The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-12-16
Count Walewski's Circular.

sure Work OF IL.
Count Walewskps Circular.
The Moniteur publishes the following cir
cular dispatch, addressed by Count Walew.
ski, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs,
to all the French diplomatic agents of the
Emperor
PARIS, Nov. 5, lS59.-SIR-The Zurich
negotiations had starting point and an
object clearly defined beforehand. The
preliminaries of Vallafranca indicated to
the plenipotentiaries the spirit which ought
to inspire them, and the object they had to
attain.
The ceSsion, the general conditions of
which were indicated at Vallafranca, gave
rise to many important questions as regards
their application. First Of all, it was neces.
sary to define the new frontier line between
Austria and Piedmont, enriched by Lom-
hardy. Was the line to follow the right
bank Or the valley road of the Mincio, and
what ought to be the range of the fortress
of Peschiera? As regards the line, the
government of the Emperor was of opinion
that it was conformable to justice, as we'll as
to the interests of the new possessor of
Lombardy, to adopt the system which, in
attributing to that province half the bed of
the river, places the two adjoining States
on perfect footing of equality, and gives
them the means of drawing from that water
course the same advantages for the safety of
their frontiers. The government of his Ma
jesty also thought it just to leave, according
to custom, the necessary rayon to Pes
chiera, and consented that the average r4nge
of fortresses under similar circumstances
should be adopted. Thus the line, on leav-
ing the Tyrolese frontier on the north,
follows the middle of the Lake of Carda,
and, after making round Peschiera semi
circle of the range of $500 metres, it rejoins
on the south the valley road of the Mincio,
which it leaves only on its entrance into the
Upper Lake of Mantua, and starts again
from LIE Giraffe in a direct line towards
Scorzardo and Luzzara, on the Pc. The
rich and spacious territory which extends
between this line and the Ticino, contains a
population which forms about three.fifths
of the ancient possessions of Austria beyond
the Alps, and which, by increasing that of
Piedmont more than one-third, brings it up
to nearly 100000 souls.
Austria, who loses this territory, the
principal basis of her influence in Italy, re-
nounces at the same time, by protocol, the
right of keeping garrison in the three
great fortresses of Ferrara, COmacchio, and
Piacenza, which she possessed in virtue of
treaties, and thus is put aside one of the
dominating causes of the state of depend
ence in which the Italian Peninsula was
placed towards that Power. Her position
ceases entirely to be aggressive and prepon-
derating, and is no longer of character
which may not perfectly coincide with the
free development of the interests of Italy.
1t was just that Austria, in ceding LON
hardy, should not be charged with the mort
gage of that province, and that Piedmont
should receive the coded territory with its
obligations as we'll as with its resources.
\ The debt Of the Mont de Milan, an
institution formerly common to Lombardy
and Venetia, amounts to little more than
250,000,0O0 francs, and Lombardy forming,
as l have just said, about three fifths of the
ancient Lombardo Venetian kingdom, the
share falling upon the province would be
15O,000O00. If it had been necessary that
Lombardy should have proportional share
in the general debt Of the Empire, whatever
combination might have been adopted to
diminish the weight, it would have been
considerable, and the total would have
reached sum which Austria at first calcu-
lated at 600000,0O0, and which after her
last concessions still amounted to 375 ,OOO..
600 francs.
This difficulty has been the chief and
almost sole cause of the delays which for a
month suspended the negotiations. X
As price for its many sacrifices, France
only asks from Sardinia an indemnity of
6O,O00,OO0f, which is about one sixth only
of the expenses of the war.
The treaties of Zurich, moreover, in all
clauses consequent upon either the territorial
cession or the restoration of peace, are
drawn up in the most liberal spirit. One of
the clauses, which concerns the giving up of
prisoners, was even fully carried out before
the negotiations were terminated. \
The treaties of Zurich also stipulate an
amnesty as extended as possible for all indi-
viduals, civil or military, compromised in
As regards the questions of general policy,
it was not for the plenipotentiaries to take
decisions which might have prejudiced that
solution, not only because they touch the
rights of third parties not represented in
the conference, but because, from their very
nature, they belonged to European delibera-
tons. The government of the Emperor
looked upon them in that light Immediately
after the signature of the preliminaries.
His opinion has not changed, and his pleni-
potentiaries, conformable to their instruc-
tions, have limited themselves to. reproduce
in other terms the dispositions agreed upon
at Villafranca, between the Emperor and
his Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty.
The treaty of Zurich means, then, that
with view to assure the tranquility of the
Pontifcal States, and the power of the Holy