The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-29 00:00:00

Italian Diplomatic Correspondence.

FLORENCE, Dec. 25.
The Green-book recently laid before the Italian
Parliament contains the following interesting docu-
ments bearing upon the late war :
THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE
ITALIAN MINISTER AT BERLIN.
" FLORENCE, March 9.

" Signor Conte—General Govone, the bearer of
this despatch, is charged to fulfil a mission of special
importance towards the Prussian Government. He
possesses the entire confidence of the King and of
his Government, and I beg you, Signor Ministro,
to present him in this quality to his Excellency
Count Bismarck, and, according to circumstances,
to his Majesty King William. General Govone
knows the views of the King's Government as to
the respective situation of Prussia and Austria.
You are aware, Signor Ministro, that our resolu-
tions depend upon those that may be taken by
Prussia upon the engagements she is disposed to
contract, and lastly upon the extent of the aim she
pursues. If Prussia is ready to enter with decision
and thoroughly upon a policy which would ensure
her greatness in Germany; if, in presence of Aus-
tria's persistence in following a hostile policy to-
wards Prussia and towards Italy, war is an even-
tuality really accepted by the Prussian Government;
if, lastly, they are disposed at Berlin to come to an
effective agreement with Italy in view of definite
ends, we believe the time has come for Prussia no
longer to delay in frankly opening her mind to us,
and we are ready to enter with her into an exchange
of communication which will enable her to appre-
ciate how far our intentions are serious. The object
of General Govone's mission is to assure himself of the
military combinations which, in consequence of the
existing political situation, the Government of his
Majesty the King of Prussia might wish to concert
with us for common defence. The members of the
Berlin Cabinet, or the Court personages who should
be appointed by the King or the President of the
Council to enter into relations with Gen. Govone,
will be able (and you will give the formal assurance
of this fact to whomsoever it should be necessary) to
come to an understanding with him with all the
clearness and precision the object of this mission
requires, and with the certainty of the especial im-
portance we shall attach to whatever may be trans-
mitted to us through his medium. Your good
offices and your enlightened suggestions, Signor
Ministro, will be very useful to General Govone,
and I beg you to let him have them without reserve.
He, upon his part, is not unaware of the personal
authority you enjoy, and how highly your counsels
deserve consideration. The distinguished qualities
of General Govone, and the missions he has already
fulfilled, are an additional guarantee to me that this
mission will attain the end marked out for it, and
which consists, as I have just observed, in clearly
defining the respective situations of Italy and Prussia
in presence of the pending complications in Europe.
—Receive, &c.,

" DE LAMARMORA."

Upon the 3d of April General de Lamarinora
wrote to Count Barral, at Berlin, communicating
the bases upon which au agreement might be esta-

PRICF 4d.
STAMPED....Sd

blished betweeu the two Governments. The d
spateh says :

" Animated by the desire of guaranteeing and
consolidating general peace, and taking into account
the needs of their nations, the two Sovereigns con-
clude an alliance to advance the progress of Libera
institutions by the exclusion of Austria. 1. To
support, should it be necessary, the proposals made
by his Prussian Majesty with regard to reform of the
Federal Constitution in a sense adapted to the wants
of the German nation. 2. To obtain the cession to
the Kingdom of Italy of all the Italian territory
subject to AuStria. The Government expresses the
desire that the work of Italian liberation, com-
menced in 1849, with the aid of France, should be
accomplished by means of a war of independence in
common with the Prussian army. Italy will be
happy to assist Prussia against the designs of Aus-
tria,
Prussia placing herself at the head of the
national party in Germany by convoking the Par-
liament which has long been the desire of the Ger-
man nation, and by effecting in Germany what has
been done in Italy."

Upon the 7th of May the Chevalier di Nigra
wrote to General Larnarmora to inform him that,
conformably to his instructions, he has told M.
Drouyn de Lhuys that Italy had no intention of
taking the initiative of war against Austria. Cheva-
lier di Nigra at the same time stated to the French
Minister that it was not a question of Italy under-
taking any engagement, which, in fact, nobody had
asked, but that he was simply. desirous of making
known what were' the intentions of the Italian
Government up to that time. Upon the 20th Gen.
de Lamarora wrote to Count Barral at Berlin that
the provocative movements of Austria had forced
Italy to put her army upon a war footing. After
having led to the expectation of an attack upon
Italy and Prussia, Austria wished to deny the
threatening situation she had created. She affected
a defensive attitude in face of armaments of which
she was the cause. The Italian army had taken up
a purely defensive attitude upon the Po. If Prussia
and Italy were at war with Austria, the Italian
army would second all the movements of the
Prussian troops. King William had deigned to 1
express the conviction that nothing would destroy
the ties of amity uniting Italy to France. General
de Lainarmora confirmed this view and hoped that
the friendship of France would be considered by
Prussia as a new pledge for the efficaciousness of the
Prusso-Italian alliance. Upon June 17 General
de Lainarmora telegraphed to Count Barral that,
taking note of the official announcement of the
opening of hostilities in Germany, Italy would de-
clare war against Austria without delay. The fol-
lowing documents refer to the armistice and the
peace :

THE ITALIAN MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO

(Extract.)

CAVALIEID4 DI NIGRA.
66 FLORENCE, July 5.
_

'• His Majesty the King received the following
telegram to-night from the Emperor of the
French :

" Paris, July s.—Sire, the Emperor of Austria,
adhering to the ideas pointed out in my letter to M.
Drouy n de Lhuys, cedes me Venetia, declaring him-
self ready to accept a mediation to bring about peace
between the belligerents. The Italian army has had
the opportunity of proving its valour. Bloodshed
becomes useless, and Italy may attain in an honour-
able way the object of her fitting aspirations by
means of an agreement with me, upon which it will
be easy to come to an understanding. I have
written to the King of Prussia, to acquaint him
with this situation, and to propose to him for Ger-
many, as I do to your Majesty for Italy, the con-
clusion of an armistice as preliminary to negotia-
tions for peace.

"'NAPOLEON.' "

his Majesty replied by thanking the Emperor for
the interest he took in the cause of Italy, reserving
to himself to consult his Government, and to learn
the intention of his ally, the King of Prussia, upon
this very serious proposal :
" As to an armistice or a suspension of arms, the
Government of the King must remain faithful to
its twofold duty—first towards Prussia, which, not
having yet notified to us her acceptance, has the
right to expect upon our part the continuance of
military operations ; secondly, towards the Italian
populations subject to Austria who are not com-
prised in the administrative confines of Venetia,
and whose deliverance must be the object of all our
efforts."

SIGNOR VISCONTI VENOSTA TO COUNT BA1:IL1L AT

BERLIN.

FLORENCE, July 5.

" Be good enough to ascertain with the greatest
solicitude the intentions of the Prussian Govern-
ment as to the proposal of mediation and armistice
made by the Emperor of the French. I have for-
warded you by telegraph the reply made to this
proposal by his Majesty the King. Our loyalty
and the unanimous wish of the Italian nation assure
the Prussian Government the continuance of our
co-operation as far as it may wish to ask it. We
desire in every way and without delay to come to an
understanding with it upon the conditions to be
established in common between Italy and Prussia,
to be in in a position to reply to the proposal of the
Emperor of the French."

CHEVALIER DI NIG RA TO SIGNOR VISCONTI
VENOSTA.

I" PARIS, Jab' 5_ „.
tg m. Drouyn de Lhuys begged me to-day to
eau
at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
upon urgent
business. He told me first of all that it was impos-
sible to let me know earlier
what had taken place,
as the facts about which he wished to speak to me
happened late in the night. He informed me that
Prince Metternich had received a telegram from
Vienna last by
night, which he was placed in a posi-
tion to state that Austria, acceding to the ideas ex-
pressed by the Emperor Napoleon in his letter of
June 11, ceded Venetia to France, and accepted
French mediation to bring about peace between the
belligerent Powers. The Emperor Napoleon had
accepted this proposition, and had addressed
himself directlf to the Kings of Prussia and
Italy to obtain an armistice. For this pur-
pose the Emperor had forwarded unabbreviated
both sovereigns. In that ad-
telegrams to
dressed to
the King of Prussia, the Emperor ap-
pealed to sentiments of generosity and moderation.
In that sent to the King of Italy, the Emperor spoke
of the cession of Venetia made to him by Austria,
and added that agreement as to handing the pro-
vince over to Italy would not be difficult. M. Drouyn
de ',buys asked me if I knew what the King had re-
plied. I told his excellency that the King had
hastened to reply, and had thanked the Emperor for
the interest he took in Italy. That, as to the pro-
, posal, it was too serious to decide upon without con-
sulting his Government, and before coming to an
arrangement with his Majesty the King of Prussia,
with whom he was leagued by alliance and a com-
mon war. The Minister for Foreign Affairs then
proceeded to explain to me the considerations which
should incline the King and his Government to ac-
cept the Emperor's proposal. He said that the
valour of the Italian army had had the opportunity
of displaying itself, and that the enemy himself had
done justice to the arms of the King ; that from the
moment Italy received Venetia her aspirations would
find themselves satisfied, and that there was no
longer cause why fresh bloodshed should be pro-
voked
upon our part ; lastly, that the cession made
to France would constitute a moral guarantee for
the preservation of Venetia by Italy—a considera-
tion which should have weight in the minds of the
King's Government. I replied that for the moment
I coulc only confirm what his Majesty had written
to the Emperor, and I specially pointed out to M.
Drouyn de Lhuys that Italy, being bound by au
alliance, could not either conclude a paace or an
armistice separately. Further, without prejudice,
to the resolutions that might be arrived at
iu this respect by the King and his . Govern- 1