The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-31 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1866.

All seems progressing favourably towards a Con-
gress, and the various countries appear willing to
accede to the invitations to the Conference. Austria
has declared that she accepts the arrangement pro-
posed, because she is unwilling to frustrate by her
refusal this last effort at peace. The principal points
in the programme that Austria has drawn up for
the Conference are—the categorical refusal of all
propositions relative to the cession of Venetia ; the
solution of the Schleswig-Holstein question, which
is to be effected by a convocation of the
estates of these duchies; and the Conference
is not to be competent to discuss a proposal
for a reform of the Federal Constitution. If
these rules be adhered to the original plan
of the Conference will be almost entirely departed
from, but it is not likely that the Vienna Govern-
ment will be able to carry out their wishes in this
respect, for if Venetia be banished from the discus-
sion Italy will feel very much aggrieved, and her
representative is not likely to work very earnestly
in forwarding the labours of the Conference ; while,
on the other hand, if the Federal Reform be left
out of the programme, Prussia will certainly be
much annoyed. On the whole, it seems strange that
Austria should make such a proposition ; but per-
haps she does it to save time, and not seem
to agree too readily to the affair, as all
know her grievous unwillingness to a Con-
gross or a Conference at all. The semi-
official Abendpost declares that the items of the
publication of the Prussian Staatscnneiger do not in
reality amount to a programme at all, and are not
a true indication of the proposals of Prussia. The
Abendpost adds very truly, that " It is only just to
expect that Prussia should now make propositions
of a positive and definite character." The fact is
that the Berlin Cabinet are most occult in their
management of affairs, and it is all almost impossible
to define what they would be at exactly. Herr
Blsm ncli must be pretty well convinced by this time
of the estimation in which he is held, and he is
therefore afraid to appear too openly in the prose-
cution of his plans. In order to effect his object the
better the Prussian Minister has intimated to the
Government of Electoral Hesse that a war between
Austria and Prussia will involve the dissolution of
the Germanic Confoderation. How absurd this is,
but of course it is a trick to conceal a purpose. One
thing in which the Prussian Cabinet has had to
change its policy in a noteable manner is in the
question of the neutrality of the German States.
Whereas, at the outset of this dispute, it
seemed it was pretty plainly intimated that
Prussia would proceed to extremities against
all those States which did not aid her in the
struggle, she has now declared that she will respect
the sovereignty of all those States " which do not
assume an anti-Prussian attitude."

A strong Russian corps of observation has been
concentrated on the frontiers of Prussia, Silesia,
and Gallicia. All things tend to show the dangers
that Prussia will incur in the event of a war, and
what with a French army of observation in one
direction and a Russian in another, she will have
enough to do. It will be better for the Prussian
rulers to take timely warning, and not to provoke a
struggle in which they may be worsted to a great
extent, and in which at the best they must lose a great
deal. Prussia, in her Note of acceptance as to the
Conference, intimated that they must reserve to the
Diet the decision on the question of Federal reform.
Those who have been at such pains to orga-
nise this Congress must already be very tired of it,
and eagerly desire its close. Nothing is more
aggravating than to try to help those who will not
help themselves, and this is conspicuously the case
as regards the German Powers, to say nothing
of Italy, where the rage for war seems
likely to overrule the considerations of pru-
dence and to cast reason to the winds.
The French Government seem to have done the best
they could for the attainment of their ends. Their
Note of invitation to the Conference has been pub-
lished at Frankfort, and ably represents the neces-
sities of the case. It states that the Conference has
for its object the diplomatic settlement of the ques-
tions of Schleswig-Holstein and Venetia, and also
of Federal reform, inasmuch a 3 it relates to the
European equilibrium. It concludes by expressing
an earnest wish, on the part of the Government
of the EMPEROR, that those Powers who
have made preparations for war would suspend
their armaments in the event of their accepting
the proposed Conference, even if they "should
scruple to restore their military establishments en-
tirely to a peace footing." This is quite fair and
reasonable, and we hope that the parties concerned
will have the just sense to agree to the demand, be-
cause it will entirely spoil the work of mediation if
wars, and rumours of wars, are constantly springing
up in all directions. Besides, it will be
very a
con-
venient excuse for unwilling Powers to make to any
request that is made that there is no chance of
peace, and therefore no need to make this
or that sacrifice to preserve it. Prussia has given
one sign of acquiescence in countermanding the
departure of the regiments of Guards, which were
to have gone into cantonments in the environs of
Berlin. From the tone of the Berlin journals it
does not appear that the Ministry expect to gi •
ve up
the Elbe Duchies, or at any rate to lose the whole
of them if the Conference be fully carried out. of
course every effort will be made on the part of the
Government to make the best they can, but the re-
sponsibility will rest with the Conference not to
allow themselves to be again actuated by the schemes
of these Prussian maneeuvrers as they have too
often been before. Unless the representatives of
the different Powers at the Conference are willing
to restrain the unworthy efforts of Prussia in an
effectual manner they had better not attempt any-
thing, but leave things to take their chance.

The second reading of Mr. CLAY'S educational
franchise gave rise to an interesting discussion. The
very practical test which it offers to professing re-
formers thins the ranks of the Liberals with amazing
rapidity, and the House beheld the astonishing
spectacle of Mr. G-LADSTONE and Mr. BRIGHT,
whose opinions are believed to verge on democracy,
unconditionally opposing the bill! So far as the
Chancellor of the Exchequer is concerned, we can-
not but believe( that his opposition is due rather to