23 JUNE 1860, Page 6

THE MEETING AT BADEN.

The meeting of the Four Kings, the Prince Regent of Prussia and the Emperor of the French at Baden, has been duly recorded by the news- papers, but the report reads very much like a court circular ; and all the correspondents are at fault as to what really took place during the im- portant conferences of these regal persons. The Emperor Napoleon arrived at Baden on the evening of the 15th, and went to reside at the Villa Stephanie. After dining with his suite, he received Lieutenant von Leon, sent by the Prince Regent, to present his compliments :— "It was the Emperor's intention to have visited the Prince Regent first.

The Prince Regent, however, came at eight p.m. to the Villa Stephanie, and remained with the Emperor till fifteen minutes past nine p.m. The Emperor then intended to surprise the Duchess of Hamilton, daughter of the Grand Duchess Stephanie; but did not find her at home. He therefore took tea with the Grand Duke of Baden—the Sovereigns of Weimar and Coburg, who reside in the Duke's palace, only being present." On the 16th, "a grand dejeuner, attended by all the sovereigns, took place in the old palace. This morning the weather was very fine. The Emperor, the Prince Regent, and the other sovereigns, breakfasted at the Grand Duke's palace. Tomorrow they will dine at the Grand Duke's chateau, a little Instance out of Baden."

The Baden-Baden correspondent of the Independanee Beige has furnished the best account published, because he appears to have entered con amore into his business as a colossal Court Newsman.

Ile writes on Sunday the 17th, and intersperses gossip with his chronicle .— "During the meeting_the most strict etiquette has been observed. Early yesterday morning the Emperor paid his visit to the Prince Regent. The Emperor was on foot. The visit lie made in the afternoon yesterday was for the Princess of Prussia.

"It is said that a short discussion took place between Saxony and

Bavaria as to who should have precedence. It was finally adjudged to the Prince Regent, who took precedence of the Kings. Yesterday, at dinner, the Prince Regent, who naturally could not take his wife down, asked the King of Bavaria to give his arm to the Princess of Prussia; the Emperor Napoleon took the Grand Duchess of Baden. Then followed the Prince Itegent and the King of Saxony, the King of Wurtemberg and the King of Hanover, the Grand Duke of Weimar, the Dukes of Nassau and Coburg,

' the Prince of Hohenzollern and the Grand Duke of Baden, and Prince William of Baden. ' sr;

" At the dinner table the Grand Duchess of Baden sat between the Era he peror Napoleon and the Prince Regent, opposite to her the Princess orn- Prussia, between the Kings of Bavaria and Saxony. The other Kings and"- Princes sat according to seniority.

" At the tea party last evening different members of the Baden diplomacy were present, including the French Envoy at Carlsruhe, Viscount de Serra and his wife, and other distinguished foreigners.

" This morning, at half-past seven o'clock, the King of Saxony attended mass. The Emperor attended mass at eleven. The Emperor, accompanied by a numerous suite, and escorted by gendarmes., went to church on foot. Ile Emperor having expressed annoyance at being greeted with cries of Vive l'Empereur ! ' he was allowed- tO /1111111, the crowd keeping respectful silence. The Protestant Sovereigns attended Divine service in the Luthe- ran chapel.

" The Grand Duke of Darmstadt arrived at Baden on Friday, and alighted at the Hotel d'Europe, which brings the number of Sovereigns assembled here up to eleven. The Grand Duke of Darmstadt, who lunched at the old castle immediately after his arrival, is the only Sovereign who appeared today in uniform, wearing his helmet. The uniform suits his colossal figure much better than plain clothes. - "Between three and four today (Sunday) a conference was held at the Hotel d'Angleterre, in the King of Bavaria's rooms, at which were present the four Kings, the Grand Duke of Darmstadt, and the Duke of Nassau, that is to say, the Sovereigns of the States who were represented at the fa- mous Wurzburg conference in November last.

" When the Emperor paid his visit to the three Kings' lodgings at the Hotel d'Angleterre, the King of Hanover was out. At four p.m. he drove up to the hotel in a phaeton and pair, and without announcing himself, was conducted by a waiter to the King of Hanovees apartments. As the Em- peror entered, the King, leaning on his valet's arm, came out of his sleep- ing apartment.* The latter, not recognizing the Emperor, asked how any person could be admitted without being announced? The waiter then an- nounced 'The Emperor of the French, and retired.

"The Emperor had brought with him the grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour, which the King wore at five o'clock at dinner. "On leaving the King of Hanover the Emperor proceeded on foot to call upon the Duke of Nassau, lodged in a house belonging to the Hotel d'An- gleterre. "One word respecting the King of Hanover, He arrived suddenly at Berlin on the 13th in strict incognito, and asked the Prince Regent if he would allow him to attend the Conference at Baden. The Prince Regent replied that he had neither to allow nor decline—the Conference was a free one. The King of Hanover at once notified his intention of attending, and the Prince Regent then thought it right to communicate the fact to the King of Saxony. "The Emperor has conferred the Grand Cordon of his Order on the Prince of Hohenzollern Sigmaringen. "I am assured that the Emperor, in his conversation with the Kings and other German Sovereigns, renewing the pacific assurances he gave to the Prince Regent, did not touch upon any other questions of general policy, not even upon that of Italy.

"Before dinner, which took place 'with the game ceremorfy as yesterday, at five o'clock, the Emperor wished to take leave of the Prince and Princess of Prussia, but it appears they were out. Between seven and eight o'clock the Prince Regent, the Kings of Hanover, of Bavaria, and of Saxony, called successively at Stephanienbad to take leave. I did not observe the King of Wartemberg' who, as you are aware, is a very old man. The Emperor took leave of the Sovereigns at a private party at the Duchess of Hamil- ton's after eight o'clock. The German Sovereigns were there unat- tended.

"At ten o'clock the Emperor, whom the Grand Duke of Baden, the members of the French Legation at Carlsruhe, and the municipal authori- ties had accompanied to the station, left by express train for Strasburg and Paris.

" P.S.—The Grand Dukes of Baden and of Weimar, and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who were not present at the Conference of the four Kings, and of the Dukes of Nassau and of Darmstadt, held a conference of their own at the Castle during the day. The Kings seem to have had a con- ference already on the 16th, between the visit which the King of Wurtem- berg made to the Emperor in the morning and those of the Kings which took place after one o'clock. " This was, consequently, the second conference held during the day." After the Emperor had gone, the Prince Regent called the Sovereigns together in the Castle. We are not only told this, but the ubiquitous correspondent finds out what has been said, and reports it by telegram.

"Baden, Tuesday.—The Prince Regent of Prussia assembled the German Sovereigns in the castle yesterday afternoon' to thank them for having been present at his meeting with the Emperor of the French, in order to receive together the peaceful assurances of his Majesty. The King of Wurtemberg, in the name of the Federal Governments, returned thanks for the patriotic representation of the interests of Germany by Prussia. His Majesty also ex- pressed a desire that an understanding should be brought about between Prussia and Austria. The Sovereigns offered their good offices for that pur- pose. The King of Wurtemberg informed the Prince Regent that the German Government are occupied in drawing up a military convention, which adopts as nearly as possible the Prussian views on military organiza- tion, and her proposals respecting reforms. His Majesty, in conclusion, said that the Federal Governments, on their part, expected that Prussia should take conciliatory steps in reference to German policy. The Grand Duke of Baden then said that this declaration of his Majesty the King of Wurtemburg could not be made in the name of all the Federal Governments, as several important Governments had not taken part in the discussions relative to the said military oonvention. Baden could not give her ad- herence to the Prussian proposals." "The Prince Regent said—' The maintenance of the integrity of Germany will always be my principal care. In pursuance of this object, I shall not allow myself to be influenced even by the consideration that my ideas on the progress and aims of the Prussian and German policy are not shared by sonic confederate princes. In order to come to some understanding, Austria has taken some steps to which I attach great value. Should an understanding be brought about, I shall communicate it to the German princes.' The Prince Regent concluded—' I shall continue the line of policy which I have pursued till now in reference to Prussia and Germany, and I hope that other German Governments will join me in this course of policy.' " The Sovereigns have one by one departed from Baden, the Xing* of Saxony and Wurtemberg leading the way; but the Prince Royal remains.

A telegram from Baden states, "reliable information," that "the final conference between the Prince Regent and the German Sovereigns be- fore their departure has brought about a decisive agreement on those

• The King of Hanover ia blind. . The Prussia; Gazette of the 16th instant, publishes the following ar- ticle --

" This day the Emperor Napoleon arrives at Baden-Baden, to greet the Prince Regent on German soil. It was the desire of the Emperor, ex- pressed in the most obliging terms, to give the Prince Regent this proof of his peaceful and friendly sentiments. Prussia has reason to rejoice at these advances, and to appreciate without prejudice their incontestable importance.

"Prussia has no cause to wish to trace new objects for her policy ; that policy has always been frank, upright, conciliatory, and tending to preserve the peace of Europe on its tried foundations ; it will maintain that charac- ter. But the difficulties of the times have aroused anxieties which Europe will be glad to see dispelled by the friendly exchange of ideas between two powerful Sovereigns, whose attitude always exercises an important and often a decisive influence on the destinies of Europe. Germany will be satisfied if the Emperor of the French strengthens the conviction of the Prince Regent that the policy of France is pacific as well as rigorous ; and France will see a precious pledge for the continuation of its friendly rela- tions with us in the fact that the Emperor Napoleon will hear from the Prince Regent's own month the sentiments and intentions of that straightfor- ward and moderate policy which is the invariable rule of the acts of his government.

"Simultaneously with this meeting, which attracts the general interests of Europe, another event of a most auspicious nature occupies the German nation „.• it is the Congress of eminent Princes of the German Confedera- tion. It had long been the ardent wish of all sincere patriots that, after so many differences which have recently agitated the internal existence of the Germanic States, a personal interview of the Sovereigns of Germany should revive and strengthen the sentiment of concord. The world will be en- abled to convince itself that, among the German States, there may exist dif- ferences of opinion on this, or that important question of home policy, but that those differences will always fade away before the powerful union which links these States together on all questions of national independence and greatness. "Never will the discord of factions be able to weaken the bonds which, under all circumstances, connect the North and South by indissoluble links.

"We therefore dare to express the hope that the Conference at Baden will revive the confidence in a prosperous and assured future for Europe, and, at the same time, consolidate one of the most powerful mainstays of that future, the union of Germany." The Moniteur has also had an article on the subject, but one written after the event. It is as follows :— "The rapid journey which the Emperor has just made will, we doubt not, be attended with the most favourable results. There wanted nothing less than the spontaneousness of so significant a step to put an end to that unanimous concert of malevolent rumours and false appreciations which has of late been remarked. In fact, the Emperor, by going to Baden to explain frankly to the sovereigns assembled there that his policy would never make him depart from right and justice, must have carried to minds so distin- guished and so exempt from prejudice that conviction which a true sen- timent, explained with good faith, cannot fail to inspire. There has been, therefore, more than courtesy in the reciprocal relations of the members of this august assemblage. The sovereigns passed almost the whole of Sunday together. After the Emperor had returned to his residence most of the sovereigns went there to take leave of his Majesty, and a second farewell greeting was exchanged at nine o'clock, at the residence, of the Princess Mary, Duchess of Hamilton, who had invited them all to take tea with her. Thus all those who desire the reestablishment of confidence and the con- tinuance of good international relations must congratulate themselves on a conference which consolidates the peace of Europe."