The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-27 00:00:00

THE RUSSIAN REPLY TO AUSTRIA.

Subjoined is the despatch sent by the Russian
Cabinet in answer to the Austrian Note on the state
of Poland. It is addressed to M. Balabine, Rus
sian Ambassador at Vienna :

" St. Petersburg, July 14.
" Sir,—From the commencement of the troubles in the
Kingdom of Poland we comprehended the just interest which
the Austrian Government ought to take in ac s which were
passing in its immediate neighbourhood, and whiCh might
react on:the tranquillity of its Polish provinces. Although
up to the present time the insurrection has concentrated all
its efforts within the Kingdom of Poland, and although it
was rather the elements of disorder found in the bordering
provinces belonging to other Powers which have flowed
back towards that centre of conflagration and supplied it
with fresh ailment, the most simple foresight sufficed to in-
dicate that those deplorable events could not receive any
solution which would not interest in an equal degree the
neighbouring States,

Accordingly we hastened to invite the Cabinet of Vienna
to an interchange of ideas. We beheld with a lively satis-
faction that it did not misunderstand that desire
friendly understanding founded on our common interests,
fora
in face of eventualities foreseen by the abettors of the
insur-
rection, and who, in spite of the transparent veil with which
they cover their proceedings, tend to consequences which
might affect in the end the integrity itself of the States of
his Austrian Majesty.
" The Count de Rechberg recommends to the considera-
tion of the Russian Cabinet some measures which, in his
opinion, might lead to the pacification of the Kingdom of
Poland. His Excellency is too welt informed of the real
state of things in that country for me to direct his attention
to the fact that several of these measures exist already, and
that others involve general principles which are not con-
trary in their essential points to the development which our
august master has reserved to himself to give to the present
institutions of the kingdom whenever his Majesty may deem
that the proper moment has arrived.
" The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, besides,
himself admits that the greater part of those ideas enter the
the plan which the Emperor has traced out; but his Excel-
lency will, without doubt, also allow that they cannot be ap-
plied with any chance of success until material order has
been re-established. Count Rechberg will certainly com-
prehend that so long as that condition, indispensable to the
salutary action of the Government, shall not have been ful-
filled, all attempt at organisation in the kingdom will fail;
on the one hand, before the same obstacles which the pre-
sent disorders have hitherto opposed to it, and on the other,
before the moral encouragement which the hope of an active
intervention from abroad should necessarily bring to the
wildest aspirations of the insurrection.
" It depends much on the great Powers to dissipate those
illusions, to disappoint those calculations, and to accelerate
the termination of this situation in taking into serious con-
sideration that essential side of the question which, in our
opinion, makes it a danger to Europe.
" We shall always be disposed to exchange our ideas on
this subject with each of them in toe course of our diplo-
matic relations, and with the sincere desire of arriving at an
understanding.
" As to deliberations at a conference in which the Powers
that signed the general treaty of Vienna on June 9, 1815,
should take part, we do not shut our eyes to the interest
which those Powers ought to take in the present situation
of that country, inasmuch as it can disturb the general re-
pose and equilibrium founded by the treaty in which they
took part; nor do we contest their right to interpret the
meaning of that act according to their own views; but we
cannot admit either the opportuneness or the practical utility
of submitting to their deliberation questions connected with
the most intimate details of the administration of the king •
dom. No great Power could am pt such a direct interference
in its internal affairs ; and, besides, it is not either in the
spirit or in the letter of existing treaties, and would only
have the effect of throwing back the pacification to which
the wishes and the efforts of the Powers are tending by in-
creasing the pretensions of the Polish ag,tators by all the
prestige which it would remove from the sovereign au-
thority.
" Count de Rechberg, in making his eventual adhesion
dependent on such a combination, on the previous consent
of the Russian Cabinet, has foreseen, with a sentiment
of the dignity which our august master has fully appreci-
at. d, the imposibility of our admitting it. We are gratified
to recognise in this reserve a new proof of the friendly dis-
positions of the Cabinet of Vienna, and an evidence of tne
justice with which Count de Rechberg judges the situation.
" The course which was followed in 1815 seems to us to
indicate clearly the deliberations which can be established on
questions affecting, on the one hand, a general interest, and
on the other administrative details in the exclusive do-
main of the confining sovereign States At that time
a distinction was practically established between these two
categories of interests. The former were the object of se
parate negotiations on the part of the Courts of Russia,
Austria, and Prussia, between which the traditions of his-
tory, permanent contact, and immediate neighbourhood
created a close solidarity. All the arrangements destined
to regulate the internal administration and mutual relations
of the Polish territories placed under their respective domi •
nation since the Congress of Vienna were embodied in se-
parate treaties, concluded directly between those three
Courts on the 21st of April (the 3d of May), 1815. They
were successfully completed by a series of special conven-
tions, whenever circumstances required. The general prin-
ciples mentioned in those treaties which could interest
Europe were alone inserted in the Act of the Congress
of Vienna, signed on the 27th of May (9th of June) by
all the Powers called to bike dart therein.
"At the present moment these general principles are not
in question, but the administrative details and internal ar-
rangements might be beneficially discussed between the
three Powers, in order to place the respective position of
their Polish possessions, affected by the stipulations of the
treaties of 1815, in harmony with present necessities and
the progress of time. The Russian Cabinet declares itself
ready to en. er at once into such an understanding with the
Cabinets of Vienna and Berlin.
" Our august master has too much confidence in the con-
ciliatory sentiments and views of the Emperor of Austria
not to be persuaded that an understanding on these bases
would lead to results equally satisfactory for the common
interests of the three Courts, the prosperity of their Polish
subjects, and the general considerations which connect these
questions with the repose and equilibrium of Europe.
" You will please to read this letter to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Austria, and leave his Excellency a copy.
" Accept, &c.,
" GORTSCHAKOFF."