The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-22 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 23.

PA4LIANIVITAZY government in Prussia Ii WO-
ing through i crisis which ought to result in placing
public liberty in that country beyond the reach
of royal caprice or feudal resistance. It will
depend on the persistent energy and moderation
of all sections of the Liberal party whether the
vote which led to the dissolution of the Chamber
shall be confirmed or reversed by the deliberate
expression of the national will. One thing is evi-
dent : the Kota hem yet to learn the alphabet of
constitutional law. Caro, as schoolboys are in-
formed, learnt Greek at eighty, but a monarch
who is sixty-five to-day, and conscientioodybelieves
that be has fallen readyinade from Heaven with
a crown on his bead and a sceptre in his halt

is, we say it with reverence, • little too long i•
the tooth to take kindly to the bit which a loyal
but independent Legislature is disposed to prat

in him mouth.

There is no disposition among his own people or
abroad to judge the conduct of the Prussian Kix°
too harshly, or to forget the force of early habits and
associations upon an honest but narrow nature,
accustomed to regard the right divine as an article
of faith, and passive obedience as the religious duty
of a nation. The present King of Pausar♦ is as
loth to abandon the prerogatives of an absolute
sovereign as some military veterans are to condemn
the stick, or some old-fashioned coachmeu to give
up blinkers and the bearing-rein. But to compare
him with sovereigns of a more modern stamp, pro-
fessedly democratic in origin, who have confis-
cated by absorbing the free-will of a nation, would
be a gross injustice. The King of Plitssis is
not a man to palter with his oath, or to commit
an act of burglarious usurpation. The arts of a
conspirator and the equivocations of an adven-
turer are equally foreign to his character. It is
his misfortune rather than his fault that he
is probably the most unfit man in Europe for the
throw it was his destiny to occupy at a season of
life when even ardent Liberals are apt to shrink
from the aspirations of earlier years. The Revo-
lution that drove him into exile thirteen years
ago, and before which his unhappy brother cowered
in dismay, haunts him still like the recollection of
an insult ; and the Reaction, whose forces he
commanded in Baden, vexes half his heart with
mingled indignation and remorse. During the
dreary interval of the Regency, the delicacy which
constrained him to administer his brother's govern-
ment in a neutral spirit, enabled him at the same
time to take credit for the most liberal intentions
on his own account ; and it may be said that he
ascended the throne as rich in promise as any
Prince in his teens.

_
Nor did his first acts as KING belie I
the hopes of his subjects. A reactionary Mi-
nistry was instantly dismissed, and replaced by
a constitutional Cabinet of known liberal pre-
dilections. Irresponsible influences which had
darkened with evil counsels the late Kixo's linger-
ing decay were removed, and the enthusiasm of
all liberal Germany responded to the acclamations
of the people of Berlin. Nor were these hopes
wholly barren, for if much miscarried, the little
that was done was good. It was something that
public spirit revived, and that political questions
were freely discuased. The Cabinet was composed
of men who could be trusted to prevent a royal
relapse, and to preserve a steady, though a more
than cautious, onward course. Some abuses were
corrected, some reactionary projects arrested, and
the rage of the feudal party promised well.
The KING, it is true, on solemn public occa-
sions talked mystical bombast about the implied
divinity of kingship, and other old-world fables
and romances. Yet no one took offence at fantastic
theories in a land where uncontrolled license in
speculation is held to be the most inalienable of
the rights of man, while the personal character of
the KING was a guarantee for the simplicity of his
motives, and the constitutional machinery moved
slowly, but with a regular and constant action,
until the war of Italian liberation summoned all
Europe to arms, and set Germany in a blase of
excitement and alarm. For a moment it looked
as if liberty in Prussia was in greater peril than
the Rhenish frontier, for national enthusiasm is
the favourite stock in trade of military kings.
But as the war panic subsided the cause of liberty
revived, and with it the idea of national unity
triumphant in Italy. In Prussia the national unity
of Germany means Prussian supremacy, and
Prussian supremacy means the absorption of a
score of infinitesimal potentates ever ready to do
battle for their sovereign rights under the banners
of Austria, and the chieftainship of Bavaria, Saxony,
and Hanover. Such a situation of affairs was
doubly perplexing to a self-denying desomadant of
Farneai, a I 1., who persuades himself whenever
he addresses his subjects that the Crown of Prussia
is at least as ancient as the Book of Kings. If the
Schleswig-Holstein question had not existed WI L-
ila SI I. of Prussia must needs have invented it
as a counter-irriaint to the ideas of federal unity
and constitutional liberty.
The Coronation ceremony at Konigsberg was
a splendid piece of irony, and it seems to have
tickled the nerves of the Prussiass dukes.
No sooner had the KING, freshly anointed,
returned in triumph to his capital, than a new
Parliame.nt was elected, with a large liberal and
democratic majority, and the right divine party
all but extinguished. The KING, no doubt, wee
sorely displeased ; but as it was the business of re-
sponsible advisers to turn away ttio Kiser

wrath, the Speech from the throne was not
more royalist than usual. The Liberal majority
in the Chamber, encouraged by the adherents of
Unity throughout Germany, lost no time in
announcing their programme of reforms. The
reduction of the Army Estimates, and the " spe-
" cialization " of the sums demanded in the
Budget, were met by the Government with offers
of compromise ; the proposal to recognise the
new Kingdom of Italy was provisionally declined.
The Liberals, however, remained firm, and defeated
the Ministry on a division. The plain result of a Mi-
nisterial defeat on a financial measure, according to
our old-fashioned English notions, is the immediate
resignation of the Ministry. The chief of the Opposi-
tion is sent for by the Crown, a new Ministry suc-
ceeds tooffice, and the Opposition crossesthe House.
The Crown remains absolutely neutral in choice,
simply ratifying the will of Parliament, without
respect of persons or parties, and treating all
Ministries with impartial confidence. Such was the
constitutional doctrine of our own Quitrv's nearest
and dearest adviser, and such is the only true
doctrine of constitutional monarchy and par-
liamentary government. Had the King of PRIIIRIA
possessed himself of this doctrine, he might have
spared his crown and dignity some humiliation,
and his people much agitation and excitement.
Instead of this, he refuses to accept the resigna-
tion
of his Ministers, and tells a clear majority in
Parliament that he is persuaded the "well-thinking"
portion of the nation are on his side. He then
dissolves the Chamber, all his Ministers but
one countersigning the decree, and proceeds to ap-
point a vehement reactionist Peer to the Presi-
dency of the Cabinet. The consequence is that
the Ministers whose resignation the Kriro had
declined to accept a few days before, resign
a second time to save their own political honour,
and their resignations are accepted, to make room
for a reactionary Cabinet ; under whose auspices
the general election is now to take place. It is
considered certain that the Liberal majority will
be restored to Parliament undiminished in num-
bers, perhaps reinforced; and the end of it all
will be that the Kinn will have no alternative
but a coup &act, or submission to the
constitutional authority of Parliament Mean-
while the sympathies of Liberal Germany are
falling away from • Knio who has not the strength
or singleness of purpose to command them. Austria
gains all that Primal/. loses ; and the significant,
though absurd, rumour that the dissolution of
Parliament at Berlin was recommended to the
K Ist; in an Imperial letter from Vienna, was not
ill-devised to increase the irritation of the Liberal
Party-
The proclamation of the KING confirms our
opinion of his perfect honesty, and his absolute
ignorance of the rudiments of constitutional govern-
ment. His subjects, we dareasy, looked for better
theory and practice from one so intimately allied
to England. Wben will these military Monarchs
learn the absolute comfort of ruling over a loyal
people, through responsible Ministers and a free
liament

ebe etourt.

W INDOOR CASTLE, Mac[ 21.

the Queen held a Privy Council this afternoon,
at 4 o'clock, at which were present Earl Granville, the Doke
of Somerset, and the Right Hon. E. Cardwell.
Mr. Helps, Clerk of the Council, attended.
Earl Granville bad an audience of the Queen.

The Prime Consort Memorial Committee held a meeting
yesterday afternoon at the Palace of Westminster. Present:
The FAA al Derby, the Earl of Clarendon, the Lord Mayor,
and Sir Charles L. Eastlake.
A deputation on the subject of the Bleaching and Dyeing
Werke Act of 1860, had so interview with Sir George Grey,
yesterday, at the Home-office.
A deputation horn members of the Atlantic Telegraph
Company had an interview with Viscount Palmerston

yesterday.
A deputation on Sugar Duties had an Interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, yesterday, at his official resi-
dence in Downing-street.
A deputation respecting Prosecution Expenses Bill had
an interview with the Right Hon. Sir George Grey yes
terday.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the Governor of Canada.

A few days ago (writes our Windsor cor-
reepaadestl bar Majesty, accompanied by her Royal
Highness the Princess Alias, and attended by Colonel
the Hen. A. N. Hood. was taking a carriage drive in the
neighbourkood al Old Wiodeor and Egham, when on
passing over Runnymede bar attention wu attracted
by the stock•in-trade of a poor Italian vendor of images.
The carriage was ordered to be stopped, and with her dia.
racteriatio coesiderstion sad Modems el heart her Majesty
became a purchaser of several of the imam But here a
laughable incident occurred ; whim the Quota ordered the
Italia to be liberally rewardad it was discovered that none
et the party had sufficient cash to furnish the sum required.
The moor', however, was soon afterwards procured, and
when tbs poor Italian understood who his customer was he
bums overwhelmed with emotion.

Maria Marchioness of Ailesbury will come to town
as Yeaday sett, from Totteoham Park, Wilts.
The Earl and Countess Grey are expected at their
reeidemeo es Clarltoo-terrace about the latter end of the

math, ho® the Continent.
The Countess Russell is at present in Sunder-
laid on a visit to her daughter, Lady Victoria Villiers.
Lady Milford has arrived in Brook-street, from
liar seat is Ire Wad, for the mum .

_
Mr. and Lady Elixaboth Drummond will come to
tows early next week. from their ..at, Cadlande, South.
maples, for the maim
The Hon. Mrs. Augustus Lane Fox has arrived
at Lady Stanley of Alderley's residence, in Dover•street, for
the somon.
—.

--
The Hon. William Bouverie, eldest son of Via-
count and Viscountess Folkestone, has left Longford Castle,
Wilts, for the Continent.
M. J. Lambert, envoy of the King of Hada-
pacer, and suite, have left Tong's Hotel for Paris.
The Reine Hortense has left Toulon for Hyeres,
to take on board the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, at
whose disposal she has been placed for a sea voyage.
We ( Westcni Times) are glad to report that very
satisfactory reports of Earl Forteecue's health continue to
come from Paris.
The Countess of Hardwicke writes to the Ca rn-
tripe litattpendent urging collections in pence towards the
memorial to the Prince Consort, one who "was emphatically
The Pereple's Friend l'—who personally entered into their
prindiene end wants, ameliorating the condition of the
lalsonring poor, by the individual attention be gave to the
improvement of their cottages, the building of schools and
pulls wa►-houass, sad increasing their means of obtaining
Imisiallha sad innocent recreation."
It is understood that the estate of the late
Damen Dunbar has been planed in Chancery for admi-
nistration. This step was taken by the executors for their
own security in dealing with property of such magnitude.
The public hair been already made aware of a
magnificent offer made by Mr. Drummond, of Dublin, of
%MY., for the purpose of founding a school in Dublin for
the orphan daughters of soldiers. Mr. Driumnsed died last
week, and bequeathed that sum for the arrow. His
funeral was attended by the Commander of the Forces in
Ireland, and by many officers and detachment. 01 the regi-
ments in garrison in Dublin.
The state apartments at Windsor Castle, which
have been so long closed to the public, will, it is add, be re-
opened shortly after the departu►e of the Court from Wind-
sor, which will be in the course of a fortnight.
Professor Cairnes, of Queen's College, Galway,
has in the pram a work entitled, "The have Fewer ; Ys
character, career, and probable &ape r Wag an Miami
to espial& the real issues involved in the Amnion soutint.