No. 4.-Earl Cowley to Lord J. Russell.-(Received July 16.) MY LORD, Paris, July 15, 1859. THE Austrian Government has proposed that Austrian and French Plenipotentiaries should meet at Zurich for the conclusion of a Treaty of Peace, based on the Preliminaries signed on the 11th instant at Villafranca. Count Walewski is disposed to agree to the proposal, but, before returning an answer, he wishes to learn, confidentially, if Her Majesty's Government see any objections to such a proceeding, whether or not it be followed by a Congress. I conjecture that Count Walewski's object is to ascertain how far, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Government, Lombardy can be otherwise disposed of than was settled by the Treaty of Vienna, without the assent of the other Powers parties to that Treaty. The other engagements contracted by the preliminaries merely pledge the two Emperors to aid in bringing about certain changes, but do not positively say that the changes shall be made, and these engagements do not seem liable to any objection on the point of form. The same may be said of the clauses concerning Tuscany and Modena, which simply replace those Duchies as they were before the I have, &c. war. Lord J. Russell. No. 5.-Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley. COWLEY. MY LORD, Foreign Office, July 16, 1859. IN expectation that, upon the return of the Emperor of the French, Count Walewski may be able to give explanations upon the two points to which I have called your attention in my despatch of the 13th instant, I proceed to state more in detail the nature of the developments required in order to enable Her Majesty's Government to understand the purport, bearing, and extent of the engagement entered into by the two Emperors at Villafranca. 1. It is said there is to be an Italian Confederation, of which the Pope is to be Honorary President, and of which the Emperor of Austria is to be a Member. Of what significance is this title of Honorary President? Is the Pope really to preside by his Legate, or is there to be a Lay President chosen in any other way than by the sole will of His Holiness? If the Emperor of Austria is to enter the Confederation, he will, of course, do so with the whole moral and political force of his Empire; but is he to rule in Venetia by a purely Italian Administration, and with none but Italian troops ? Is it contemplated that the States composing the Confederation should engage to assist each other to repel foreign attack, and to put down internal discontent ? and, in case of intervention in any one of the States of the Confederation, will the Emperor of Austria be at liberty to employ military force to put down insurrection? For instance, may he thus interfere at Turin, or Florence, or Naples ? 2. How is the proposed Treaty to be carried into execution? It is already understood that the de facto Government of Florence intend to resist its execution in Tuscany. Are French, or Austrian, or Piedmontese troops to be employed to put down such resistance at Florence, Modena, Bologna, and other places which have risen upon the invitation of Sardinia, and taken part in what they deemed a national war? In what manner is the Confederation to be formed? Are the King of Sardinia and the King of the two Sicilies to exercise their own free will to belong to it or not? Are the French troops to remain in Rome without limit of time? Are French or Austrian troops to occupy the Legations? Your Excellency will say that these, and other similar questions, must be answered fully before Her Britannic Majesty can be advised to decide upon the question whether to acknowledge the proposed Italian Confederation, or to remain aloof. Earl Cowley. I am, &c. No. 6.-Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley. J. RUSSELL. MY LORD, With reference to your despatch of that date, stating that, before returning an answer to the proposal of Austria that the negotiations for a Treaty of Peace between Austria and France should take place at Zurich, Count Walewski wishes to learn if Her Majesty's Government see any objections to such a proceeding, whether or not it be followed by a Congress; I have to state to your Excellency that the questions in my preceding despatch of this day must be answered before Her Majesty's Government can give any opinion upon the point alluded to by Count Walewski. Earl Cowley. I am, &c. J. RUSSELL. No. 7.-Mr. Corbett to Lord J. Russell.-(Received July 19.) MY LORD, Florence, July 12, 1859. A GENERAL meeting of the Municipality of Leghorn was convoked on the 6th instant for the purpose of procuring from it an expression of opinion in favour of the annexation of Tuscany to Sardinia, and a resolution to that effect was carried with only two dissenting votes. The meeting was numerously attended-a circum stance which persons well acquainted with the state of feeling at Leghorn account for more on the ground that absence entailed a pecuniary fine, than from any real sympathies for the resolution submitted for approval; and I am informed that many persons voted contrary to their opinions from a feeling of intimidation. The agitation to provoke an expression of opinion in favour of annexation is gradually subsiding, and it is not likely that any further attempt in its favour will be made for the present, as in addition to the effect produced by orders lately received by this Government from Turin, in which the Emperor Napoleon is known to concur, it is considered with reason that the present moment is not propitious for ascertaining the true feeling of the country on the subject, and no organ exists which could pretend to speak with authority in the name of the people of Tuscany. Moreover, the "Consultà di Stato," at its meeting yesterday, has formally recorded its disapprobation of attempts being made to provoke expressions of opinion by way of petition from the Municipalities, or to consider those bodies as entitled to speak in the name of the country; and it is probable that when the proper time arrives the Constitution of 1848 will be revived, and a Representative Assembly be elected, and this Assembly will be invited to express the feeling and to pronounce the wishes of the country as to its future organization, and there seems little doubt that this will be in a sense favourable to the preservation of the autonomy of Tuscany. I have, &c. Lord J. Russell. EDWIN CORBETT. No. 8.-Mr. Corbett to Lord J. Russell.-(Received July 19.) MY LORD, Florence, July 12, 1859. THE news of the conclusion of an armistice between the Allies and Austria has naturally produced a considerable sensation in Florence; and while it has given much satisfaction to the party most favourable to the old order of things in Italy, as affording some ground for hoping that Austria may still retain a portion of her influence in the Peninsula, it has been less pleasing to the Sardinian party, who are afraid that the Allies may be induced to accept less at the hands of their adversary than it was announced at the commencement of the campaign to be their object to exact, namely, the complete evacuation, by Austria, of the whole of Italy. I have, &c. Lord J. Russell. EDWIN CORBETT. No. 9.-Lord J. Russell to Mr. Corbett. SIR, to state to you that it is much to be desired that a Representative Assembly should be convoked in Tuscany, in order that the wishes of the people in favour of the autonomy of that country may be regularly and freely expressed. E. Corbett, Esq. I am, &c. J. RUSSELL. No. 10.-Count Walewski to Count Persigny.-(Communicated to Lord J. Russell by Count Persigny, July 19.) M. LE COMTE, Paris, le 18 Juillet, 1859. J'AI l'honneur de vous envoyer ci-joint, une copie des Préliminaires signés à Villafranca par l'Empereur et Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche. Un Plénipotentiaire Français et un Plénipotentiaire Autrichien vont se réunir incessamment à Zurich, pour convertir en Traité de Paix les bases arrêtées entre leurs Majestés. Vous savez par ma correspondence antérieure, que le Gouvernement de l'Empereur a toujours désiré de voir les Grandes Puissances concourir au réglement définitif des affaires d'Italie. Les intentions de Sa Majesté n'ont point varié à cet égard, et nous espérons que les Puissances pourront se réunir, soit en Congrès, soit en Conférence, pour se concerter sur toutes les questions que soulève l'état actuel des choses en Italie, et qui se rattachent aux intérêts généraux. Je n'ai pas besoin d'ajouter que la nature même des rapports nouveaux à créer en Italie impliquera une entente préalable entre les divers Etats de la Péninsule, et qui seront nécessairement appelés à se rassembler pour délibérer sur les bases de la Confédération dont les deux Souverains se sont engagés à favoriser l'établissement. Je vous prie de faire part de cette manière de voir au Principal Secrétaire d'Etat de Sa Majesté la Reine de la Grande Bretagne, qui y verra, j'en ai la confiance, une nouvelle preuve du désir du Gouvernement de l'Empereur de consolider la bonne harmonie entre les grandes Puissances; et je vous serai très obligé de vouloir bien me faire savoir comment le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté Britannique entend diriger sa conduite dans cette circonstance. Vous voudrez bien donner lecture de cette dépêche à Lord John Russell et lui en laisser copie s'il en exprime le désir. Le Comte Persigny. Agréez, &c. A. WALEWSKI. (Inclosure.)-Preliminaries of Peace, signed at Villafranca, July 11, 1859. ENTRE Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche et Sa Majesté l'Empereur des Français il a été convenu ce qui suit: Les deux Souverains favorisent la création d'une Confédération Italienne. Cette Confédération sera sous la présidence honoraire du Saint Père. L'Empereur d'Autriche cède à l'Empereur des Français ses droits sur la Lombardie, à l'exception des forteresses de Mantoue et de Peschiera, de manière que la frontière des possessions Autrichiennes partirait du rayon extrème de la forteresse de Peschiera et s'étendrait en ligne droite le long du Mincio jusqu'à Legrazie, de là à Szarzarola et Lugano au Po, d'où les frontières actuelles continueront à former les limites de l'Autriche. L'Empereur des Français remettra les territoires cédées au Roi de Sardaigne. La Vénétie fera partie de la Confédération Italienne, tout en restant sous la Couronne de l'Empereur d'Autriche. Le Grand Duc de Toscane et le Duc de Modène rentrent dans leurs Etats en donnant une amnistie générale. Les deux Empereurs demanderont au Saint Père d'introduire dans ses Etats des réformes indispensables. Amnistie pleine et entière est accordée de part et d'autre aux personnes compromises à l'occasion des derniers événements dans les territoires des partis belligérants. Fait à Villafranca, le 11 Juillet, 1859. FRANCOIS-JOSEPH. No. 11.-Earl Cowley to Lord J. Russell.—(Received July 20.) (Extract.) Paris, July 19, 1859. I SAW Count Walewski yesterday afternoon by appointment, with the intention of obtaining from his Excellency the explanations asked for in your Lordship's despatch of the 16th instant, respecting the engagements entered into by the Emperor Napoleon and the Emperor Francis Joseph at Villafranca, to which the French Government now sought to obtain the assent of the other Powers of Europe. Count Walewski entered into a long explanation of the motives which had induced the Emperor to act as he had done. In commencing the war which had been brought to a conclusion at Villafranca, the Emperor, Count Walewski said, had invariably declared that, Italy once delivered from the preponderating influence of Austria, he would leave to Europe the resettlement of the Italian Peninsula. His Majesty had repeated this declaration more than once during the progress of the war. He had resolved thereby to give an earnest of his abnegation of all selfish purposes, such as the aggrandizement of the French Empire, as he hoped by that means to establish the liberties of Italy on a surer foundation in obtaining for them the guarantee of Europe. But as the war proceeded His |