[Extract.]
Mr. Wright to Mr.
Seward.
No. 30.]
Legation of the United States,
Berlin,
May 3, 1866.
Sir: Since my last despatch we have had
stirring notes and telegrams between Austria and Prussia on the subject
of their present difficulties. The action of the Bourse, and general
expression of the people, would indicate we
[Page 19]
are on the eve of hostilities. I enclose copies of
the notes of the Austrian minister of the 18th April, and the reply of
the Prussian minister of the 21st. The Austrian minister answers this on
the 26th, saying: “The Austrian troops will be withdrawn from Bohemia,
near the Prussian line,” alleging her armaments are made with the sole
view of meeting the military demonstration in Italy. Count Bismarck’s
rejoinder to this is, “that Italy has made no formidable armaments,” and
intimates that this movement on the part of Austria is a feint made to
draw off the attention of Prussia from threatening demonstrations on her
frontier. Hence Prussia will not comply with her previous agreement of
disbanding her army. Count Bismarck’s project of the formation of a
German parliament will prove a failure. The effort of Austria to submit
the Schleswig-Holstein question to the present German Confederation will
also fail. This state of things is well calculated to unite the smaller
German states against Prussia. Bavaria will most probably unite her
interest with Prussia, under the promise of being made the head of a
southern German confederacy. I adhere, however, to my former expressed
opinion, “the peace of Europe will not be disturbed by war at present.”
There is no alliance formed between Italy and Prussia. Prussia has not
increased her army more than twenty thousand. Most of the armaments
consist of telegrams and rumors of interested persons. Austria will not
attack Prussia, nor will Italy attack Austria, nor nice versa. Count Bismarck, in order to succeed in securing
the Schleswig-Holstein country to Prussia, desires war, believing it to
be the only means by which this can be secured. It is a desperate effort
on his part, If he fails in this acquisition of territory to Prussia,
his premiership is at an end. If it was believed that the present
difficulties between Prussia, Austria, and Italy would lead to war, the
ruling powers of Europe would call a congress at once to adjust and
settle the same. “The man of France,” who holds the peace of Europe in
his hands, is not yet ready for war. When war commences I shall look for
a formation of a permanent alliance between France, Austria, and Italy.
Austria will cede Venetia to Italy, with the prospect and promise of
possessing the Danubian principalities, and no one can foresee when the
contest shall end.
* * * * * *
I have the honor to be, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Untitled]
The following is the text of the despatch addressed by Count
Mensdorff to Count Karolyi at Berlin:
“Vienna,
April 18.
“By the direction of his government M. de Werther has handed me a
note from the cabinet of Berlin, of the 15th instant, in reply to
the despatch which I had the honor to address to you on the 7th of
the present month.
“It has not escaped the Prussian government that the explanations
contained in my despatch of the 7th instant have, after the mutual
assurances of the two sovereigns, disposed of all aggressive
intentions; that, in consequence, all reasons for military
preparations fall to the ground at once, and that any explanations
on the subject of the priority of the supposed armanents become
superfluous. Nevertheless, the reply of M. de Bismarck continues to
discuss that question. His Majesty the Emperor does not believe that
that is the right way to arrive at the understanding which is so
necessary in the present situation, and he has directed me to submit
the following proposition to King William :
“By the repeated and direct communications which I have addressed to
it, the cabinet of Berlin has been informed that there have been
partial movements of troops in Austria, and that some corps have
been sent to our northwestern frontiers. By the present
communication his Majesty the Emperor declares himself willing, by
an ordinance to be dated April 25, to retract these movements of
troops which the cabinet of Berlin regards as military measures
directed against Prussia, and also to take all other measures which
would lead to that result, upon condition that on their part the
Prussian government undertake to order, on the same
[Page 20]
day, or on the next day, the return to a
peace footing of the different corps
d’armée which have been re-enforced since the
27th of March. In making this proposition the imperial and royal
government believes it has done everything within its power to bring
about a peaceful solution to the explanations which have been
exchanged. Your excellency is requested, without delay, to express
yourself in this case to the president of the council, and in
leaving him a copy of this despatch to recommend to the most serious
consideration of the cabinet of Berlin the above-mentioned
proposition, which is another incontestable proof of our desire to
maintain peace.”
The Prussian reply.
The Prussian answer to the foregoing despatch was delivered through
the ambassador at Vienna, M. de Werther, to Count Mensdorff, on the
23d instant. It runs as follows :
“Berlin,April
21.
“Your excellency will have received the copy of a despatch from Count
Mensdorff which Count Karolyi yesterday read to me and afterwards
placed in my hands. The military measures ordered by his Majesty the
King have, as your excellency has repeatedly informed the imperial
cabinet, been adopted simply with a view to place us upon an equal
footing with respect to preparedness for war, which, in the opinion
of the King’s government, had become necessary in consequence of the
movement of the corps d’armée which were
distributed among the different provinces of the empire in such a
manner that in the event of war their approach to the Prussian
frontiers would have been much accelerated. The Prussian
preparations have been exclusively made upon that ground. I have to
say that his Majesty the King is ready and willing to accept the
proposition made to him, and to put an end to these measures of
precaution as soon as the imperial government shall have recalled
those measures which were the cause of our counter movements. In
this sense I authorize your excellency, by command of his Majesty
the King, to state to the imperial minister for foreign relations
that the King’s government agrees willingly to the proposal made in
the despatch of Count Mensdorff of April 18. In accordance with that
proposition as soon as the King’s government shall receive authentic
information that his Majesty the Emperor has countermanded the
orders which have been given for placing the imperial troops in a
position of preparedness for war against Prussia, his Majesty the
King will, on his side, at once direct the reduction of those
portions of the army which have been increased in strength since the
27th of March. His Majesty will have this order carried out in the
same degree and within the same time as the corresponding reductions
of the war preparations of the imperial army. With respect to the
manner and to the time within which these reductions shall be
effected, the King’s government will await further communication
from the imperial cabinet, in order that the mutural disarmament
shall be equal in extent and progress. The King’s government also
expects that the military preparations made by other German powers
will be in a like manner countermanded, and that no renewed
necessity for military precautions on the part of Prussia will be
caused by a continuance of these preparations. The King’s government
will declare itself in this sense to the various other German
courts, and trusts that the imperial government, in the interest of
peace, will exert its influence in a similar direction.”
