The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-06 00:00:00

GERMANY.

The Germanic Diet, in its sitting of the 31st ult.,
decided on the suppression and sale of the federal
Heet. On this occasion Austria proposed to form the
German navy in three divisions, to be commanded
respectively by Austrians, Prussians, and Germans of
other states. Prussia opposed this arrange-
ment when the above final resolution was
adopted. Prussia has declared her readiness
to undertake the support of the fleet for one month.
Tho resignation of the Prussian Minister of War,
' General von Stockhausen, sent in some time since,
was accepted by the King on the Ist. The business
of the ministry is for the present conducted by the
Director of the Department, General von Wangen-
heim. It is probable the new War Minister will be
General Hahn, at present commanding a division in
the Rhine provinces. General Hahn commanded the
Prussian corps in Holstein in 1849, and is a very
able officer.

The Wiener kitting of January Ist contains the
following decrees of the Emperor of Austria (the sub-
stance of which appeared in yesterday's Express). It
will be seen that whereas the provisions of the consti-
tution were cancelled by the imperial edict of August
20, 1851, the last principles of political right con-
ceded by the constitution are now disavowed. There
now exists no political right in the empire. The first
of these decrees annuls the constitution in the fol-
lowing words :

We, Franz Joseph 1., by the grace of God, Emperor of
Austria, &c., . . .

In pursuance of our ordinance of 20th August, lgil, the
constitution promulgated by the patent of March 4,1819, has
been submitted to a thorough examination by our ministry
and our imperial council.
Since, according to the results of this investigation, the
said constitution neither agrees in its fundamental princi-
ples with the situation of the Austrian imperial state, uor is
capable of execution in the totality of its provisions, we find
ourselves, alter elisions consideration of all the facts, com-
pelled by our duty as regent hereby to declare the said con-
stitution of March 4, 1849 null and void.
The equality of all subjects before the law, as well as the
abolition of peasant service and bondage, and the duties
formerly connected therewith (for which compensation has
been adjudged to feudal proprietors), is expressly con-
firmed. •

In order to be able to attain to those institutions, which
are calculated to satisfy the requirements of our different
peoples, and to fulfil the conditions of the welfare of all
classes of the same, and in order also to fortify our govern
ment, and secure the unity and power of our state, we shall
abide in the path of experience, provisig the exact necessities
of the empire, and from time to time shall issue suitable
organic laws.
Upon the ground of these considerations, we have, after
hearing the counsel of our ministry and lteichsrath, resolved
upon a series of principles as the basis of these organic laws,
and have commanded that these be made public without
delay, and that also their application in practice may be
realised as early aa possible.
The successive special laws will contain the more particu-
lar provisions and institutions : until these issue, the laws
now existing will be binding.
Given this 31st day of December, 1861, &c.,
(Signed) lAA NZ JOSEPH.
F. SCHWARZ EN /MHO.
RANSONN IT,
The second, it will be seen, sets aside the funda-
mental rights :

We, Frans Joseph, &e.
In the patent of March 4, 1849, a number of specific
political rights were announced and attributed to the inha-
bitants of the archduchy of Austria, above and below the
Ems, of Salzburg, Styria, Illyria, Carinthia, Carniolia,
Tyrol, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Galicia, Bnkovina,
Dalmatia, &e. These, with the scheme of a constitution
published at the same date, have been subjected to a care-
ful consideration.

In consequence of reason" becomo known to us upon
hearing the opinions of our ministers and our Mt iclisrath,
we have seen tit to annul the mid patent of March 4, 1819,
and with it the fundamental rights then attributed to the
inhabitants or the crown lands aforesaid.

In so far as special alterations have not already ben
made in the separate heads of that enumeration oi rights
we reserve to ourselves the liberty to regulate the same by
means ef particular laws.
We declare, however, expressly by the present patent,
that we will uphold and protect every lawfully recognised
ecclesiastical and religious society, in the enjoyment of the
right of public worship, as well as in the administration of
its interior affairs ; and further, in the unmolested posses-
sion of its institutions for carrying out worship, instruction,
and benevolence, always supposing them to be conformable
Ito the laws of the empire.
Given, &c., at Vienna, Dec. 31,
The subjoined document is an appendix of prin-
ciples upon which a subsequent series of organic laws
is to be framed : it will be observed that trial by jury•
is utterly abolished.

FUNDAMENTAL. PRINCIPLFA OF TILE FUTURE
OROANIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE AUSTRIAN
EMPIRE.

The territories united, whether under ancient, historical,
or modern titles, with the Austrian imperial states, form
the inseparable elements of the Austrian imperial heredi-
tary monarchy.
The phrase " crown-lands" shall be employed in official
documents only as a general expression: when a particular

territory is designated, the proper name of the same ebyg
invariably be expressed.
The existing circumscriptions of the crown lands shag be
observed, except so fur ea admiuistrative ft./60111/
necessary a de% iotion from this rule.
In each crown-land, vial district administrations
(lundesftirstliche ihairksainter) shall lie estahlifhtd, se
nix/ be thought fit, 3,r1,1 within the 66010 the af.tion or the
various branches of udiuiuistration shall be us far as poi,eibie
united.

Above the district boards, boards of circles (Kreisbehir.
den) will be established for administtutive purivises.
territorial extent of these will be fixed with regard both to
fernier divisions and prest nt
In the smaller crown-lent., as generally where no nee,
city exists for establisbiug the boards of circles, they will l;
dispensed with.
The boards of circles are subordinated to the governor Of
the crown-laud (see next article), and hurt functions partly
supervisory and partly administrative.
Above the boards of circle* are placed in every erowipls,ki
the viceroyalty (stattlialterei), and the Land ...chef (, .Id.
of the province). The function" Lel. tiging to tla.
royalty, the position!rinil p were of the Loolesch..f, and l
relation to the supreme authority, will be defined by p,r.
ticular regulations.
The existing orrts-gemeinde (commune %) will he continued
as sileh, excepting is Cam s where their union i. matt recd
especially necessary or desirable.
In the organisation of orrlngtmelnde, the distinction lx-
tween rural and city communes is to be wept in u• W. lvot.,
cularly the character of the hitter, as royal or prinerly
towns or cities.

The election of a president and acting committee of the
commune will take place according to regulations lieri-Jor
to he The anew title 4 the pr, 111 that
which has heretofore been 11,041 in each crown land.
functions of the president and committee will be limit o is
the affairs of the commune They will, however, be Irsitol
to render all required co.uperatiou in niore public air.,
when called upon so to do by the superior courts.
(Here follow a number of minute regulations for the
government of parish,' and tither small eommunitie..)
The publication of the official procet dings of elifinping,
is forbidden. The communis are subj. chit inuiraliattiv •r
the district hoards. According to these prisicip:e“ a
cubic organisation is to be worked out for every te,rr.•
lain!.

In the application of these principles, it must alway. IN a
rule to concede the gnettest amount of influence to the
greatest interests. In the lectiou of communal lmnel• et
and committee, as in communal allvirs generally, hello
is to be secured to the landed proprietor its proporteie ;.,
his property within the COIIIIIIIIIIV, and to his rating to
taxes; to the manor:whirl:4r and emninereisl nrtere••.
proportion to the collective property ; and particulate-1v
ciric communes, to the proprietor, of house., and aiu r.
wards a decisive superiority must be aseurvil to the twee.
rations exivtiag for spiritual and material purposes.
In the Lennie:Ma Venetian liinglum, the existing eim.
mural divisiniti will he kept up and improved.
The judicial obey will lei exerrised throughout thee.
by the member* of the courts, according to the exista4
laws, in the mane of his imperial re yid and apv.;e:.c
majesty:
The judges and officers of jastiee are to be treated, is
respect of their personal conduct, acrording to the preotip-
tions valid for the other °Meer* of the .Cute, with rei,erva-
tion of their independence iu the lawful ex,•rcise of thou
ofßee.

The separation of the administration of justice from
merely ministerial duties shall prevail in the cells wiatc tc.•
Annals, and in the courts of second and third Bt, .dice, air)
in the courts of first instane, in Lombardy, and nhenwir
else it shall be found netcs4ary. Elsewhere, judicial and
administratiTc functions will ho united in courts of first
Instance.

In criminal cases which come before the collegiate tours
sitting ris tribunals of tint instance, woe...a-dings take plan:
by indictment, the accused is providtd with an adrocat.,
and the final proceedings are oral.
The procretlings are not public, but the accused has the
right of giving admission to a deft:lite number of his friewh
as spectators during the oral prucredhigs in the court of
first instance.

The public prosecutor present.; in.Pchatents.
Juries are dispensed with.

In the courts of first and a.•cond instance, the procectliint
are conducted wily in writing.

THE PENINSULAR MAIL.

The Peninsular Company's steamer Euxine, Cap.
tam It. W. Evans, arrived at Southampton this
morning. The Montrose steamer, which left
Southampton with the Peninsular mail on the 17th
ult., having (as stated elsewhere) broken down while
going into Cadiz, was unable to proceed to Gibraltar,
and her Gibraltar mail was consequently wet
on in a Spanish government steamer in charge
of Lieutenant Inglis, the Admiralt agent of
the Montrose. / ieutenant Inglis, has arrived
home in the Euxine, in charge of a mail from Gib-
raltar only. The cargo of the Montrose will be
taken on to Gibraltar in the next outward packet.
Amongst the cargo of the Euxine is specie to the
value of 121,000/. from Constantinople. Th e Entine
left Gibraltar on the 31st tat., and came direct to
Southampton.

COLONIAL.

CANADA.

A letter, dated Quebec, Ike. 19, says:

THE ELECTION EET I: ItNS received up to this date show
an immense majority in former of the administration. This
majority, however, may be materially diminished, or lust
altogether during the first week of the session. The Clear
Grits, who have returned a fuir proportion of members is
the west, will certainly go into opposition if the clergy
reserve question be trilled with ; nod Cauch on and the
Roman catholic church party in Lower Canada are deter-
mined to oppose any infringement on the rights of the
established church of England.
Among the now members who arc likely to take en ac-
tive port in the business of legislation and political warfais
are, George Brown, editor of the 'Toronto Wihe, member
fur Huron ; Hon. Commissioner Itulph, fur Norfolk; Mr.
Rose, for Hondas; Mr. Cl,apaia, on the seignorial interest,
for Katnourasko; Mr. Tessier, Quebec advocate, for Port.
ueuf; Mr. Gamble, over Mr. Price, late commissioner of
crown lands, for the First !tiding of York ; Mr. Poulin, a
red-hut republican, for Renville ; Mr. Crawlerl, a mer-
chant of good standing, for Brockville &c. Of the old
members, whose names are familiar to the pubic, !khan.
Ilincks, Chauveau, Richards, Badgeley, Cauchon, Boulton
of Toronto, W. L. Al•Kenzir, M. Cameron, Colonel Prince,
Sir Allan M'Nnh, Chabot, Merritt, &c., have retained their
seats. Messrs. Baldwin, yayley (logy, Price, Walton of
Norfolk (onto chief justice of Newfoundland), Chrysler,
&c., have lost their eb-ctions : their eon hits set for ever.

fitz ANNUAL. TIMBER CIRCULARS have just been pub-
lished, and show a very satisfactory state of trade. Messrs.
Wood and Petry say:—" An increased trade has been car-
ried on in this branch of our exports, awl in the face of con-
tinued high prices for white pine, the export has exceeda
that of previous years by a very considerable quantity. The
increased demand for white pine is partly attributable te
the extensive railway contracts made in Great The
trade in red pine has been more limited this PC.1.1 Manta!
years past, having sustained a gradual lanai; off sine,
1846." The stock of oak awl elm wintering oe, r at Quebec
is considerably larger than that of last year. The deal trade
has been unusually active during the pad season, and re
munerative prices have ruled throughout. Messrs. !food
and Petry add:—" The demand tOr square timber it
the United States market, though counderable, ha
been checked by the prevailing high prices; be
the quantity shipped, together with sawn lamb'[
nearly equals the whole export of white pine from Quebec.'
From the comparative statement of the supply and export
of lumber for the years 1847, 1818, 1849, 1810, and 1851.
published by the same firm, it appears that the supply al
white pine during the past season has antaunted
15,417,815 feet, and the export 1.1,911,600 feet, being
nearly 3.000,000 feet more than the export of east year,
and 4,600,001) more than that of 1819. The diminution in
red pine is only 100,090 feet on last year's export, and
600,000 feet on that of 1519. The export of deals has de-
creased about 800,000 standard from that of previous yens.
The arrivals and tonnage at the part of Quebec show Is
encouraging increase. They are as follows :
Vessels. Tons.
1847
1848
1819
1860
1861
It is expected that the increase will be much larger next
year.
The New York Ilemlfl has published a correspondence
between flit L. Bulwer, Mr. Webster, and Lord Elgin, as
the subject of reciprocity between the States and Canada
!The governor-general seems to threaten the imposition of s
system of dittrrential duties in favour of the St. Lawn-no
route, and the closing of the Canadian canals to Americas
vessels, if some measure of reciprocity is not adopted b 1
Congress. It is generally believed here that while thus
retaliatory measures would be most acceptable to the cities
of Quebec and Montreal, and while no doubt the FNMA
1 manufacturers would be delighted by our pursuing such &
policy, the cogriun•sense free-trade principles of upper
Canada would never permit the adoption of such a pro'
teetive system. The contracted views of the United Stater
legislators on the subject of trade may possibly defer reef
procity fur a season, or even refuse it altogether, but it world
hardly compensate us for the disappointment to reduce, is
mere spite, the revenue of our canals to a nominal figure. sal
impose a tax on the retailers and coueumers in upper
Canada of 20 or 21 per cent. The • death of Chief Justice
Chipman, of New Brunawick, which occurred a few dap
ago, is a melancholy event. Though not a jut isconsult of
the first rank, he lead ably tilled the highest post in th
judiciary of his province for many years. lie was poss.—,
of immense wealth, and left by het will 4,0001. to St. Jolca •
church, 10,000/. to the Diocesan Church Society, and 4c"
to the Madras school. The legislature of Now DIMIISIVICI
is to meet about the middle of January.

MR. ROEBUCK, M.P.— We regret to learn that ON
member, Mr. Roebuck, is labouring under rather seem
indisposition.—Sheffield Indepentioit.