Mr. Wright to Mr. Seward.
Sir: There has been no general engagement since the battle of Sadowa, on the 3d instant. At present the Prussian headquarters are at Zwittau, in Moravia, and the Prussian army are pushing forward toward Brünn, (en route to Vienna.) The Austrian army are falling back with a view of saving their capital. No armistice has yet been agreed upon; couriers and despatches are constantly passing between the headquarters of the Prussian army and Paris. It is understood that Prussia will not agree to suspend hostilities unless Austria agrees to the following: 1st. Prussia to have possession of all the fortifications lying between her army and her own people. 2d. Possession of all the railroad forming connection between her army and her people. 3d. Austria to support the Prussian troops during the armistice. 4th. The southern Austrian army shall remain south of Vienna, in their present position, until the conclusion of the armistice.
These being accepted, Prussia proposes to suspend hostilities preliminary to a congress for a final settlement, to discuss additional propositions. 1st. Austria is to be no longer a member of the German confederation. 2d. That Prussia shall have the control of the German confederated army and navy. 3d. Prussia to represent the German confederation, or whatever the organization hereafter may be called, of the German states, in all the diplomatic relations with other nations. 4th. Prussia shall hold and enjoy a portion of the territories beyond her own soil, now in possession and occupied by the Prussian army and navy. 5th. Prussia to hold and enjoy absolutely Schleswig-Holstein. No one believes that an armistice will be agreed to upon these propositions, or these preliminaries will be accepted by Austria. Napoleon is understood to be hostile to any proposition which shall not (upon final settlement) leave Austria the representative of her German population in any future German confederation or parliament.
The general opinion is we shall have a cessation of hostilities as soon as the Prussian army takes possession of Frankfort-on-Main. It is the seat of the German confederation; her citizens and press have been bitterly opposed to Prussia during this whole contest.
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Prussia regards the possession of Frankfort so important that she will avoid, if possible, the settlement of the armistice till she has it in her possession. This is daily looked for.
The great number of wounded and sick soldiers and prisoners found in every part of this country remind an American of the days of 1863 and ‘64 so forcibly, that he might almost fancy himself in his own country. I was gratified to receive a despatch last evening from James R. McDonald, on behalf of the Hamburg and American Steamship Company, informing me that the company desired to present, through me, to the Prussian war department fifty tons of American ice, for the wounded and sick soldiers. It was received with the greatest enthusiasm.
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I have the honor to be, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.