The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-02 00:00:00

AUSTRIA AND SARDINIA.

--~-

Tl,e following official c_rrespondence bas paused
b3tween the Au,triAn and Sardinian Govoin-
ments

DESPATCH ritom CQENT Buor, THE AUSTRIAN MINISTER
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TO COUNT PAAR, AUSTRIAN
ENVOY AT TURIN.

" MILAN, FEB. 10.
"Monsieur le Comte—During your sojourn here you
bad opportunities of closely observing the marks of re-
spect with which the Emperor, our august toaster, was
received at Milan, and the satisfaction which the pre-
sence of their Imperial Majesties gave to all classes of
the population.
" The numerous acts of clemency which emanated
from the kniperor were received with sentiments of sin-
cere gratitude, which more than once displayed them-
selves in warm demonstrations. If his Majesty in his
clemency has &jelled to throw a veil over the past, the
be'laviour of his Lombard subjects authorizes us to ex-
pect that the future will not deceive his generous confi-
dence. There can be no doubt that every isopartial ob-
server of what has occurred at Milan during the last few
weeks must share these impressions. Confidence is esta-
blishing itself everywhere, and, if there are still a few
spirits who hesitate to jrin in that 'confnlence without
reserve, their doubts originate less in the internal condi-
tion of the country than in an unceasing provocating
action from without.
" It is especially, I will not conceal it from you, M.
le Comte, the attitude of the Piedmontese Government
which has hurt the Emperor's 'feelings. In fact, the
Piedmontese prees, faithful to its abject habits, and to its
systematic hatred against Austria, has endeavoured to
present recent events at Milan in a light diametrically
opposed to the truth. The domination of Austria in the
Loinbardo-Venetian kingdom, represented as devoid of
all legitimate right, and as the sole coerce of all the evils
of the peninsula ; cslumnv and insult hurled against
every act of the Imperial Government, against the au-
gust person of the Emperor as well as against his de-
voted servants; insurrection, and even regicide, repre-
setted as the means to liberate Italy from what they
please te call a foreign yoke,—such are the many themes
which the Piedmontese journals unceasingly dwell upon
'in every tens, and which latterly they have turned to
account a ith increased bile and violence. In truth, my
pen refuses to relate all the vileness with which those
journa s teem ; it suffices to open them at haphazard to
find abundant convicting articles.
" Considering these attacks, directed with unusual vio-
lence against a friendly and neighbouring Power, the
Sardinian Government, by remaining perfectly passive,
has, at the very least, laid itself open to the suspicion of
not having wished to discountenance them. This is not
all. Appeals addressed toforeigners, witha view to induce
thorn to join eubecriptions.publicly opened to strengthen
the defensive system of Piedmont, which is not menaced
by any Power ; the official reception of pretended depu-
tations from our Italian pi ovuaces to express their admi-
ration for a policy disapproved by their own Govern.
ment; finally, the acceptance of a monument, offered, it
is said, by subjects of the Emperor to commemorate
deeds of the Sardinian army,—all these are so many
offensive demonstrations, which, however calculated
upon the too easy credulity of the public, nevertheless
have their serious aspect.
" How is it in fact to be explained that a Government
which really wishes to keep up relations of friendship and
good neighbourhood with us should not have regarded
it as concerning its own dignity to prevent demonstra-
tions which impart to the peculiar circumstances attend.
ing them a bearing so palpable and so directly host le
tea ne.ighboutine. Power ? Is it, then, by allowing the
reminiscences of war and the revolutionary passions
which it engendered to be, continually, publicly pro-
claimed and perpetuated that the Sardinian Govern-
ment pretends to fulfil the stipulations of the treaty of
peace—the-first of which establishes that there shall be
henceforth and for ever peace, friendship, and good fel-
luwship between the two Sovereigns, their respective
States and subjects ? It may be replied to us that the
lieve of the country are powerless to prevent aets of Allis
description ; but we cannot on that plea absolve the
Turin Cabinet from having had the appearance of asso-
ciating itself by its toleration with the hopes of a party
whose rallying cry is the abolition of the treaties which
have fixed the territorial limits now existing in Italy.
" It is true the Sardinian Government haS more than
once confidentially expressed to us its regret and its die-
approval of the excesses of cournali -te. Moreover, decl tr-
ing itself incapable of taking the initiative in a prosecu-
tion, it has often referred us to the courts of law to obtain
justice for the insults of a libellous press. But if were to
bring an action for every libellous article, we might at
once establish ourselves as public prosecutor. We do not
think such an office is in keeping with the dignity of our
Government. Apart from this consideration the objects
of the attacks of the revolutionary press of Piedmont
are not oily the acts of the Imperial Government
but the very principle of monarchy itself ; they even
strike at the roots of all socisl order. Should not, then,
the Turin Cabinet be the first to defend such important
interests, and to avert an evil which threaoens as much
the quiet acd security of its own country as those of
other States towards which it has international duties to
fulfil / However this may be, M. le Comte, the Em-
peror owes it to his own dignity not to leave the Sardi-
nian Government in ignorance of the displeasure which
its proceedings generally have caused him. It wilt be
for Count Cavour to inform you what measures he pur-
poses to take to efface these painful impressions, and
what guarantees he can offer us against the indefinite
prolongation of a state of things so diametrically op-
posed to the desire by which we are animated of enter-
taining such relations with Piedmont as best snit the
interests of the two countries. Intending to shape our
line of conduct in future sccor lingly, I request you, M.
le Comte, by order of the Emperor, to read this despatch
to the President of the Council, and to inform me of the
explanations you may receive in reply.—l am, &c.,-
" Bun."
On the communication of the above despatch
Count Cavour sent the following reply to the Mar-
quis Cantano, the Sardinian envoy at Vienna :
" Turin, Feb. 20.
"Sir,—lmmediately on his return from Milan Count
Paar read to me a despatch which Count Buil had just
addressed to him (sf which you will find copy annexed)
complaining of the attitude of the Sardinian Govern-
ment, and communicating the displeasure which its pro-
ceedings bad caused to the Emperor of Austria.
" Althougls I did not hesitate to give at once such
explanations to Count Paar as appeared to me fully to
refute the reproaches of the imperial Government, I
yet thought it as' well to send you, M. le Marquis, a
categorical and formal reply to the Austrian Minister of
Foreign Affairs.

" tint Buol complains of the attacks of the Piedmon-
tese prees, of the manifestations provoked, it is said, in
the other provinces of Italy in favour of a policy which
dew not enjoy the approval of the Imperial Government.
Finally, he dwell 4 upon the acceptance of a monument
said to have been offered by the Milanese to the Sardi-
nian army. Making the Sardiuian Government respon-
sible for these facts, Count -Buol accuses it in some mea-
sure of not fulfilling the stipulations of the treaty of
peace concluded at Milan.

" I shall not undertake to justify the natioral press
against the reproaches of Count Buol. Ido not hesitate
to admit, not only, as that Minister says, ' confiden-
tially,' but publici'y, honestly, as is my custom, that it
often goes to lamentable excessei—tbet it attacks the
persom of the Emperor in a manner I openly condemn.
But What I think I hive a right to maintain is that the
criticism of the press of the acts of the Austrian Govern-
ment cannot cause it any serious embarrassment, and
that, as regards the attacks against the Emperor, it
would be easy to put a stop to them by having recourse
to the means supplied by our laws for the suppression of
offences of this description. How can the journals which
attack the Austrian policy impede the action of the Im-
perial Government when their admission into the pro-
viiices subjectA to the Empire is rigorously prohibited ?
Whatever may be their influence in the interior of our
country —and that influence is very small—their action
is null beyond the Tessin. The statement in Count
Buol's despatch of the reception of the Emperor at
Milan is an incontestable proof of it.
" Freediscussion of the acts of the Government is one
of the essential principles of the present political system
of Piedmont, as it is of many other States of Europe.
We boldly assert that that liberty is attended here with
as many advantages and with less inconveniences than
anywhere else. The profound peace which we enjoy,
the daily increasing union between the country and the
throne, proves it beyond a doubt ; and, as regards
foreign Governments, we do not think it can be
maintained that our journals are more violent and
acrimonious than those of England or of Belgium.
The attacks of the English newspapers against the
Government of the Emperor of Austria were not
l'ss violent or less bitter than those in ours ; but that
did not prevent Austria from seeking, when it suited
her interests, an alliance of friendship with England,
and from showing her satisfaction and pride at the good
relations established with that Power.
" As regards the attacks against the person of the Em-
peror, not only do I repeat the disapprobation already
expressed, but I do not hesitate to express the regret I
feel that the Imperial Government bas not put it in our
power to use the means to put a stop to them by effica-
ciously suppressing them.
" You are aware, M. le Marquis, that we have intro-
duced special laws into our code for this species of
i.ffences by the press, making their suppression more
certain, more severe, than in any other country where
freedom of discussion is allowed. Let Count Buol com-
pare our laws with those of England or of Belgium in
this respect, and he will admit the truth of what I ad-
vance.
" The experience, moreover, of the last few years has
shown the efficacy of the suppression. All foreign Go-
vernments that have Made use of the means supplied by
our laws to punish attacks made against their respective
chiefs have Been those attacks punished in a manner to
prevent their repetition. The same would have taken
place, and would azsuredly take place as regards the
Emperor of Austria, if his Government had followed, or
stated‘'C oiunn to Pp
paoasri,t
itoonw
thhoemf
ale
taddressed
Estpheiros o, bpsreorsveactui
prosecuted
should follow, the example of France or Spain.
for insults against the Emperor, and sentenced to a
oen,add than
that
theth e
Courtam amount nt
m a ofy
small penally. To this I will say first of all, tbat in
offences of the press the fact of the condemnation of the
journal
penalty has
tated. nch
more importance
may, the
have been lenient, either because it was the first prose-
cution for an attack against the Emperor of Austria
after a long toleration, or because the Imperial Govern-
mtnt allowed a very long interval to elapse between the
emblication of the offensive article and the prosecution.
Doubtless, in case of a repetition of the offence, and if the
prosecution'took place at once, the Court would be much
1•
more severe, as it showed itself, against those journals
which attacked the Emperor of the French.
" Count Bnol cannot make the Sardinian Government
t responsible for those attacks unless it should refuse to