THE TREATY OF PEACE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 753, 25 January 1860, Page 3

THE TREATY OF PEACE.

Tho following is an analysis of the treaty of peace concluded hetween France and Austria, as signed on 17lli October by the plenipotentiaries at Zurich. The-fact of tho signature of this treaty was announced in our last. Tho treaty commences with the usual preamble, desirous of. putting an end to the calamities of war, and forming a definite treaty based ion the preliminaries made at Villafnuica. Plenipotentiaries have been appointed and agreed to the following;— That tlie peace shall be concluded between Franco and Austria, as signed at Zurich. France returns to Austria the Austrian steamers seized during the war, but on which judgment hud not been passed, &o. Austria gives up Lombardy, with the exception-of Mantua, Pesohiera, and as far as the frontier fixed by a special commission—the limit of which is already known. The Emperor of the French declares that he transfers these portions of Lombardy to the King of Sardinia. .Then follow the articles concerning the jurisdiction, namely, the option of the employees of Piedmont and Austria to remain in the service of tlie two governments, and to have the option of transferring with him in a year their governments to Piedmont and vice versa. They would, however, retain their right to any property left behind them when they move their domicile from Austria to Sardinia, or Sardinia to Austria. The pensions acquired by persons in Lombardy will be respected, and paid by the new Government to those entitled, and, in those cases where it is so stipulated, to the widows and children of those pensioned. Then follows the statement of the debt, which is the subject of two articles, one of which is an additional agreement for the mode of payment. According to these articles Piedmont is to pay to Austria 40,00*0,000 florins f-or Convention money, and besides, is responsible for three-fifths of the moiety of the debt of Lombardo-Venetia. Altogether the debt transferred to Sardinia amounts to 250,000,000 francs. Then follows article 18, which runs thus -.—desiring that the tranquility of the Church, and the power of the Holy Father should he insured ; and being convinced that this end could not be obtained in a more effective manner than by a system suited to the wants of the populations, and by reforms, the necessity of which I has been already recognised by the Sovereign Pontiff, the contracting. parties will unite their efforts in order that a reform in the administration of the states of the Church should he-carried out by his Holiness. Article nineteen states that.the territorial limits of the independent states of Italy which did not take part in the last war could be changed only with the assent of the other powers of Europe which took part in forming, and guarantee the existence of | the states. .'The rights of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Duke of Modena, and the Duke of Parma,' are expressly reserved hy the high contracting powers. Article 20. The two Emperors will assist with all their power in the formation of a confederation of all the states of Italy, the object of which will he the preservation of the independence and integrity of Italy, the object of which will ensure the development of their moral and material interests, and will watch over the defence of the interior and exterior of Italy by means of a federal army. Venetia, which will remain under the rule of the Emperor of Austria, will form a part of this confederation, and will participate in the rights and in the obligations of the Federal treaty, the clauses of which will be ; established by the representatives of all the States of Italy. Article 21 stipulates that persons having i taken part in the late war will not be attacked either lin their person or their property, and can remain j unmolested in the two countries. Article.22. Thepre- : sent treaty shall be signed and ratified, and the ratification shall be exchanged at Zurich within 15 days. \ Other articles stipulate that Austria shall be obliged to free from military service the soldiers -belonging to the territory which she gives up. Austria under- .' takes likewise to restore the securities and deposits iof private persons placed in the public establish- | ments belonging to Austria. Article 26 grants to I the religious establishments in Lombardy the liberty j to dispose freely of their private property, if the j! possession of such property is compatible with tlie j laws of the new Government. The treaty, of which the foregoing is an analysis, was signed, as we have ; stated, by France and Austria ; but, in order to give i' formal effect to the preliminary treaty of Villafranca, j; it was necessary that the treaty should he ratified in I; a tripartite form. As might naturally be supposed v the difficulties raised with regard to the arrange- : ment between Austria and Sardinia were of no ordiji nary nature ; and in point of fact; it was not till j November 10th, that the Plenipotentiaries at Zurich | finally accomplished their task ; hut before this a very remarkable document on. the affairs of Italy from the pen of the Emperor Napoleon, and addressed to King yictorEnimanuel, had been published. ,' It appeared first in a letter of the Paris correspondent of ; the 'Times.' Doubtless its publication was not only permitted/but intended by its author.

We print it here in full, because it has been accepted in French official circles as containing/as far as the Imperial mind is concerned,:the real settlement of the Italian question, although as will be perceived elsewhere from our columns, that question has of late been pressing itself very forcibly out of the domain of diplomacy, ?nd, in truth, the following letter of the Emperor Napoleon has, without doubt, called forth some of the most important of the late political events from Central Italy j— ■ LETTER FROM THE tfHPEROR OF THE FRENCH TO THE KING OF SARDINIA. i The letter is dated Palace of St. Cloud, Oct. 20th. *" Monsieur Moh Frere,—l write to-day to yourMajesty in order •to set forth to yon.the present; situation of affairs, to remind, you of the past, and to settle with you the course which ought to be : followed for the future. The circumstances > are j grave; it is requisite to lay aside illusions and sterile i regrets, and to examine carefully the real state of * affairs. , { "Thus, the question is not now whether I have ' done well or ill in making peace at Villafranca, but ■rather how to obtain from! the treaty results the, | most favourable for the pacification of Italy, and j for the repose of Europe, "Before entering on the discussion of this subject il am anxious to recall once more to your Majesty | the obstacles which rendered every definite negotiatiation, and every definite treaty, so difficult. In, point of fact war has often fewer complications than peace. In the former two interests, only are in presence of each other—the attack and the defence; in the latter, on the contrary, the point is to reconcile la multitude of interests often of an opposite character. This is what actually occurred at the 'moment of the peace. It was necessary to conclude a treaty that should secure, in the best manner passible, the independence of Italy; which should satisfy Piedmont and the wishes of, the population, and yet which should not offend the Catholic sentiment, or the rights of the sovereign in whom Europe felt an.'. interest. " I believe, then, that if the Emperor of Austria wishes to' come to a frank understanding with me, with a view of bringing about this important result, the causes of antagonism which, for centuries, have divided these two empires, would disappear, and the regeneration of Italy would be effected by common accord, and without further bloodshed. I now state j what are, in my opinion, the essential conditions of that regeneration.

"Italy to be composed of several independent States, united by a federal bond. Each of the States to adopt a uniform representative system, arid salutary relorm. The Confederatiori to then fortify the principle of Italian .nationality, to have hut one lawhut one system of Customs—and one currency, the directing centre of Government to be that of Rome, Which should be composed of representatives named by the sovereigns, from a list prepared by the Chambers, in order that in this special diet the influence of the reigning families suspected of a leaning towards Austria should be counterbalanced by the element resulting from election. By granting to the Holy Father the Honorary Presidency of Confederation, the' religious sentiment of Catholics and Europe would be satisfied, tho moral influence of the Pope "would be treated with respect throughout Italy, and would enable him to niake concessions in conformity with the legitimate wishes of population^. :,: ':' 7' ' ■ '""777.7':.' ' . '' 7.

| " Now, the plan which I had formed 'at the moment! of making peace may still be carried out if your Majesty will employ your influence in promoting it,

Besides, a considerable advance has been made in that direction. The cession of Lombardy, with a limited debt, is an accomplished fact. Austria has given up her right to keep garrisons in the strong places of Tiacenza, Ferrara, and Commachio. The rights of-the Sovereigns have, it is true, been reserved, but the independence of Central Italy hasi also been guaranteed, inasmuch as; all idea of foreign intervention has been formally set aside; and, lastly, Venetia has become a province purely Italian. : i " It is the real interest of your Mnjesty, as of the Peninsula, to second me in the development of this plan, in order to obtain from it the best results; for your Majesty cannot forget that I am bound by the treaty, and 1 cannot in a Congress, which is about to open, withdraw myself from my engagements. The part of France is traced beforehand. We demand that Parma and Piacenza shall be united to Piedmont, because this territory is, in a stratagetical point of view, indispensable to her. We demand that the Duchess of Parma shall be called to Modena; that Tuscany, augmented perhaps by a portion of the, territories, shall be restored to the Grand Duke Ferdinand ; that.a system of moderate liberty shall be adopted by all the states of Italy;;that Austria shall frankly disengage herself from an incessant cause of embarrassment, and that she shall consent to complete the nationality of Venetia, by creating not only a separate representation and administration, but also an Italian army. We demand that the fortress of Mantua and Peschiera shall be recognised as federal fortresses; and, lastly, that a confederation based on the real wants as well as on the traditions of the Peninsula, to the exclusion of every foreign influence, shall consolidate the fabric of the independence of Italy. • ;. > ...ftf shall, neglect nothing for the attainment of this great result. Let your Majesty be convinced of it. My sentiments will not vary; and so far as the interests of France are not opposed to it, I shall always, be happy to serve the cause for which we have combated together." ■■■•...;, ,i , ; Friday, November 18.—The public mind, of .Paris is completely occupied with the question of the Regency of Central Italy., The 'Patrie' asserts, seemingly from an official source, that the Governments of France and Sardinia are opposed to the selection of Buoncompagni. The ' Pays,'; however, does not assert that Sardinia is opposed to that choice, but that the Emperor will not allow Sardinia to send a Regent. Yesterday the vConstitutionel' contained an article announcing that the French Government had recommended the King of Sardinia to annul the recommendation of that of Buoncompagni. It thus appears that the intended compromise will not meet the exigencies of; the i French Emperor, and that nothing but absolute refusal will satisfy him. The question now is what will Victor Emmanuel/do?.-... '

Latest telegraphs from thence:—Garibaldi resigning command. Buoncompagni hesitating. "Carnetal "announces the Congress. i -:.'-. ; : [It will be seen by the telegram of tlie 26th November, given above, that the Buoncompagni Regency is recognised by France.]1 ; THE CENTRAL REGENCY. ■ : Paris, November 17.—1t is asserted that General Garibaldi is about to resign his military functions,and retire to the Island of Sardinia. It is also stated that the departure of the Chevalier Buoncompagni for central Italy is postponed. ij , ■ ■■; ■ Paris, Thursday .—The ' Constitutionel'. of to-day,: in an article signed by;its secretary,. Boniface,; announces that the; French Government, true to the principles of its policy, has recommended the Cabinet of Turin to annul the expedient of the Re-' gency which the Government of the King of Sardinia^ lias delegated to Chevalier Buoncompagni, as such a 1 course would prejudice questions throughout,7 and encroach upon the competency of the Congress.. The 'Constitutionel' also says that advice must be considered as a proof of the solicitude of the Emperor for the Italian cause—which cause he made to: triumph on the field of battle, and the final settlement ■of which awaits to day but for the decision of Europe. The '.Patrie,' of this evening, says,." It is stated j that Cardinal Antonelli will represent his holiness | the Pope at the approaching Congress." The' Press' I announced the death of the Colonel Montalembert, ;"who commanded a regiment of Cavalry of the Expe- : ditionary Corps of general Martinpray. THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR ■■"■■■ : Paris, Thursday.—M. tie Borqueney, who is to be i replaced at Vienna by the Marquis De Mohstier, as French Ambassador, will retire from public life. SM. de Mermeval also retired from diplomacy^ and: is j going to enter a convent. That M. Armand, Secre- ; tary to the French Plenipotentiary, will leave for' iTurin, on Saturday next, with the ratification of si' j treaty of peace. The exchange of the ratifications jis definitely fixed for the2lst. !■..■■• VENICE.

Fifty Venetians '- belonging to Garibaldi's corps have returned to this place. ■ .