The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-19 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, Feb. 18.
The following Message of the Imperial Govern-
ment has been communicated to all the Diets which
assembled to-day :

" In convoking an extraordinary meeting of the
Reichsrath, the Emperor was guided by the intention
to insure to all the kingdoms and countries not be-
longing to the Hungarian Crown the means of giving
an equal vote in the solution of the Constitutional
question, as promised by the Patent of September,
18G5, and at the same time to afford the basis of
coming to an understanding and settlement of the
different claims and views upon questions of right
prevailing in those countries. The intention of the
Emperor did not meet everywhere with the hoped-
for appreciation. Indeed_ it was subjected to much

misinterpretation, as though the Government in-
tended thereby to curtail or even permanently to
withdraw the Constitutional rights granted by the
October Diploma and February Patent. However
greatly the Government regretted these views and
declared them to be without foundation, it neverthe-
less could not conceal from itself the fact that the
attainment of an object viewed in that manner was
considerably endangered. To these considerations
has since been added a circumstance full of impor-
tant consequences, and one which rendered persist-
' ence in the course which had been entered upon no
longer consistent with the object held in view. Later
negotiations have led to the gratifying result that the
Hungarian Diet may be confidently expected to
give its assent to propositions which are calculated
to preserve the power of the whole monarchy, and
which on being carried into execution will pro-
bably give to that power a successful development.
The preliminary condition of au arrangement with
Hungary has been the appointment of a respon-
sible Hungarian Ministry. The leading idea
which the Government entertained on con-
voking the Extraordinary Reichsrath was hereby
anticipated, and the important question arose
whether in this state of things it was not to the in-
terest of the Empire that that the convocation of
the Extraordinary Reichsrath should be abandoned.
Guided by the following considerations, the Go-
vernment has felt bound to decide that question in
the affirmative. During a long course of years the
constitutional organisation of the monarchy has suf-
fered from hitherto inseparable contradictions be-
tween the older rights of the Hungarian constitution
and the liberal institutions which the Emperor has
made it the aim of his lice to establish throughout
the monarchy. During the continuance of this
conflict the restoration of the greatness of the Em-
pire and the historical position it has so long occu-
pied among the other States of Europe is not to be
hoped for, and, owing to the relations which have
arisen out of the recent calamities, every new delay
that occurs in the settlement of pending questions is
fraught with the most decided disadvantages. If,
however, a solution is now arrived at, the object
which the Emperor had in view in suspending the
Constitution by means of the February patent would
thereby appear to be fully accomplished. This
measure, therefore, owing to the preliminary ar-
rangement with Hungary, is now no logger neces-
sary. A means has thus occurred of returning to a
constitutional course, and the Government is thus
afforded an opportunity of explaining to the Diets
about to assemble the negotiations it has entered
upon, and of justifying the measures it has
adopted. The Emperor has, therefore, issued a
decree, dated the 2d instant, ordering that the in-
tended meeting of the Extraordinary Reichsrath
shall be abandoned, and that the Constitutional
Reichsrath shall assemble in Vienna on the 18th
of March, when the amendments to the Con-
stitution, necessitated by the arrangement with
Hungary, will be submitted to that body for ap-
proval. After this the Reichsrath will deliberate on
various measures relating severally to the sending of
delegates to assemblies for the discussion of common
affairs ; to the questions of Ministerial responsibi-
lity; the modification of paragraph 13 of the Feb-
ruary Patent ; extension of the constitutional self-
government of the different provinces of the empire ;
the reorganisation of the army, the improvement of
the administration of justice, and the promotion of
the economical interests of the country. The Go-
vernment hopes the Diets will proceed forthwith to
the election of members to the Constitutionalßeichs-
rath, and thereby contribute to bring about the
termination of a constitutional crisis which has al
ready lasted too long."