EUROPE. 



297 



\ the attempt to reconstruct 



'\vrnments mi tin' !ia->is of tin- nationality 

 prmriple. Twice this hroiighf on irravo com- 

 plications : first, on the occasion of the attempt- 

 i-il purchase, of Luxemburg hy France; and 

 later, nn (lie occasion of the (iaribaldian 

 diti'in against Koine. In one case, the joint 

 rinuiM-ls of the other European powers pre- 



1 a war; hut in the other a war eiiMied, 

 which led to an intervention of France, and 

 new complications between France and Italy. 

 (S* LrxicMwita ; PAPAL STATES.) 



The German States, notwithstanding the 

 opposition of France, made steady progress 

 toward the establishment of one consolidated 

 German Kmpire. The North-German Confed- 

 eration is an established fact. All opposition 

 to it within the confines of the territories form- 

 ing part of it has ceased, with only the excep- 

 tion of a few districts predominantly Danish 

 and Polish. The governments and the people 

 of the South-German States are agreed that 

 the closest alliance shall be maintained between 

 the Northern Confederation and the South- 

 German States, until the way is cleared for the 

 admission of the latter into the Confederation. 

 The Legislatures of Bavaria, Wurtemberg, and 

 Baden, all ratified the military and Zollverein 



M which their governments had concluded 

 with Prussia; and at a convention of military 



ntatives of the South-German States, 

 hel.l in November, it was officially stated that 

 the military conventions would be faithfully 

 carried out, and that, in case of a war between 

 'a and France, all the South-German 

 States would side with Prussia. It was also 

 agreed that early in 18G8 the Customs Union 

 Parliament should meet, composed of delegates 

 from Southern as well as Northern Germany, 

 thus giving to the German people, for the first 

 time since 1848, a Parliament representing the 

 whole of the fatherland, with the exception 

 of the German provinces of Austria. (See 

 GEHMAXY.) 



Austria has finally abandoned the plan of 

 consolidating the different nationalities under 

 one central administration. The claims of 

 Hungary to an independent administration 

 have been fully recognized, and the reorgani- 

 zation of the empire now proceeds on the basis 

 of a political dualism, the eastern half of the 

 empire being placed under the leadership of 

 the Magyar nationality, and the western under 

 the leadership of the Germans. But the con- 

 flict of the several nationalities remains un- 

 abated, and threatens the unity of the empire 

 more than ever. . Most of the SlaVic tribes 

 openly lean on Russia and demand the same 

 scmi-'mdepcndence which has been granted to 

 the Magyars. In the German provinces the 

 <k-Mi-e not to be forever excluded from the re- 

 constructed Germany is growing, and there 

 already is a considerable party whose platform 

 embraces a future reunion with Germany at 

 any rate ; if necessary, even at the cost of a 

 dissolution of Austria. In Southern Tyrol, the 



Italian party continued to cause trouble by it* 

 open advocacy of annexation to Italy. (See 

 i \.i 



Tho Russian Government persists in its ef- 

 forts to rniih out the Polish nationality, and 

 to fully incorporate Poland with Russia. The 

 rigor with which this policy is carried ont haa 

 few parallels in history. Notwithstanding this 

 injustice, tho Slavic tribes of Austria and 

 Turkey were courting Russian patronage, and 

 actively cooperating with the Russians for de- 

 veloping and carrying out the idea of Pan- 

 slavisin. Toward the close of the year the 

 measures of the Russian Government for re- 

 stricting the use of the German language in tho 

 Baltic provinces created great excitement against 

 Russia, all through Germany. (See RUSSIA.) 



In Denmark, all political parties agreed with 

 the government in demanding from Prussia the 

 Danish districts of Northern Schleswig. The 

 idea of a Pan-Scandinavian union, embracing 

 Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, is advocated 

 by special committees in each of the three 

 kingdoms, but no notable progress was reported 

 during the year. ( See DEXMAUK.) 



The Christian tribes of Turkey, encouraged 

 and aided by Russian influence, become more 

 and more alienated from Turkish rule. The 

 people of Candia, throughout the year, con- 

 tinued the struggle for their independence and 

 union with Greece, which they had begun in 

 August, 1866. The superior force of the Turks 

 prevented the success of the insurrection ; but 

 there remains no doubt that the people of 

 Candia, as well as of the southern provinces 

 of European Turkey, will effect their union 

 with Greece as soon as external circumstances 

 may allow them to do so. In Northern Turkey, 

 the movement of the Slavic tribes toward inde- 

 pendence, encouraged by Russia, steadily in-, 

 creased in strength, though it led to no practical 

 results. ( See TURKEY.) 



In Great Britain the agitation of the Fenians 

 not only did not subside, but gained new 

 strength toward the close of the year, in con- 

 sequence of the execution of three Fenians in 

 Manchester. The funeral processions held on 

 this occasion, in all parts of Ireland, showed 

 that a very largo portion of the Irish people 

 sympathized with the Fenians, and that a still 

 largerportion was in favor of there8stablishmeiit 

 of an Irish Parliament. ( See FEXIAN BBOTIIER- 

 HOOD.) 



The contest between the Conservative and 

 the Progressive parties was, last year, of special 

 interest in England, where the long struggle 

 of the Reform party for an enlargement of the 

 franchise was partially successful, as tho Tory 

 ministry deemed it necessary to concede some 

 of the principal demands of the Reform party. 

 The government promised to propose, in the 

 course of the year 1868, similar reform bills 

 with regard to Scotland and Ireland. In Spain, 

 the Progressive party, nnder tho leadership 

 of General Prim, made another attempt to 

 overthrow tho government under which 



