The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-17 00:00:00

THE POLISH QUESTION,

REPLIES OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE.
BERLIN, AUG, 17.
Letters received here from St. Petersburg'respect-
ing the contents of the notes of the Western Powers
state that the purport of the French note is of a
thoroughly pacific nature, and that the English
note, although couched in terms of the most perfect
courtesy, is rather more reserved, although
maintaining the same sense.

Both notes persevere in the proposals formerly
made by the Powers to Russia. They regret that
Russia has not consented to accept the six points,
the project of a conference, and an armistice, but
hope that after mature consideration the Go%ern-
meat of the Emperor will arrive at a different con-
elusion. While both Powers make Russia respon-
sible for future consequences they declare that after
having
fulfilled the duties imposed upon them by
humanity
and the right interpretation of treaties,
they must for the present confine themselves to
repeating their former observations with increased
emphasis.

N.
Drown de Lhuys and Earl Russell further
declare themselves willing to await the measures
which the Russian Government may adopt, in the
hope that they
will lead to peace.
Nothing authentic has transpired with respect to
the contents of the Austrian Note.
It is believed that Prince Gortschakoff will take
some time before forwarding his replies to the
notes, as the Emperor left yesterday for Novgorod,
and will certainly not return for at least ten days.

CONGRESS AT FRANKFORT.
FRANKFORT-ON-MAINE, AUG. 17.
The following are stated in diplomatic circles to
be the basis of the Austrian programme for Federal

reform :

A Directory of five, consisting of Austria, Prussia,
Bavaria, and two other German Powers to be

chosen.

of the Princes;
A Federal Council of permanent representatives
of German States : an Upper House to be composed
and an Assembly of Delegates from
the German Diet, 300 in number, half of whom
will be sent by the Austrian and Prussian Diets,
the remainder by the other German Diets. Two-
thirds of the Delegates are to be chosen by the
Lower Houses of the Diets of the German States,
and one-third by the Upper Houses.
The powers of the Federal Assembly to be in-
creased. Some principles
the right of
to be adopted, viz.—a lae
sdw :ea:
The sessions to be triennial.
domicile; a general press law ; a general law re-
specting associations, for the establish-
The Congress will positively be opened at 11 a.m.
Princes
to-day, in the presence of the German
only.
law
lyiuniaatzl legislation

A report, although not unlikely to be well-
founded, is in circulation that the assembled Princes
will forward to Prussia
a friendly invitation to be

present at the Congress.
Several
German journals, and especially the
North German Gazette, declare openly against the
assembling of the Sovereigns. After declaring that
if the Frankfort Parliament finished unhappily in
a position
1849, the reason was simply because in the reform
of the constitution, it paid attention to the people
ttahielupreersbornssuwchbo,a:lose
only, that journal adds :—" The Congress of Princes
i s abo u t t o com m i t t hilei c p pos
compromisei t ef a ul tt.h
themselves
voevseprbenyingtphnl
the
public in
are going to deliberate on a course which the
will probably reject as insufficient. Only, in
rnagnciins Joseph the
latter case, the dangeridiesasso,imt
mucuhstthbeegdreecalaterer,df,raorme
public
p enterpriseoortfiwhich
portion
ioc
fhbFei
the
which does not admit of their exposing themselves."
The Constitutionnel in noticing the language just
quoted says—"
Ger-
manysna re d; bybu
but if
i certain e
thert a i n
tang
has
assumed the initiative has its difficulties,
opinion will always give the young Emperor credit
f,,r his liberal intentions, and it is impossible that
they should retain without some result.,,
" The Congress of Frankfort,"remarhs ter, Temps,
''The ... emp,
" has decidedly given a terrible blow to King'
liam and Count de Bismark. Strange things
Wa-
ge things are
said on the subject, and the Austrian journals in
particular, make Queen Augusta play a very active
part in the late proceedings at Gastein. The
of
Queen is said to have invoked her title mother
to obtain that her son, the
Prince R
should at least be consulted in an affair
an affair in
which the throne is so seriously engaged. It
was in consequence of that appeal that
summoned the Prince-Royal to , the King
Gastein by tele-
graph. Comments have not been
wanting on the
subject of the interview between father and son.
According to a letter, the -to
- rinee-noyal declared
himself very warmly against
theabstention of
Prussia. In his opinion, the King ought to reply
to the initiative of Austria by proposing
ference of Sovereigns the formation of a national
representation, the result of direct
Wiliiam is said not to
have
been election. King
convinced of the
efficacy of that plan, and accordingly refused."
" A Democratic meeting,” says the Siecle, "is
to be held at Frankfort after
th
Sove-
reigns, and will be most °Congress of
numerous;Sove-
deputies have already an t
nearly 500
announced h
attend. The reform their intention to
proposed by Austria will
therefore be amply discussed.
the German deputies The meeting of
will
with-
out having also the
tseparate
treated
which cannot be
solved, the journals
Polish question,
says
beyond the Rhine, W •
ithout the " '
of Germany. •We participation
most h
Germany join the Western artily desire to sea
her interests and Powerssympathies
in this matter;
of such a course, but
pathies are all in favour
is the question. What i can she take it ? That
s called the
Fatherland is only El collection of great German
presented by petty small States re-
pions and views; i potentates all opposed in opi-
t is very doubtful that
these miniature soverany decision •, it eigns can or will come to
will therefore be for the delegates
at Frankfort to replace them, and
to give utterance to a powerful German protest in
favour of Poland."