The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-05 00:00:00

COUNT BISMARCK'S SPEECH.

..
,

At the sitting of the Prussian Chamber of De-
puties on the Lt of September, Count Bismarck
delivered the following speech :

The more sincerely a government is desirous of peace
the more its members feel the obligation of abstaining
from all retrospective criticism, whether in defending
themselves or in making attacks. During the last
four years we have on both sides maintained our
respective points of view with more or less bitter-
ness. In those four years we have been none
of us able to convince the other ; each has believed
that he acted rightly in acting as he did. Even in regard
to external relations, a treaty of peace would never be
made if one of the parties had to confess that he acted
unjustly. We desire peace, not because we are not in a
condition to continue the internal struggle—on the contrary
the current is more in our favour now than ever, nor do
we desire it in order to escape from some future accusation
balled upon the law of ministerial responsibility. Many re-
proaches have been cast upon the ministry, but the
reproach of peace is somewhat new. (Laughter.) We
desire peace because in our opinion the country has more
need cf it than ever. We desire it and we seek it espe-
cially because we believe that we can find it now. We
I should have looked for it before if we had hoped to
find it before, because you will have recognised
that the government is not so remote as you think
from the aims which the majority of you have in
view ; not so remote as the silence of the government
upon many points on which it ought to be silent, might
make you believe. For this reason we believe that we shall
find peace, and we look for it with sincerity. We have
offered you our hand in sign of peace, and the report of the
commission gives us the guarantee that you will accept our
I hand. We shall then, in common with you, proceed to
settle the questions which remains to be dinposed of. I
by no means exclude from these questions the
amelioration of the internal administration, the
re-establishment of the constitutional situation, but
we can only resolve those questions in common by admit-

tins on both sides that on both sides we serve our country
with equal good wit and without one suspecting the sin-
cerity of the other.. Bat at the present moment the
questions of externs policy have not yet been solved.
The brilliant suceessee of our army hive in some degree
augmented our stake. We can lose more than before, but
we have not yet secured what we have won. The more
closely we are united at home, the more we shall be
certain of winning now. If you cast your eyes abroad, if
you read the Vienna journals, and especially those which
represent the opinion of the imperial government, you
will find the same manifestations of hatred and animosity
tower& Prairie which existed formerly, and which not •
little contributed to the war, by imposing upon the
Austrian government a necessity from which it
amid not shrink, even though it desired it.
Look at the proceedings of the population in
the South of Germany such as we see them in the army.
There exist no sentiments of conciliation, there is but very
little symptom of the common mission of Germany when
Bavarian troops traitorously fire from railway trains upon
Prussian officers. Look at the attitude of the various
governments towards the institutions which we have to
create. Amongst some it is quite satisfactory. Others
show repugnance, but it is certain that you will scarcely
find in Europe a power which receives with favour the con-
stitution of this new German union which is not endeavouring
to participate in the formation of this organisation were it
only for the purpose of procuring for one of the most
powerful confederates like Saxony the possibility of playing
the same part which she did heretofore. For this reason
then our task is not completed. It requires the harmony
of the whole country in fact, and the impression which this
harmony must produce. If it has been often said that
what the sword has won the pen has lost, I have full con-
fidence that we shall not have it said what the sword and
pen have gainedhas been lost in this tribune. (Bravos.)
The debate was postponed till Monday.

(arum's rizsinems.)
PRUSSIA AND SCHLESWIG.

COPENHAGEN, Barr. 5.

The intelligence published by the Padre!owlet
that the deputation from the Danish people of
Schleswig who proceeded to Berlin on Friday last
in order to present a petition to the King, had been
refused a reception, is incorrect. At the time of
their arrival Count Bismarck was too much engaged
with his ministerial duties to at once attend to their
petition.
The address of the inhabitants of Flensburg to
the King, demanding that their destiny shall be
determined by a general vote, was received by an
official of the ministry, who promised that it should
be laid before his Majesty, and that a written
reply shall be given.

REDUCTION OF TIIE ITALIAN ARMY.

FLORENCE. Barr. 4.

L'ltalic asserts that the Italian government,
without awaiting the signature of the treaty of
peace with Austria, will dismiss to their homes
120,000 men from military service.

THE TRANSFER OF VENETIA.
FLORENCE, SErrzsmis 4, Evinatte.
Letters received hero from Venice announce that
the negotiations for the transfer of Venetia have
commenced between General Leboeuf and the
Austrian authorities.
The Austrians have begun to evacuate the
Quadrilateral.