The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-12 00:00:00

GERMANY.

Accounts from Vienna, of the 6th, state that the
Deputies of the German Governments, who were
to deliberate on the question of the formation of a
Customs
.Union, met on the preceding day. They
were received by the President of the Council, Prince
Schwarzenberg; the Minister of Finance and Com-
merce, Baumgartner ; the Minister Counsellor,
De Kock; and Baron Thierry. The following
States were represented at this Congress :
Bavaria, by Count Lerechenfeld, Koefering, Dr.
Herman ; Saxony, Baron Kconeritz ; Hanover,
M. Albrecher ; Wurtemburgh, Baron de Linden;
Baden, Baron de Audlaw ; Electoral Hesse, Baron
de Schaten ; Ducal Hesse, Baron de Brcechenfelt ;
Brunswick, Baron de Zedlitz ; Oldenburg, M. de
Phillippsburg ; Frankfort, M. Koester ; Bremen,
Lubeck, and Hamburgh, M. de Graffen.
Prince SCLIWARZENBERG addressed the Congress as
follows :
" Tho Emperor, my master, has charged me to ex-
press to you, gentlemen, his acknowledgments for the
zeal with which your Governments have responded to
the invitations which ho addressed to them. You are
already aware of the object of the Austrian
Government by the circular which was addressed to
your Governments on the 25th of November last. This
object is to deliberate on a future treaty to effect the
commercial and customs union of Germany with Austria.
"At this moment certain minds are occupied with
the idea that besides the intention expressed, there ex-
ists another which is concealed, or at least that the
realization of our views would put in ituv. ird the existing
commercial and customs union. While I declare that
this inquietude is unfounded, I regret much that all the
members of the Confederation are not represented here,
for I could convince them of the nature of the negotia-
tions, their common utility, and the possibility of agreeing
to them."
The PRINCE then pressed upon the Assembly that
a conviction on their minds of the utility of the plans
about which they were to deliberate would soon pro-
duce general satisfection. He then went on as
follows :
The more the present deliberations prove our inten-
tions the more the Imperial Government will consider
that you will grant your cordial cooperation
in
bringing this affair to a good end. The success of the
enterprise depends on the durable satisfaction given
to the desires and wants of the German people,
as well as to the unity and power of the Germanic Con-
federation, and consequently to the true well-being of
Germany, to which Austria is so intimately allied.
There aro difficulties in the way, but experience proves
that those difficulties are notainsurmountable; and we
find in the Zollverein founded by Prussia, and the treaty
concluded on the 7th of September between Hanover
and Prussia, instructive examples, that prove, not only
the possibility, but also the means of overcoming ob-
stacles which are in reality only great in appearance.
" The difference which exists between the position of
Austria and the other German states, which, until now,
have formed part of the Zollverein, is less marked, and
offers fewer difficulties to the realisation of a customs and
commercial union than the contrasts which have existed,
and now exist, between the respective members of the;
Zollverein. Nevertheless, a determined will and a loyal
and firm spirit have established this community,
ogl
serves to maintain it by perseverance and mutual con-
cessions. Thus a commercial and customs union more
extended i
between Germany and Austria could not only
be established n the same manner, but even more easily,
seeing that the whole extent of the territory favours the
conclusion of this union, elevating its utility and limiting
as much as possible the obstacles incident to it, and
which present themselves even in the best systems of
customs.
"If the foundation of, such a union is considered desir-
able, and even indispensable' for the general good, and also
realisable, it could not be effected at a more favourable
moment than the present. Tho want of this tinion is
generally felt and proclaimed in political writings and
treatises as the final object of all commercial politics. It
has become possible for Austria, after the prepara-
tions which she has made for a long time,
to adopt the same customs system for which