The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-15 00:00:00

PRUSSIAf CIRCULAR.

The subjoined is a translation of a Prussian de-
spatch addressed by Baron Manteuffel, the Prus-
sian Minister of Foreign. Affairs, to Count Arnim,
Prussian Ambassador at• Vienna, in reply to the
communication made on the 23d of January to the
Berlin Cabinet by Count George Esterhazy, in the
name of the Austrian Cabinet, of the proposals
which Austria has since submitted to the Diet on
the subject of the new phase into which the Eastern
question has entered :

" BERLIN, Feb. 3.
"My despatch of the 25th of January was already in
your Excellency's hands when on the 23d of January
Count Esterhazy communicated to me the Austrian
despatch, of which a copy is annexed, of the 25th of
January : --
" The annex to that despatch, the declaration which
Austria has the intention to make to the Diet, has natu-
rally been the subject of our serious consideration. If the
Vienna Cabinet, before deciding upon it, had con-
sulted us on the subject, we might have been able to
point out a desirable modification, and we could not at
first sight have decided in the negative the question as to
whether it would not be better to adjourn for a time
the communication to the Diet.

"That consideration, however, did not prevent us
from standing by the decision of the Enperial Cabinet as
soon as it was taken, actuated by that sincere desire of
which we have given so many proofs, of seeing the Diet
come to a resolution upon it, rendering testimony to the
union of Germany and of the two great Powers, in so
far as such resolution is reconcileable with the dignity
and with the real interests of the German Confedera-
tion.

" We are convinced that our German Allies recognise
like ourselves, and with sincere satisfaction, that the
preliminaries accepted by the belligerent Powers form
an acquired basis for a speedy peace. I already stated
in my despatch of the 26th of Jan., that Prussia, in her
quality of a European Power, is ready to adopt that
basis, in procuring which she is convinced she contri-
buted on her part in the interests of the peace of Europe,
when the moment came for decision to intervene ; to
adopt it, I say, in a manner not to admit of any further
ajournment or compromise, by signing the prelimi-
naries and by participating in the negotiations connected
therewith, if invited thereto by the Powers interested.
" Prussia, in taking this position as a European
Power is equally conscious of her duties as a German
Power, as well towards the whole German Confederation
as to wards her particular German allies. She must there-
fore suppose, as regards the latter, that they also will
be disposed to recognise the basis acquired by the entente
of all the Powers interested as a guarantee of a
proximate peace and as a protection of German in-
terests, and that they will also be ready to maintain
that basis in the same measure as it will be made
possible for them to do so in their quality of
members of the German Confederation, to form an
unbiased judgment ou the points which might
become the object of contradictory views and preten-
sions, and which might cause the delay of, or even put
a stop to, the negotiations. The Imperial Cabinet will
share our opinions that a suitable representation of the
Confederation itself at the negotiations would, therefore,
be a very efficacious measures and therefore very de-
sirable iu the general interests.

"The Atnbassader of the King to the Diet will be
charged to express himself in the eense of the above re•
flections in the Committee to which Count Rechberg
proposes referring the declaration of Austria, and we
confideopy hope that he will be thus put in a position
to co-operate efficaciously to bring about a prompt and
unanimous resolution from the Diet.
"MANTEUFFEL."