The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-08 00:00:00

TEE CONDUCT OP AUSTRIA.

The following is the Times Paris correspondent's
letter, dated yesterday, 6 p.m. :
" A change for the better has taken place in the
relations between Austria on the one hand and Eng-
land and France on the other ; and at the present
moment the Allied Governments are or profess to be
satisfied with the Cabinet of Vienna,. I do not pre-
tend to answer for the sincerity of the declarations
recently made by that Cabinet, nor can I affirm that
these declarations are accepted by the generality of
the pubic as bona fide expressions of Austrian
policy. All I mean to say is, that this Govern-
ment dots not hesitate to express its satisfaction at
the present position of affairs as relates to Aus-
tria. Prussia has sunk so completely in public
estimation, and so little lnpe is there of her
doing anything honourable or spirited, that not
a word need be said. I have already contradicted,
on good authority, the statement pat forth in
several of the German papers that England and
France considered themselves disengaged, in con-
sequence of the tergiversations of the Cabinet of
Vienna, from the obligations contracted by the
treaty of the 2d of December, or that a cir-
cular had been issued to that effect by the French
Foreign-office to its diplomatic agentsabroad. There
was never any foundation for such a statement, but
I presume it must have produced a certain effect,
inasmuch as the Austrian Minister for Foreign
Affairs thought it necessary some days since to de-
mand of the Fiench Minister at Vienna whether
his Government still considered itself as engaged
by the treaty of the 2d of December, or the con-
trary. The demand was accompanied by the most
positive declaration that Austria regarded herself
as much bound as ever by that instrument ; that
she was still the ally of France and England ; that
she held, and should hold, the Danubian Princi-
palities, but only as against Russia, and should
resist any attempt on the part of that Power to
invade or commit any act of hostility against the
Ottoman territory in that quarter. It is true
that in the present state of the war, confined as
its theatre by land was to the Crimea, there were
considerations of a paramount kind, not, how-
ever, relating to any regard for Russia, which
prevented her for the present to commence hos-
tilities, but that when the proper moment ar-
rived she should not hesitate to join the Allies,
and to fulfil the obligations she had volun-
tarily contracted, and means faithfully to ful-
fil. A good deal more passed on the same occa-
sion, but I believe I have given the substance
of the conversation. Iu a word, her explanations
were considered as satisfactory to the French
Government. Communications immediately took
place between _ Vienna and Paris, and between
these two capitals and London. The English Go-
vernment, on being made acquainted with these
assurances, given spontaneously, as I am led to be-
lieve, by the Cabinet at Vienna, not unnaturally
hesitated to give them credence. They feared that
it was little more than the repetition of the past ;
the same vagueness, the same fair professions
without meaning, or without the intention of ful-
filling them. Of the members of the English Cabi-
net, 1 suspect that Lord Palmerston was the least
disposed to take for granted the sincerity of Austria,
and the name of an august personage is mentioned
as sharing largely the incredulity of his lordship.
That this should be the case is not astonishing,
but if I am rightly informed, and my information
is derived from au excellent source, these
scruples gave way, and I believe at the moment
I write both Governments are rather satisfied than
otherwise—satisfied that Austria disclaims in a posi-
tive manner any sympathy with Russia ; that she
considers herself still the ally of France and Eng-
land, and prepared -on some future day to join the
policy of action which, up to the present day, they
tiave followed out alone. The Emperor of the
French, who had found it difficult to believe that
his young Imperial brother meant to act otherwise
than in the most honourable manner towards thetwo
Governments, but who subsequently found reasons
to change his mind, has again, I believe, returned to
his original impression, and has very recently ma-
nifested his satisfaction at the resumption of the
former friendly relations with Austria. Whether
these are destined to be again modified I cannot
say, no more than I can vouch fel. their actual
truth, but it is certain that the Russian clique at
Vienna, which had succeeded to a certain extent in
influencing the mind of the young Emperor, and was
lately so triumphant, has become, within the last
six or seven days, completely discouraged and in-
dignant. It so happened that the change to which
I refer took place during the short absence of
Prince Gortschakoff at Stuttgard. The Prince left
Vienna in the highest spirits, and confident of
the triumph of his policy. He returned to his
post, and found that all was completely changed ;
and he has expressed his disappointment and his
indignation in no very measured terms. The
Austrians at St. Petersburg, who were so
lately the objects of the most delicate atten-
tions, will again, I presume, be treated with the
same contumely as after the treaty of the 2d of
December. This state of the relations with
Austria has been communicated by the other di-
plomatic agents at Vienna to the respective
Governments, and I know of one whose resi-
dence for many years at that Court, and an inti-
mate uninterrupted intercourse with most of:
the leading personages of the day, ought to ren-
der him au authority on such subjects, who thinks
himself authorized to communicate his own fa-
vourable opinion to his Government.. Never-
theless, there are others, and those also versed in
political affairs, who are far from being so san-
guine, and who persist in doubting, if not the good
faith, at all events the possibility of Austria ever
drawing her sword against Russia.
On a very recent audience which Prince Gortscha •
koff had of the Emperor of Austria he did his ut,
most io obtain from his Majesty the formal accept-
ance of an engagement from Russia that she would
not attack the Danubian Principalities so long as the
Austrians continued to occupy them. The Prince
at once wrote off to St. Petersburg, to say that the
Emperor had accepted the engagement, and sub-
sequently stated so to M. do Buol. M. de Buol un-
hesitatingly and bluntly told the Prince that he did
not credit the statement, and invited him to repeat
it in the presence of the Emperor himself. The
Prince did so, when the Emperor, in the most posi-
tive terms, contradicted the Prince—or himself.
Who shall say ? If the young Emperor spoke the
'nab, as I hope he did, it is rather surprising that
any ambassador, and especially a Russian, should
so misunderstand what was said to him.'