The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-29 00:00:00

COUNT BUOL'S
_cucv.LAß.

The following is the text of the circular despatch of
the 28th Feb., from Count de Boot t' the Austrian
diplomatic agents in Germany, of which mention has
been made in the Messenger of March 10 :
" I had the honour of announcing to your Excellency in my
circular despatch of the 16th, that the Imperial• Envoy who
presides over the Germanic Diet has been charged, by order
of his Majesty our august master, to communicate to the
Germanic Diet, in order that points 1 and 2 of its resolution
of the Bth may be carried into • execution, a return of the
state of the Imperial army on a war footing, placed under
the command of Gen. Baron de Hess, in order thereby to give
a proof that the warlike preparations of Austria have been.
carried far beyond the exigencies of the aforesaid resolu-
tion. The Imperial Cabinet, in • doing this, is induced
to make mention of the circumstance that the Prus-
sian Plenipotentiary made, in the Federal Military Com-
mission, a proposition to the effect that the Diet should de-
cide that the preparation of the contingents should take place
within the limits of the territory of the Germanic Confedera-
tion. This proposition found no echo amongst the Federal
authorities, and on that account was not inserted in the Fe-
deral resolution. We took note of it ; and we remark that
in this affair, the Germanic confederation was no longer placed
exclusively on the ground of the Federal treaties, but also on
that of the alliance of the 20th of April, 24th of July, and of
the resolutions of the 9th of December, 1854 that, conse-
quently, the confederation was under the obligation, not only
of protecting 'its own territory, but also of insisting on the
Four Points as the bases of peace, and of opposing any attack
on the Austrian monarchy and on our troops in the Danubian
Principalities ; but that the said motion of the Prussian ple-
nipotentiary entirely disregarded the relation between the
Federal resolution of the Bth and the preceding resolutions,
which relation is decisive as regards the attitude of the
Confederation. Ou its part, the Imperial Government
considered it a duty, in accordance with its own posi-
tion, and with the duty of all Germany, to supply
the Diet with a return of the total of its forces on
a war footing, whether within or without the Federal terri-
tory, as also in the Danubian Principalities. But Baron do
Prokesch informs us that when, in the sitting of the Diet of
the 22d, he presented the return of the Austrian army of
operation, with a declar .tion, of which a copy is annexed
hereto—the envoy of Prussia formally denied that the reso-
lution of the Bth of this month was based on the resolutions
of the 24th July and of the 9th December. M. de Bismarck
wished to consider the case of a common defence against an
attack on the Austrian monarchy or the Danubian Principa-
lities as completely set aside, and the resolution of the Bth
Feb. as repesing on a new basis—namely, on that of the neces-
sity of opposing to European complications, which becOme
more and more menacing, the fact of placing on a war footing,
which can be utilised on all sides. He reserved to his Govern-
ment the right of inserting in the protocol a declaration to
that effect. Another sign of this tendency to a declaration
made by M. deßismarck to the Imperial Envoy presiding at the
Diet, to the effect that Prussia, with respect to the queition
of the garrison of Rastadt, will propose that Rastadt, Lan-
dau, Mentz, and Luxembourg should receive complete garrisons
on a war footing, inasmuch as that measure necessarily fol-
lows from the placing on a war footing of the Federal con•
tingents to be employed on all sides. We seek in vain to
understand in what manner the Prussian Government—sup-
posing its representative at Frankfort to have correctly ex-
pressed its intentions—can place in accord its attitude in the
Diet with the object of its missions to Paris and London,
from which we hoped for the union of the German powers in
the same point of view. Even if Prussia, to our great regret,
did not think that she could take the same engagements as
Austria with respect to France and England, we cannot ex-
plain to ourselves how the Cabinet of Berlin, to conclude a
treaty with the powers, could offer them less than a neutral
attitude, and not one of menace. The Court of Prussia will
no doubt consider itself called on to give the necessary ex-
planations on this goint, in case she really demands that the
Germanic Confederation shall assume the attitude of au armed
neutrality against . both aides. We feel but little called on
for the moment to continue this examination, but in our so-
licitude for the safety of Germany we strongly feel the
duty of expressing frankly and in time to our confede-
rates the conviction that the Germanic Confederation
would have to encounter the most serious compli-
cations, if it were to give to its warlike preparations even the
simple appearance of any other signification than that of an
energetic preparation for the eventual accomplishment of the
obligations which arise from the resolutions of the 24th July,
and of the 9th December, 1854. We stated in our despatch
of the 16th why we thought we might pass over in silence the
motives, which appeared to us insufficient, on which the
committees founded the propositions adopted on the Bth of
February. The engagements which the Confederation has
already entered into, those which determine our action as a
great power, the nature of the task which we and all those
who regard our policy as truly German have
•yet to accom-
plish—all these circumstances call on us to speak so loudly as
to render superfluous any express declaration as to the object
of the military measures of the Confederation. But the
state of things would become very different if, now that
Germany is preparing to arm, and that a decision might
shortly be come to on the question whether the powers will
succeed in restoring peace to Europe, the Germanic Confede-
ration should seek to follow in its resolutions and future
measures, that tendency to an expectant neutrality,
exemp; from precise engagements, to which the motives
above-mentioned have already made too many con-
cessions. We should then consider it the first of our
duties towards Germany to protest loudly and energetically
against such manifestations and measures, and to reject be-
forehand all responsibility for the consequences which might
result from them. We cannot, in particular, consider the
demand that our Federal Contingent should remain on the
German territory otherwise than as an indirect renunciation
of engagements made by the Confederation in the common
interest of Germany, and we must point out in the most posi-

tive manner, as an uncalled-for provocation, the proposition
for putting on a war footing the fortresses situated on the side
of France. The Imperial Envoy, presiding over the Diet,
has been charged by us to enforce in our name and without
reserve, in the deliberations of the committees, the above
considerations. We confidently hope that he will meet with
the same convictions in the representatives of our confederates,
and that the Germanic Confederation, by displaying, in con-
cert with us, its forces for the possible case of the non.
success of the negotiations, will not furnish to any of its
members and to any of the European Cabinets subjects
of doubt as to the signification of its military prepare.
tion. Have the kindness to point out to the Government of
-, in confidentially communicating this despatch, the great
importance we attach to see the point of view we have above
stated frankly approved of, and the envoys to the Diet fur-
nished with instructions corresponding thereto.
" Accelt, "Bum."
Thu follow:n; memorandum is annexed to the de-
spatch

Regard being had to points 1 and 2 of the federal resolu-
tion of the Sth inst., par. 49, the Imperial Envoy, presiding
over the Germanic Diet, has received orders from his Gcv.2rn-
ruent to lay before that high assembly the list, prepared by
Field-Marshal Baron de Hess, of the Austrian troops which
have been placed on a complete war footing, in order to de-
fend the territory placed under the protection of a common
defence by the federal resolutions of the 2ltla July and of tho
9th December last year.

VIENNA, MARCH 5,
_1855.

" When we made known to your Excellency by the despatch
of the 2Sth Feb. that the proposition which Austria had made
to the Germanic Diet on the 22d to put into execution the
federal resolution of the Sth of the sonic month had "Met
with objections on the part of the Envoy of Prussia at the
Diet, we had reason to doubt that these objections, made in
the first place verbally by the Prussian Envoy, who reserved
to himself the power of afterwards presenting a written de-
claration, would be brought under the deliberation of the

ermanic Diet. The President of the Diet, however, has
sent us the declaration, of which we send you a copy, and.
which M. de Bismarck had inserted in the protocol of the
above-mentioned. sitting. Baron de Prokeach afterwards
made a reply to the declaration, of which we also send you a
copy. We aro thus in a state now to apply the views which
we have already set forth in our despatch of the 28th Feb., to
the official declaration of Prussia which we have now before
us, and in conformity with that, we have not only approved.
in the most formal manner of the reply which the President
of the Diet found himself called on to make, but we have also
charged the Count de Rechberg to declare openly in the com-
mittees of the Diet that the Imperial Government would find
itself compelled to make a formal protest either against its
form or its principle, in case the list given by him of the con-
tingent of the Austrian army should meet in the Diet with
any objections in the sense of the Prussian declaration ; or in
case any other practical consequence should arise out of the
said declaration. The Government of ---- to whom your
Excellency will be pleased to communicate the present
despatch, as a complement to that of the 28th, will we hope
resCaPl:ient e to t
regardthe ma
theiruner
fully appreciate the weight of the motives which compel us
to hold firmly to our point of viewvri,sitiahn
iu which we regret to see the Pz.o _
BUM."
opinions as as compatible with
te, with the. Federal solution,,of the Bth