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

TEE, 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
3ote, 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 atter mature consideration the Govern-
ment of the Emperor will arrive at a different con-
clusion. While both Powers make Russia respon-
sible for future consequences they declare that after
baying 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.

M. Droun de Lhuys and Eall 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.

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

on ;y.

A report, although not unlikely to be well-
blinded, is in circulation that the assembled Princes
will iorward to Prussia a friendly invitation to be
present at the Congress.
Several German journals, and especially the
North German Gazette, declare openly against the
, from
assembling of the Sovereigns. After declaring that
if the Frankfort Parliament finished unhappily in
1849, the reason was simply because in the reform
of the constitution, it paid attention to the people
only, that journal adds :--.‘The Congress of Princes
is about to commit the opposite fault. The Sovereigns
arc going to deliberate on a course which the people
the
latter will probably
case,
t h
er
dangere ject as i
einsufficient.the
gaOrnelyter, in
the persons who will compromise themselves by the
tnonsee lii ideas, a noticingmust
t h
bee l
declared,n are
seared by a certain portion of the public inguagejust
failure of such an enterprise being in a position
which does not admit of their exposing themselves.),
quotedTh says—" The
Constit,u,
Ger-
many ; but if the task of which Francis Joseph has
assumed the initiative has its difficulties, public
opinion will always give the young Emperor credit
cre i
f,,r his liberal intentions, and it is impossible that
they should remain without some result."
" The Congress of Frankfort,"remarks the Temps,
" has decidedly given a terrible blow
to King Wil-
liam and Count de Bismark. Strange 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
Queen is said to have invoked her ti •
tle of mother
to obtain that her eon, the
Prince Royal,
should at least be consulted in an affair in
which the throne is so seriously engaged. It
was in consequence of that that appeal the King
summoned the Prince-Royal to G t .
as ein by tele-
graph. Comments have not been wanting on the',
subject of the interview
between
father and son.
According to a letter, the Prince• Royal declared
himself very warmly against the abstention of
Prussia. In his opinion, the King
to the initiative of
Austria by ought to reply
formation of a national
proposing at the Con •
ference of Sovereigns the
representation, the result ofdirect
William is said not to have
been convinced of the
efficacy of that plan, and ac •
cordingly refused."
" A Democratic meeting
to be held at Frankfort after the,"saysCongressthe Siecle, "is
Sove-
reigns, and will be
most of
deputies have already numerous; nearly 500
eady announced their intention to
attend. The reform
proposed by Austria will
therefore be apply discussed. The meeting of
the German deputies will not
separate with-
out
having alBO treated the Pulish
which cannot be question,
solved,
beyond the Rhine, says the journals
of Germany. 'We most
without the participation
join the most heartily desire to see
Germany
Western Powers in "
her interests and
sympathies are all in favour
of such a Course, but can she take it? That
is the question, 'What is
called the great German
Fatherland is 1
only a collection
presented by petty potentates all opposed in opi-
nions and views
it is very doubtful that
these miniature
sovereigns can or will come to
any decision; it
will therefore be for the delegates
about to assemble at Frankfort to replace them, and
to give utterance to a powerful German protest in
favour
01
Poland,"