Any one who knew Austria some
years ago, would be surprised to see the "Examiner," and
"Constitutionnel" lying on the tables of the Clubs.
A desire for the revival of the provincial estates (Landstande), is
entertained by many influential persons. These provincial parliaments
existed up to the time of the Emperor Joseph, who, with his rage for
novelty, and his desire for despotic and centralized power, abolished
them. The section of the aristocracy desirous for this revival is
certainly small, but intelligent, and impatient for a sphere of
activity. They have neither radical nor democratic principles; they
admit that Austria, from the heterogeneous nature of her population,
is not adapted for constitutional government; but maintain that the
revival of municipal institutions is quite compatible with the present
elements of the monarchy, and that the difficulties presented by the
antagonist nationalities are best solved by allowing a development of
provincial public life, restricted to the control of local affairs,
and leaving the central government quite unfettered in its general
foreign and domestic policy.
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