[War. Prussia and Austria.]}

Assembly to get rid by the previous question of a motion of an anti-legal character.

The Royal Government, considering the Federal bonds which have existed up to this day, can but deeply regret that his Confederates did not give effect to its formal proceeding.

For 3 months past the most powerful member of the Confederation, violating the Fundamental Laws of the Pact, has, to do itself justice, armed against Prussia; that circumstance had already seriously shaken the confidence of the Prussian Government in the protection which the Germanic Confederation has guaranteed to each of its members. The Royal Government having, therefore, appealed for the protection of Prussia against an arbitrary attack by Austria, to the action of the Confederation and of its Members; that appeal had no other result than the Armament of other Confederated States, Armaments the objects of which have remained without explanation. The Royal Government, after such precedents, necessarily considered their external and internal security as endangered, which, according to Article II of the Federal Pact (No. 26) is the principal object of the Confederation.

The Motion, in contravention of the Treaties, drawn up by Austria, and the adoption of that Motion by a part of the Confederated States, no doubt after a previous understanding, could only confirm and strengthen the views of the Royal Govern

ment.

By virtue of the Federal Law, no Declaration of War can be made against any Member of the Confederation. The Austrian motion, therefore, and the vote of the States adhering to it, being a Declaration of War against Prussia, the Royal Government considers the Dissolution of the Federal Pact (No. 26) as accomplished.*

In the name, and by the august order of His Majesty the King, his gracious master, the Envoy therefore declares that Prussia considers the Federal Pact in force up to the present time as dissolved; that so far from considering it henceforth obligatory, it will consider it as having expired, and will act accordingly.

His Majesty the King, nevertheless, does not consider the national basis on which that Confederation has been established

* See Treaty between Austria and Prussia, signed at Prague, 23rd August, Art. IV.

1866.

[War. Prussia and Austria.]

as destroyed from the fact of the extinction of the old Confederation.

Prussia, on the contrary, holds firmly to those bases and to the Unity of the German Nation, Unity soaring above temporary forms, and considers it the bounden duty of the German States to find in that Unity the most suitable expression.

The Royal Government here submits, on its part, the constitutive basis of a new Union of States more in keeping with the wants of the period, and declares itself ready to conclude, on the modified bases of the old Confederation, a new Confederation with such of the German States as would join it with that object.*

The Envoy is only executing the Orders of his exalted Government in declaring his mission with the High Federal Assembly as terminated.

Finally, the Envoy must, in the name and by order of his exalted Government, reserve and protect the Rights and Titles of every kind which the Royal Government, by virtue of its relations with the late Confederation, is entitled to claim upon all Properties and Appurtenances of the latter. The Envoy is particularly instructed decidedly to Protest against the use which might be made, without its special consent, of the Federal Funds already voted.

[On the 12th June, 1866, the Austrian Ambassador at Berlin demanded his Passports "in consequence of the forcible occupation of Holstein by the Prussian Troops, and in defiance of Treaties."]

*The Constitution of the North German Confederation was signed on the 14th June, 1867; but it was altered by the Constitution for the German Confederation of 16th April, 1871.

[Proposed Congress. Peace of Europe. I

No. 377.-CORRESPONDENCE respecting the proposed Assembly of a Congress for the preservation of the Peace of Europe. Paris, May, June, 1866.

TABLE.

1. Willingness of Great Britain to take part in Congress. Proposed appeal by Great Britain and France to Austria, Denmark, and Prussia to resume the status quo. Proposed Co-operation of Russia.

2. Willingness of France to take part in Congress, but not to adopt the suggestion of a status quo.

3. Views of Great Britain on French Proposal for Meeting of a Conference. Cession of Venetia to Italy. Destiny of the Elbe Duchies, and Reforms of the Germanic Confederation. Austria, Prussia, Italy, and Frankfort Diet to be invited to the Congress.

4. Consent of Great Britain to French Proposal for a Conference.

5. Views of Great Britain and France as to Position to be taken by Great Britain, France, and Russia in proposed Conference.

6. Consent of Russia to proposed Appeal to Austria, Italy, and Prussia to resume the status quo. Views as to proposed Congress.

7. Proposal to Austria to restore Armaments to a Peace Footing. 8. Preliminary Conference between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, and Russia. Invitation to be made to Austria, Italy, Prussia, and Germanic Confederation to join in a Congress on the subject of the Cession of Venetia to Italy, the Destiny of the Elbe Duchies, and German Federal Reforms.

9. Understanding upon which Great Britain could take part in a Congress for the preservation of the Peace of Europe, and the Questions to be discussed; the Elbe Duchies, Venetia and German Federal Reform. 10. Question of Guarantee of the Temporal Power of the Pope not to be referred to in Congress.

11. Concurrence of French Government in views of Great Britain relative to the object of the proposed Congress.

12. Invitation to Austria, Italy, Prussia, and Germanic Confederation to join in a Congress with a view to the preservation of the Peace of Europe. Objects to be discussed.

13. Objects of proposed Congress, and necessity of suspending all Military Preparations during the Sittings of the Conferences.

14. Presentation of Identic Notes to Prussian Minister for Foreign Affairs, inviting Prussia to join in a Congress for the preservation of Peace. Answers to be sent to respective Courts.

15. Acceptance by Prussia to Invitation of 3 Powers to proposed Congress, and the Points to be discussed.

16. Replies to French Instructions to attend proposed Congress.

17. Consent of Austria to attend proposed Congress, with certain Reservations.

18. Consent of Frankfort Diet to attend proposed Congress.

[Proposed Congress. Peace of Europe.]

19. Consent of Italy to attend proposed Congress.

20. Abandonment of proposed Congress on account of Austrian Reserva

tions.

21. Abandonment of proposed Congress for the preservation of the Peace of

Europe.

22. Causes which led to the abandonment of the proposed Congress for the preservation of the Peace of Europe.

(1) The Earl of Clarendon to Earl Cowley.

Willingness of Great Britain to take part in Congress. Proposed Appeal by Great Britain and France to Austria, Denmark, and Prussia, to resume the status quo. Proposed Co-operation of Russia.

(Extract.)

Foreign Office, 2nd May, 1866.

I HAVE received your Excellency's despatch dated yesterday, on the question of assembling a Congress, with the view of endeavouring through its interposition to prevent the breaking out of War in Europe.

Circumstances are very different at the present moment from what they were at the time when a Congress was formerly proposed. At that time IIer Majesty's Government feared that a Congress might lead to War; but War being now imminent, a Congress might avert that calamity, and consequently Her Majesty's Government would be willing to take part in it, as they are fully alive to the nature and extent of the danger by which Europe is now menaced.

But Her Majesty's Government consider that a Congress should not meet without its objects being previously defined, and without a reasonable prospect of effecting the purpose for which it was convoked.

The origin of the unfortunate dispute between Prussia and Austria is the Duchies, upon the Annexation of which Prussia appears to be determined. Could a Congress sanction such a policy, which could only be carried into effect by violence, if the wishes of the people were not consulted? and if they were, assuredly Prussia would not obtain the Duchies.

With regard to the Cession of Venetia, it is notorious that Austria will not cede her Italian provinces, unless she obtains Territorial compensation elsewhere; but where is this to be obtained?

The Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom was ceded by Austria to Italy by the Treaty signed at Prague 23rd August, 1866.

[Proposed Congress. Peace of Europe.]

Negotiation, therefore, upon the most important points on which Peace depends, would infallibly fail in a Congress which would be powerless to enforce them; and Her Majesty's Government would be as averse as the Emperor to take part in a Congress which in the face of Europe might prove its impotence for maintaining Peace.

But it does not follow, therefore, that two Powers like England and France, peaceful and prosperous at home, should remain passive spectators of a bloody strife which will at once inflict serious evils upon their subjects.

The 3 Powers now on the point of taking the field have each solemnly declared that it has no aggressive intention against the other; that each is only arming in expectation of attack; and Her Majesty's Government would, therefore, suggest that England and France, acting upon these repeated assurances, and invoking the Declaration of Paris (No. 269), should make a solemn appeal to the honour, the Christian feelings, and the true interests of the 3 Powers, should call upon them to resume the status quo, and declare that the Power which persisted without sufficient cause in provoking an unjustifiable War must in the eyes not only of England and France, but of the whole civilized World, be held responsible for all the calamities which it will

cause.

Her Majesty's Government would further suggest that Russia, whose position is analogous to that of England and France, should be invited to join in this appeal.

CLARENDON.

Earl Cowley.

(2) Earl Cowley to the Earl of Clarendon.

Willingness of France to take part in Congress, but not to adopt the Suggestion of a status quo.

(Extract.)

Paris, 4th May, 1866.

On the receipt this morning of your Lordship's despatch of the 2nd instant, and of that of yesterday's date, I went immediately to M. Drouyn de Lhuys and read them to him.

His Excellency said that in addressing himself to the Great Powers with a view of ascertaining their opinion as to the practicability of a Congress at the present moment, he had not enter