; and all furlough men were called in. The Moniteur announced. that the Em- peror had allotted the command of his troops in the following manner-

" Marshal. Magnan remains commander of the Army of Paris; the Duke • of Malakoff imcomes Commander-in-chief of the Army of Observation, the head-quarters of which is to be at Nancy. General Castellano in Coin- Mander-in-chief of the Army of Lyons. Marshal Baraguay d'Hilliers is appointed commandec of the first corps d'armee of the Alps, General Diquia- hon of the second, General Canrobert of the third, and General Niel of the fourth. General Bandon is appointed Major-General of the Army of the Alps."

Early in the week, the generals set out to the head-quarters of their corps. .The Foreign Legion came from Africa to Marseilles. A camp was marked out at Toulon, and another at Lyons. The heads of the French columns at Briancon, Grenoble, and Antibes, pressed closer to the frontier ; and transports were rapidly prepared in the main harbours. Tile French squadrons at Athens and in the Eastern seas were recalled. Prince Napoleon, with the Algerine Generals De Failly, Ladmirault, and Espinasse under him, was appointed to command the Imperial Guard. A large force of cavalry was drawn together on the Upper Rhine. The Emperor's yacht rAigle was prepared for sea. The Emperor, it was said, would take command in person. The names of the following officers were mentioned as his aides-de-camp,

" General the Count de Montebello, General the Prince de is Moskowa, General Fleury, Colonel Vaubert de Geniis, Colonel- Heine, Lieutenant- Colonel the Marquis de Toulongeon, and Lieutenant-Colonel the Count Lepic. The orderly officers who accompany the Emperor are Colonel FaW, of the Artillery ; Major Schmittz, of the Staff; Captain Brady, of the Artillery ; the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne-Lauraguais, and Prince Toachini Murat, Lieutenant of Cavalry."

Next came news that the ,French advance guard had crossed Mont Cenis and had reached Turin. But the snow impeded the progress of ' the artillery, and 4000 men had been set to work upon the roads. It was reported that-

" Generals MacMahon and Bazaine are at Genoa. Marshal Canrobert was taken sick at Grenoble, where he was obliged to go to bed for some hours. He, however, recovered sufficiently to go on after a short rest, and must by this time be at Genoa, where two French regiments, which landei yesterday, met with the most enthusiastic reception. Flowers were thrown upon them from the windows, women publicly kissed the French soldieri iA the streets, tables were laid out in front of the houses laden with bread, wine, ham, sausages, &c., of which the troop were invited to partake." The French Chambers met on Tuesday. Count do Moray took the chair a little before two o'clock, and immediately after Count Walewskii Minister of Foreign Affairs, entered the house. M. Baroche, who occu- pied the seat set apart for the government commissioner, presented a bill for increasinec' from 100,000 to 140,000 men the levy authorised by the law of March, 1858, the exposé des motifs merely stating that the bill was intended as a simple measure of precaution. Count do Morn, then addressed the members. Ile said-

" The bill now presented to you unites all the conditions of a measure of urgency, since the councils of revision are already convoked; as a bill of

urgency it can only require a very concise report. I therefore propose that the chamber should at once meet in its bureaux and appoint a committee which will make its report immediately. The sitting may be resumed Wax hour. The chamber will hear the report read ; it may be printed and dief tributed in the course of the evening, so that, consistently with our regal.* tions, the bill may be discussed and voted tomorrow. Allow me to add a Lbw words which are called for by existing circumstances. The statement which you have just heard shows jai Me clearest manner that the Emperor, without haying abandoned the generous and exalted object which he proposed: tie himself from the first, has never for a -single day departed from the princi- ples of moderation which characterise his policy. At every phase of the negotiations he has readily aacepted every combination offered to him by his mediating allies with the view of preventing war. The very delay in ehe presentation of the present bill is the strongest proof of the hope and aebire

which the Emperor has persistently entertained to obtain a pacific solutib of these difficulties. This conduct had the effect of re-assuring the great

European powers, and if, in spite of all their efforts, war is ineuitable, 'we may at least feel certain that it will be localized and limited, more especis ally if the other German powers will have the wisdom to understand thit the question is one purely Italian, and one which covers no design of eon- quest, and will give birth to no revolutions. As to you,. gentlemen, you ex- hibited when the question was first raised a pacific sprit inspired by your solicitude for the great interests of the country. It was your nght and na part to do so. The fact will only give additional force to the support what you will now give to the Emperor. Let it be seen today, so that no crib either at home or abroad may be under mistake, that in the face of the foreigners we are united in one only thought—the success and glory of out arms. Once the struggle begun, all material interests will stand aside to give place to patriotism, all inquietudes will be silent, in order that we may Lb, better hear the voice of the national honour. Lqt us no longer look bad; the flag of France floats before us."

Count Walewski then read a statement of the whole progress of tho late negotiations, and declared that Few*, having done all that was possible to preserve peace, considered herself freed from all responsibility and looked with confidence to the progress of events. The reception. of the two speeches was a little cold at first, but considerable applause greeted Count Walewski when he withdrew. M. Baroche then present; ed a second bill, to authorize the Government to contract a loan of 500 millions of francs, after which the deputies withdrew to their bureaux, as had been agreed to. On the same day the Senate met to provide far the Regency. T'ao debate on the bill for raising 140,000 men took place on Weelloa- day. It was remarkable for a speech by M. Emile 011ivier. He painted in forcible language the situation of Italy under Austrian rule, gradually growing more oppressive and tyrannical, and said-

" The Italian question has now again become a subject of European. anxiety. Ever since the Congress of 1856, it has never ceased to be agi- tated. The justice of the complaints of Italy has never bean contested, but the standing argument against listening to them is the treaties of 18;5; Very conflicting opinions have been put forth with regard to these cliplethal tic acts, which Lord Palmerston describes as the territorial charter of Europe. Of those among ourselves who think their maintenance necessary, not a human being ventures to defend them. It is universally admitted that they were sentences pronounced against France rather than treaties; But even amongst those who execrate the treaties the language used is not uni- form. We must detest but observe them, say some; while others 'say wd must deny them in point of theory but observe therie in point of fact. Foe my own part, I think there is a great distinction to be made between those parts of the treaties which were made against France and those which were made against foreign Powers of the second class. In so far as the treaties touch France, we submit to them without arriere pang°, because we can do so without remorse. Our desire is to see the influence of our country extended, but we can afford to be quite indifferent to territorial aggrandizement." He re- gretted that the Government had consented to negotiate on the bases of the treaties of 1815. " I do not reproach the Government for having all this while declined to disturb the repose of Europe for the sake of relieving Milan au & Venice fiem the Austrian yoke. But now that the Government has voluntarily troubled the peace of Europe I do blame it for having consented to abandon Milan and Venice. The Government need not hues commenced a general war to destroy that part of the treaties of 1(i15 which relates to the Neale of the Peninsula ; but it ought not at any rate to have run the risk of giyirg to those treaties a validity which they had in great measure lost, and the` in order to permit its diplomatists and its ministers to boast of its modem, tion. The Congress being now an abortion, has the Government, assuming a dignified attitude, frankly avowed its intentions? Will the war be merely a local one, or does France, in concert with Russia, meditate a remodelling of the map of Europe ? And what does Italy herself propose ? An intervention might lead to emancipation, but on the other hand it might lead only to a terri- torial aggrandizement of Piedmont—to another treaty of Campo I7ormio, or to a new expedition to Rome. Between these. hypotheses, which does the Go- vernment choose ? We are in utter ignorance on the subject, whatever it may knoW itself as to its own intentions. In this state of uncertainty, consider- ing that if we have Austria for an enemy we have Russia for an ally ; con- sidering, that as to home politics we find power without check or control; citizens without any guarantees, public opinion without any independent organs; and remembering, moreover, all the events of late years, have we not the right to entertain a fear that the only object of the preseut expedi- tion is to gain a little of that glory with which people have the weakness to console themselves for the loss of their liberties; and that, instead of serving

Italy, thereat intention is to make use of her for sel5sh objects? I and my friends feel that to vote for this bill would be to imply a confidence in the government which we do not feel. On the other hand, to vote against it would be, in appearance at least, to abandon Italy and those brave volun- teers which she has sent in such numbers to Piedmont ; it would be to seen

to take part with that Austria which we detest more than the government does, since we look upon her as the incarnation of despotism. Until there, fore the government shall have more fully explained itself, we shall with= hold our votes." - The motion wag carded nem. con. Besides the six republicans, fonr■

teen others abstained from voting. In the meantime the British Government, as detailed by Lord Derby in his speech at the Mansionhouse, had offered to mediate between France and Austria. The latter accepted, and the former it is said, took the proposal into consideration. It was rather late. At half-past five on Tuesday, the grace of three days having expired Count Cavour handed into Baron Kellersberg the answer of his master to the Austrian summons. It was a refusal to comply with a separate summons to disarm. At a quarter-past six Baron Kellersberg departed from Turin, accompanied, as far as the Sardinian frontier by a Sardinian officer.

On Wednesday there was a solemn religious ceremony at Turin, and the King issued a royal proclamation to the army, thus summed up by the telegraph. "The King regards the demand to disarm as an outrage on himself and the nation, and has therefore repelled the demand with disdain. The King calls to mind Italy's cry of anguish, and says—' I will be your captain. I have proved your valour on the field of battle by the side of my illustrious father. This time you will have for your comrades the gallant French soldiers, your companions on the Tchernaya, whom the Emperor has sent to defend and support our just and civilizing cause. Forward to victory ! Let our banner announce to you that our object, like our war-cry, is "In- dependence of Italy."' "