Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/432

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396
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METTERNICH. 396 METZ. Austrian interests. Fearing lest the defeat of France should raise up powerful rivals for Aus- tria in Kussia and Prussia, he exerted liimself to preserve for France its ancient boundaries, pursuing that end ostensibly in order to presene the balance of power in Eiirojx). With masterly dipluuiaey he succeeded in imposing his policy on the allies, represented Austria in the Congress of I'liatillun in February and ilarch, 1814, and participated in the deliberations leading to the Treaty of Paris. In .hme he visited England and formed a new Quadrujile Alliance for the i)rcserva- tion of the peace of Euro])e. As presiding officer of the Congress of ^'ienna he exercised a prepon- derating inlluence on the delil>erations of that body, and succeeded in gaining for Austria a dom- inant jiosition among the Powers of Europe, with lier interests supreme in Germany and Italy. After the Congress of Vienna he became the leading statesman of Europe. He was the inspiring genius of the reactionary policy of the Restoration pe- riod. Crafty and cynical, having no sinpathy with the aspirations of the people, his schemes were all directed to restoring the old order as far as pos- sible. In IS21 he was made Austrian Chancellor. With his customary astuteness, he made use of the Holy Alliance (q.v. ). organized by Alexander of Russia to further the cause of 'Christian peace,' as an instrument for the repression of all liberal or national movements. I'nder his in- spiration congresses were held at Karlsbad (1819), Troppau (1820), Laibaeh (1821), and Verona ( 1822) . at which action was taken against the Burschenschaft and the freedom of the press in Germany, the national movement in Italy, and the struggle for constitutionalism in Spain. He consistently opposed the Greek movement for independence, but there Russia refused to fol- low him. With time his influence over the French and Russian courts disappeared, but in Germany and Italy the reactionary policy of Metternich remained unabated until 1S4S. The revolutionary movement of that year, however, breaking forth with siulden violence, ended Jlet- ternieh's system and cau>ed the aged Minister to flee from "Austria (March. 1S4S) and to seek refuge in Englniid ami Pjclgium : nor did he re- turn to Vienna till the end of 1S.")1. when he received great marks of honor and favor from the Emperor: but altlunigh sometimes consulted, he was never again asked to undertake the cares of office. He died at Vienna. .Tune 11. 18.50. His writings were ])ublished under the title .Iks McI- Icniichs nachqrla.istiuii Piiiiirrni, published by his son. Prince Richard (8 vols.. Vienna. 1880-84; j)Mblished in English translation imdcr the title of Mcmnirs). Consult: Gross-Hollinger. Fiirst Mrttrrnich iinil this iiKtcrrrichifirhc Slaatfixiistem (T-eipzig. 184<'>) : Mazade. V» chnncrlUr d'ancirn rrfiimr. Le riijnc (liplomnti<iiir dr M. dp Mrttrr- nirh (Paris, I'sSft) : Beer. "Fiirst Clemens Met- ternich." in Drr yriir Plutarch, vol. v. (Tyeipzig, 1877) : nenuditsch, Metternich ii»d nciiir nufuciir- 1if)c I'nlitil; (Stuttgart. ISnS) ; Malleson. Life of Prince Metternich i.nMon an<l Xew York. 1888). .See AisTRiA-HrNn.vHY: Vienna. Cont.ress of: Caki.smai) Dkc'rkks. METTRAY, nie'trA'. . great agricultural anil industrial colony (reformatory) at Mettray, near Tours, France, which has for years been looked upon as the model of all such institutions. It wn.s founded in 18.10 by Mettray Demetz and Bretigni^^es de Courteilles, who had gotten their inspiration from America. The object was to keep young boys out of the regular prisons and to teach them, in addition to commim school branches, trades, particularly agriculture. Boys of the better classes who are sent Gy their parents to the school are kept separately in the "Maison Patemelle' and spend their time in study. In 1899 the colony contained 4.50 boys. After the boys leave the institution a supervision is main- tained over them. See Bulletin de la commission pciiitcntiaire internationale (Brussels and Berne. 1900). METZ, mets. A town and first-class fortress in Alsace-Lorraine, Gernumy, capital of the Dis- trict of Lorraine, situated at the conlluence of the Seille with the Jloselle, about 11 miles east of the French frontier and (i(i miles by rail southsouth- west of Treves (ila)i: Germany, B 4). It is built ])artly between the two rivers and jjartly on islands of the iloselle. The streets bear both German and French names. The older section is irregularly constructed and is ancient in appear- ance. In the soutliwestern portion of the town is a splendid esplanade with statues of Marshal Xey and Emperor William I., and a fine fountain. The magnificent Gothic cathedral was begun in the thirteenth century. It was consecrated in 1540. and is now being restored. It lias numerous fine specimens of stained glass, and is surmounted by a tower 3S7 feet high. The Churcli <if Saint Vincent, a fine (Jothic structure of the thirteenth century, the garrison church, and the Church of Saint Constance, with frescoes, arc also of architectural interest. Among the secular build- ings may be mentioned the palace of justice, the town hall, the theatre, the barracks, and the railway station. The educational institutions include a gj'm- nasiuni. a realschule, a seminary for priests and for teachers, schools of art and music, and a military school. The municipal library of about GO.OOO volumes is ricli in works relating to the history of Jletz, and the municipal mu- seum contains collections of coins and paintings, and of antiquities found in the vicinity. Metl has lost somewhat in industrial importance since its occupation by the Germans, the Frencli having withdrawn a large amount of capital. The chief manufactured junducts arc leather and leather goods, arms, hats, artificial flowers, coarse cloth, preserves, etc. The trade is chiefly in the agri- cultural products of the surrounding country. The city is regarded as one of the best fortified ]daces in Europe. Its fortifications, extending along the Moselle and the Seille. consist of works begun by the French and coiiqiletcd liy the t!er- mans, and of works built entirely by the con- querors. Some portions of the old fortifications have also been retained. Population, in 1890, including the garrison of over 20.000 men, (iO.lSCi; in 1900. 58.424. the decrease being due to the withdrawal of part of the troops. Over two-thirds of the population are Catholics. Metz was known to the (^.auls as Diindunun, and in mediieval times as Metac. By the Treaty of Mersen (870) the city fell to East Francia (later Germany) ami riijiidly attained impor- tance, so that in the tliirte<'ntli century it liecame a free Imperial eitv. It was here that Charles IV. in 1.15fi proclaimed the Golden Bull. Metl became involved in many conflicts with Lor- raine, and in the period of the Reformation the eitv was a centre of disturbance. In 1552 it WM