The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-25

day to day. colored by the varying events Of
the hour, would give occasion rather for useless
debate than for practical and useful delibera.
ton in q Congress of twenty or thirty represent
tatives, not acknowledging my supreme au-
thority and not guided by any fixed rules Of
proceeding. <l"''H'>'.i5 J"- j'a~I4
Passing to the question of Italy, fresh diff
culties occur. In the first place it is intended
to sanction by new treaty the present slate
of possession in Italy. The Pope and the
soverelgns related to the dispossessed princess,
might, on the one side, object to give u title
they have hitherto refused the King Of Italy:
and the King of Italy on the other, would
probably object to a settlement which would
appear to exclude him, by interference at least,
from the acquisition of Rome and Venetia.
But is it intended to ask Austria i'm Congress to
renounce the possession Of Venetia? Her Ma
jesty's Government have good grounds to be-
lieve that no Austrian representative would at
tend Congress where such proposition was
to be discussed. If they are informed that
such an Intention were announced beforehand,
Austria would decline to attend the Congress;
and that if the question were introduced with
out notice, the Austrian Minister would dhit
the assembly. Here again. therefore, the de-
liberation OF the Congress would soon be
brought in sight of an alternative ofTnullity
or war. But it is impossible to assemble a
Congress and to summon an italian represell
tative to sit in it without discussing the state
of Venetia. The Emperor of the French would
be the first person to feel and to admit that
such course would not be possible s}o'tl
With regard to Germany and Denmark, tits
true that several of the powers of Europe have
interested themselves in that question but the
addition of Spoin, Portugal, Italy and Turkey
to the deliberation, would scarcely improve
the prospect Of a satisfactory solution And if.
with regard to Poland and Italy, no beneficial
RI h.ao ffo
call together a general Congress of all the
States of Europe to find remedy for the an
archy Of Moldo- Wallachia? Were all these
questiOns-those of Poland italy, DenmaTki
and the Dauubian PrOvinces-to be decided by
the mere utterance of opinions, the views of
her Majesty's government upon most of them
might, perhaps, be found not materially to
differ from those of the Emperor Ofthe French.
But il the mere expression of opinions and
wishes would accomplish no positive results,
it appears certain that the deliberations of
Congress that would consist of demands and
pretensions put forward by some and resisted
by others; and, there being no supreme au-
thority in such an assembly to enforce the de-
cisions OF the majority, the Congress woald
pr0baly separate, leaving many of its members
on worse terms with each other than they had
been when they met. But if this would be the
probable result, it follows that no decrease of
armament is likely TO be effected by the pro-
posed Congress. NJ. Drouyn de LHuys refers
to proposal made by Lord Clarendon in one
Of the last sittings of the Congress in Paris.
But her Majesty's Government understand that
proposal to have reference to adispute between
two powers to be referred to the good offices
of friendly power, but in no way to the as
sembling of a general Congress. -.
Not being able, therefore, to discern the like
lihood Of those beneficial consequences which
the Emperor of the French promised himself
proposing Congress, her sMajestysSG Govern
ment, following their own strong convictions,
after mature deliberation, feel themselves un-
able to accept his Imperial Majesty's invitation.
You ore instructed to give copy of this dis
patch to NJ. Drouyn de L'Huys.
am, &C., RUSSELL.