Karl Marx 
Declaration of the Prussian Cabinet—Napoleon's Plans- 
Prussia's Policy 

New-York Daily Tribune. 
Nr.4022, 9. März 1854 

The following information, which, if true, is of the highest importance, and 
a portion only of which has appeared in the European journals, and that in 
a partial and disguised form, we have received from a most trustworthy 
source at London: 

I. On the 3d of February the following declaration on the part of the 
Prussian Cabinet was dispatched to Paris and London: 

"1. The explanations of Count Orloff leaving no doubt whatever as to the 
uselessness of any further attempt at mediation with the St. Petersburg 
Cabinet, Prussia hereby withdraws her mediation, the opportunity for which 
can no longer be said to exist. 

2. Count Orloff's proposals of a formal and binding treaty of neutrality, 
have met with an absolute refusal, communicated to him in a note, Prussia 
being decided upon observing even without the concurrence of Austria, the 
most strict neutrality on her part, which she is determined to enforce by 

suitable armaments, as soon as the proper moment shall have arrived. 

3. Whether Prussia shall propose, in common with Austria, a general 
arming of the German Confederation, will depend on the conduct of the 
maritime powers toward Germany." 

II. Louis Napoleon has sent a confidential agent (Mr. Brennier) to Turin, 

with the following message for the King of Piedmont and Mr. Cavour: At 
a given time insurrectionary movements are to break outin Parma, Piacenza, 
Guastalla, and Modena. Sardinia must then occupy those countries, from 
which the now reigning princes are to be expelled. Napoleon is to guarantee 
to the King the incorporation with Sardinia of the three former principalities, 
and perhaps of Modena, also, in compensation for which territories the 
County of Savoy is to be ceded to France. This arrangement England may 
be said to have as good as agreed to, although reluctantly and with very bad 
grace. Mr. Brennier then proceeded further on his tour through Italy till he 
reached Naples, where his arrival evoked the "most painful sensation." His 
mission is that of preparing an Italian insurrection, as Napoleonis seriously 

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Karl Marx 

convinced that he is the man, not only to set Italy on fire, but also to draw 
the exact line which the flame shall be forbidden to cross. He proposes to 
concentrate the following armies: 

1 — 100,000 men on the frontier of Savoy. 

2 - 60,000 men at Metz. 

3 - 80,000 men at Strasburg. 

III. Prussia does not object to the assembling of a French army of 
100,000 men on the frontier of Savoy, but she considers the concentration 
of an army at Metz, and of another at Strasburg, to be a direct menace against 
herself. She already fancies Baden, Hesse, Wurtemberg, etc., in full in- 
surrection and some 100,000 peasants marching from the south of Germany 
on her own frontiers. She has, therefore, protested against these two meas- 
ures, and it is this eventuality which is alluded to in section 3 of the Prussian 
declaration. At all events, Prussia will put her army on a war footing by, and 
perhaps before, the end of March. She intends calling out a force of 200,000 
to 300,000 men, according to circumstances. But if Napoleon insists on 
concentrating the two armies at Metz and Strasburg, the Prussian Govern- 
ment has already resolved to augment its force to 500,000 men. In the Berlin 
Cabinet, where the King, with the great majority of his Ministers, had chosen 
to side with Russia, and Manteuffel alone, backed by the Prince of Prussia, 
carried the declaration of neutrality, (Manteuffel originally proposed a for- 
mal alliance with England,) fear and confusion are asserted to reign supreme. 
There exists already a formal resolution of the Cabinet (Cabinets-Beschluss) 
according to which, under certain circumstances, all the more notorious 
democrats of the monarchy, and, above all, of Rhenish Prussia, are to be 
arrested on the same night, and to be transported to the eastern fortresses, 
in order to prevent them from favoring the subversive plans of Napoleon, 
(die Umsturzpläne Napoleons!!) or from getting up popular movements 
generally. This measure, it is proposed, shall be executed instantly in the case 
of Italian disorders breaking out, or if Napoleon concentrates thetwo armies 
at Metz and Strasburg. This resolution, we are assured, has been taken 
unanimously, although allthe eventualities are not provided for, under which 
the Cabinet might think fit to put it into execution. 

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