rights and interests of the Catholic church. Yet he complains that instead of supporting, as he had wished, the earnest endeavors of the government in important pending questions, and instead of advancing their most pressing solution in a spirit of mutual conciliation, the bishops have preferred to increase the difficulties of the task at a time when, as they themselves very correctly remark, harmony is so necessary, and when an increase of the causes of dissension and complaint is to be so earnestly avoided. He trusts that the bishops will be assured that he shall at all times protect and defend the church, but he hopes they will also remember the duties which he as a constitutional ruler has to perform. This letter has been greeted with an enthusiasm and joy that best indicate how deep were the anxieties which it dispelled. It is seldom that an act, apparently so simple, contains a meaning so significant. The liberalism of Austria receives this utterance of the Emperor as indicating that he means to carry out in good faith the new constitutional régime—that he rejects at once the dictation of the church and of those family councils which have formerly been so powerful in the politics of this empire-and that this action is taken heartily and in the spirit of liberalism and progress, since he has not waited for the formal promulgation of the law on this subject to declare his ministry responsible and himself a constitutional ruler. The legislative body received this letter, as read by their president the morning after its appearance, with hearty cheers, the whole assembly rising to their feet. It is unanimously applauded by the liberal press, and forms an endless subject of congratulation among apparently all classes of society. In ecclesiastical circles it is regarded with consternation and rage. So far is this feeling carried that the Cardinal von Schwarzenberg absented himself from the ceremonies which took place last Sunday on the unveiling of the statue of the illustrious soldier of his family, Marshal Prince Schwarzenberg, and the higher clergy were conspicuous by their absence from the stations at Vienna and Salzburg, at the Emperor's departure for Paris. Meanwhile the Reichsrath has gone quietly about its work, and yesterday, after an interesting and prolonged debate, struck the first blow at the life of the concordat by adopting a law for the legalization of civil marriage. There was little opposition in debate. The priestly members of the legislative assembly contented themselves with protests against the impiety of the house, and threats of vengeance from the people, more or less hysterical. The time seems to have gone by, here as elsewhere, for any serious appeal to the reason of men in favor of ecclesiastical domination in civil matters. To-morrow the debate upon the project for enfranchising the common schools of the empire from the shackles of the concordat will begin, and there is no doubt that the same result will follow. The public attention has been very much called to this matter since the convention of schoolmasters held here last month, which exhibited an unexpected degree of intelligence and independence, and earnestly appealed to the representatives of the nation for redress of injuries inflicted upon the cause of education and enlightenment by the oppressive and useless regulations of the ecclesiastical power. The deepest interest is taken in Vienna in the pending political questions. They are discussed in the journals with a freedom and boldness to which it would be difficult to find a parallel in Europe. The right of reunion does not as yet exist, but the people exhibit in every way possible their desire to hear the discussion of matters in which they are so vitally concerned. The galleries of the legislative body are daily crowded long before the hour of debate. The theatres are continuously producing plays of a purely political and liberal tendency, the announcement of which never fails to bring together large and quickwitted audiences, who reward with the loudest applause every allusion in the popular sense to the questions of the day. So far everything appears to have advanced smoothly in the direction of the popular desire for constitutional and liberal government. But many questions of the utmost importance, involving the very existence of the realm, yet remain to be considered. The settlement of the demands of the different nationalities in the formation of the new ministry, and the apportionment of representation; the financial arrangement with Hungary, of which I sent you some weeks ago the sketch proposed, but which has not as yet been adopted by either the Austrian or Hungarian parliaments, and the final settlement of the domestic economy of the empire, are matters demanding not only the highest statesmanship, but a steady persistence of purpose, and a spirit of sacrifice and conciliation on the part both of parties and populations. Whether these will be found in proportion to the emergency, is a question upon which I forbear conjecture. I am, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. JOHN HAY. Mr. Hay to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Vienna, December 3, 1867. SIR: The Austrian houses of congress continue their labors of reconstruction with great industry and persistence. The house of lords has been busily engaged during the past week in considering the laws passed some time ago by the house of representatives for the revision of the constitution of February, for the establishment of a permanent judicial system, and for the defining of civil rights. The deliberations upon these subjects are now almost concluded. The peers have shown an unexpected disposition to accept the results of the labors of the lower house, and to pass, with very unimportant amendments, the bills submitted by that assembly. The lords spiritual have shown greater anxiety on behalf of the prerogatives of the Crown than the Crown itself displays, and the great leaders of the centralist party have made a dignified demonstration of dissent from the prevailing tendency to a diffusion of powers. The Polish members have also, on one or two occasions, held out a vague threat of Pauslavistic combinations. But on the whole the debates have, as yet, been much less heated than was expected, and there is every prospect that when the peers are called to consider the laws on marriage and schools, which most decidedly contravene the provisions of the concordat, they will exhibit the same spirit of acquiescence with the popular branch of the legislature. This action of the upper house is highly gratifying to liberal people. It had been feared that the feudal and ecclesiastical elements in this body would resist to the uttermost the confirmation of the recent liberal legislation of the house of representatives. It was to this general apprehension, extending even to the highest official circles, that was attributed the appointment by the Emperor last week, at the beginning of these debates, of 20 new peers; men, for the most part, of decided liberal antecedents; some of them distinguished in commerce, in science, and in civil service; some from the highest aristocracy, but all known to be devoted to the government in its present liberal attitude. So far the creation of this score of new lords has not been shown to have been necessary to secure a working majority, but the large vote by which all the liberal government measures have been recently carried cannot but have a great and beneficial moral effect. The law providing for freedom of assembly is soon to go into effect, and political organizations are already preparing to avail themselves of it. The great interest which the people of the empire are beginning to take in their internal affairs has almost entirely diverted their minds from those schemes of diplomatic combination that were so long a fruitful source of disorder and calamity to Austria. It has been recently asserted in English journals that a treaty had been made between Austria and France for common action in the eastern question. This report is denied here with an energy which indicates how clearly the imperial government feels the necessity of a long period of independence and repose. I am, sir, with great respect, your most obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. JOHN HAY. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE AUSTRIAN LEGATION. Count Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward. [Pro memoria.] WASHINGTON, April 6, 1867. The Emperor of Austria, my gracious sovereign, has been informed that his brother is surrounded in Queretaro by the liberals. The fate of the prisoners after the battle of Zacatecas makes the Emperor anxious for his brother's safety, should he fall into the hands of the liberals. I received yesterday a telegram from my court, instructing me to speak on the subject with Mr. Secretary of State, and to see if you would not be disposed to use your influence with Juarez to urge him to respect, in such an eventuality, the person of my Emperor's brother. Of course such a friendly intervention would also benefit the other eventual prisoners, particularly the foreigners. We hesitate the less to make this application to you, Mr. Secretary, not only because we have confidence in the friendship of the American government, but because this government seems to have a right to demand from Juarez to respect prisoners of war, as it is in great measure to the moral support of the American government that the liberal party in Mexico owes its present successes. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. WYDENBRUCK. Mr. Seward to Count Wydenbruck. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 6, 1867. MY DEAR COUNT WYDENBRUCK: With the President's approval I have this morning transmitted by telegraph a despatch* to Mr. Campbell, a copy of which I place in your hands. I have also communicated to Mr. Romero, the Mexican minister plenipotentiary here, the sentiments of this government in regard to the exigency apprehended in Mexico. He gives me the assurance that he will lose no time in communicating the same to the government of Mexico. I am, my dear Count Wydenbruck, very respectfully yours, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Count WYDENBRUCK, &c., &c., &c. *For enclosure see correspondence with the United States minister to Mexico. Count Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward. WASHINGTON, April 6, 1867. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: In returning you the telegram from New Orleans, I can but renew the expression of my warmest thanks for the extreme kindness and promptness with which you have acted in this affair. The knowledge that your despatch will be sent at once to the proper quarter relieves me from very great anxiety. I have the honor to remain, Mr. Secretary, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. Count Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward. WYDENBRUCK. WASHINGTON, May 28, 1867. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: I hope you will excuse my troubling you so early with these lines. The Chronicle of this morning gives the accompanying despatch as having been received at the State Department. May I ask if this is really the case; as, should the news of the capture of Prince Maximilian be official, it would be my duty to telegraph the same at once to Vienna. I trust that, should this serious event have taken place, your intervention of the 6th of April will not only shield the life of the prince and his foreign followers, but will also insure to the prince honorable treatment and facilitate his embarcation for Europe. I have the honor to remain, Mr. Secretary of State, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. WYDENBRUCK. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT. The following was received yesterday morning at the State Department: Hon. W. H. SEWARD: I have this moment received the following despatch by telegraph, via Galveston, dated at Matamoras, May 21: "I have the honor to transmit the following official letter: "General BERRIOZABAL: "SAN LUIS POTOSI, May 15. "MY ESTEEMED FRIEND: Vive la Patria. Queretaro has fallen by force of arms this a. m. at 8 o'clock. Maximilian, Mejia, Castello, and Miramon are prisoners. "Yours truly, "E. P. PLUMB." "BENITO JUAREZ.' "M. B. MARSHALL. Mr. Seward to Count Wydenbruck. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, COUNT: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of this date, inquiring as to the authenticity of a telegram relative to recent events at Queretaro, published in the papers of this morning. In reply, I have the honor to inform you that the telegram referred to, having been received at this department from Mr. Campbell, United States minister at Mexico, who is now at New Orleans, is believed to be correct. I avail myself of this occasion, count, to offer you a renewed assurance of my very high consideration. Count WYDENBRUCK, &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Baron Beust to Count Wydenbruck. [Received from Count Wydenbruck 29th May-half past 10 a. m.] Renew earnestly the demand of a warm intercession of the American government for release. Answer by telegraph. BEUST. NOTE. The above left at the Department of State by Count Wydenbruck. Mr. Seward to Count Wydenbruck. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 1, 1867. SIR: I have the honor to enclose herewith, for your information, a transcript of a despatch of the 28th ultimo, No. 31, which has just been received from the United States minister accredited to the government of Mexico, and a telegram of yesterday's date from the secretary of the legation. I am, sir, with high consideration, your obedient servant, Count WYDENBRUCK, &c., &c.. &c. Count Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward. WASHINGTON, June 1, 1867. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: I have just had the honor to receive your obliging communication of this day, and I hasten to express to you my very best thanks for it. Although I hope to have the honor of paying you my respects this evening, I did not wish to defer this expression of my acknowledgment, and hope that you will further favor me with any intelligence that you may receive as to the subject on which my court and myself are so deeply interested. I have the honor to remain, Mr. Secretary of State, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. Count Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward. WYDENBRUCK. WASHINGTON, June 12, 1867. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: I have only been awaiting your return from your excursion to Raleigh to express to you my warmest thanks for the step you * For enclosure see correspondence with the United States minister to Mexico. |