The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-14 00:00:00

PROGRESS OF REFORM.

We continue to give a summary of the news from
the different states of Germany up to the latest dates.
A letter from Vienna of the ith in the Preussische
Allgemeine Zeitring, thus hopefully describes the
prospects of Austria The question is generally
asked here, what will be the result of the French
revolution in Italy, and especially in Austrian Italy ?
Will there be war, or will reforms be made suitable
to the time and to the majority of the people?
Amongst us there is no sympathy for republican
forms, and even in Italy the political excitement
against the Austrian government Is more likely to be
kept calm by the intelligence of the French revolution
than by the force of bayonets. According to thi
latest accounts the people, or rather their representa-
tives, have determined to send a deputation to the
Emperor demanding reform. An excellent mediator
between governors and governed will be found in
Count Montecuculi. As we have already stated, the
states of Lower Austria are convened for the 15th of
March, and their assembling has never at any time
been looked forward to with more expectation than
now.

t• Count Breuner is named, provisionally, President
or Marshal of the Chamb,r for this year, in the room
of Count Montrcuculi.

"The money holders of the country,especially those
having values in the funds, are alarmed, and have by
selling out depressed the funds beyond every expecta-
tion. Confidence will, however, soon return.
" In the sitting of the Au,trian Trade Union at
Vienna on the evening of the 6th, an address to the
Emperor was passed unanimously, in which the
assurance is given of the greatest devotion to the im-
perial family."
There seems as yet to have been no step taken in
view of satisfying the demands of the Hungarian
diet, but rumours prevailed in Vienna that great
changes in high quarters, and the prospect of a con-
stitution, were lilt, Iv. Such news is more desirable
than likely to be fulfilled.
The Lesp:ig Zeitung declares, on the faith of a
letter from Vienna of the Bth, that Prince Metternich
had resigned, but this is not confirmed by news through
more direct channels, and mast be taken as an idle
rumour.

With the view of tranquillising the minds of the
public as to the continuance of cash payments
by the National Bank of Vienna, the official gazette
has the following : On the occasion of the poli-
tical events it was reported that the National
Bank would not immediately pay the notes in circu-
lation in cash, according to their nominal value. It
is easy to prove the incorrectness of this statement,
as, according to the 75th section of the statutes of the
bank, the branch banks of the National Bank of
Austria will immediately pay in specie all bank notes
which may be presented for payment, as it has
done up to the present time. The direction of the
bank thinks the best manner of tranquillising the
public mind is to publish the situation of the National
Bank on Feb. 29, 1849 :

R. ie.
Assets.-51onnale de convention
Bills discounted on hard due from
sto 95 days
Bills enraged to be paid in 90days 12,002,500 0
Public debts on mortgages
Loan guaranteed for klungary 1,081,909 45

246.425,431 111

DebiMin.—Bill. in erreulation
Paym,nt of accounts current
Rank mock for Sti,62l abates. at
the primitive We of GOO
par share
240,423,431 1 II
The Suabian Mercury, under the date of Vienna
the sth inst., says :" The armament continues; all the
soldiers on leave of absence have been ordered to join
their regiments, and fresh horses are being purchased
for the cavalry. Our government seems to envisage
the affairs of Paris with great calmness. Russia, it
is said, is more than ever determined upon making a
great display of military force, in consequence of the
late events. She will commence by sending a con-
siderable corps d'arinee to the frontiers of Poland and
Galicia, which would, in case of need, act as a re-
serve body to the Austrian army. For game time back
it has been in contemplation to convert the silver
roubles into Austrian coin. It is said that forty-five
millions are to be lent by Russia, and are to be
guaranteed by the fortune of the imperial family. It
is affirmed that the Este family has offered thirty
millions of florins ; so that it will now be unnecessary
to create new taxes. Several banking houses inter-
ested in the public loans have likewise offered to ad-
vance money in specie, but their offers have not been
accepted. The panic relating to the savings bank is
dispelled."
An important piece of intelligence has been re-
ceived from Wiesbaden. The Grand Duke has put
himself at the head of the movement (spits° dor
Bewegung), and has urged that steps be taken for
forming a "German parliament." The letter called
forth expressions of the most lively satisfaction amongst
the assembled members. By-the-bye, the Augsburg
Uucette states that the King of Bavaria has also placed
himself at the head of the German movement
The Prussian government has officially contra-
dicted the assertion of the ff;rsen-Nachriclifen that

tween the rioters and the military. Many persons
were wounded. A proclamation was issued, threaten-
ing the people with military violence if they did not
disperse when summoned to do so. According to the
latest intelligence from Berlin, tranquillity was re-
stored at Breelaw on the Bth. . . .

The reforms in Saxony have been granted in time.
A letter from Leipsig, of the 10th, contains a pro-
clamation made by the King of Saxony, in which it
is stated that the chambers will be extraordinarily
convoked on the 20th of May. This proclamation
was published in Dresden on the 9th. Numbers of
addresses from various towns and corporate bodies,
demanding reforms, and which had been determined
on previous to the intentions of the Ring being made
known, appear in the Leipsig papers, and show to
what extent the public feeling had been aroused, and
the danger there would have been in delaying to
satisfy the wishes of the people. Another proclama-
tion, dated Dresden, the 9th, decrees the abolition of
the censorship until the 15th of May, by which time
the chambers will not pass the decree into law.
The Suabian Mercury, under the date of Stuttgard,
March 8, says : The ministers will not present them-
selves before the chambers. There is some talk of
the formation of a new cabinet. The following are
the names: Justice, M. Pfizer; Foreign Affairs, Count
Degenfeld ; Interior, Durernois; War, Bangald ;
Finance, Goppelt. It is said the councillor of the
regency, Seger, is named governor of the town.
From Hesse Cassel, under date March 7, we learn
that by an ordonnance of that day's date the Elector
abolished the censorship of the press on discussions
relating to the domestic affairs of the country, and
has revoked the restrictions respecting the private
worship of catholic dissenters. Hie royal highness
also announces that he intends, moreover, to propose
to the state several laws. Amongst others,
one tending to modify the condition of ca-
tholic dissenters and other religious bodies ; a
second to throw open the courts to the public,
to take oral evidence, and to establish trial
by jury ; and a third respecting the assembling
of the states for the nomination of the members of
the supreme court of appeal. These concessions not
having appeared sufficient to the committee appointed
by the people, they have sent a new deputation to
Cassel to demand the eight points following:-1. To
name a ministry, in place of that last appointed,
which possesses the confidence of the people. 2. To
dissolve the assembly of the states which is about to
be convoked, and to proceed immediately to the elec-
tion of a new chamber. 3. To grant full and entire
liberty of the press, in conformity with the promise
contained in article 95 of the act of the constitution.
1. Full amnesty for all the political offenders of 1830.
5. Entire religions liberty. 6. Application to the
Germanic Diet for the formation of a house of repre-
sentatives of the whole German people. Revocation
of all the decrees restricting the enjoyment of consti-
tutional rights, especially the right of petition and
that of holding public meetings. 7. A formal pro-
mise that the projects of law announced by the pro-
clamation of tho 7th inst., and those rendered neces-
sary by the wishes of the people, shall be presented
at the next meeting of the states. 8. If, at the end
of three days, the Elector does not return an answer,
the commission will regard his silence as a refusal.
The demand for free constitutions which we subjoin,
and which has been stuck up in several towns in the
Rhenish provinces, attests the movement of ideas
which now animates the population of the Rhenish
provinces:
APPEAL TO TIRE GOLIILAN PROPLE.—The German people
declare that the German alliance has trodden under foot the
rights of Germany ; has respected neither the rights of man
nor the right* of property; has impeded and stopped the
progress of intellect, so that Germany has become an object
of contempt for other nations. The people do not recognise
for their representatives the diplomatists instituted by the
princes of the confederacy. The people consider the confe-
deracy as morally dead, and its decrees and ordinances as
null and void. The people demand immediately, for the I
conduct of their affairs, a natisnal representation, chosen
by the nation.without distincti-n of rank, fortune, or religion.
The people declare that if the princes do not approve of this
demand, without restriction, they shall be expelled from
their thrones, and the German provinces shall be constituted
into a federative republic, and shall form with their brethren
of France an offensive and defensive alliance. " Long live
the Republic !" The union of all citisens—the tranquillity
and order which so rapidly followed the victory of the 24th
of February—are certainly not the least powerful auxiliaries
to democratic ideas, which have till now been represented as
a cause of anarchy. The love of liberty cannot but increase
in every nation, in presence of the grand and no'ile spectacle
which enfranchised France now offers to the world.

The King of Hanover has resolved to convoke the
states on the 28th inst., and has expressed his readiness
to enforce the resolutions which may be adopted by a
majority of the Germanic confederation relative to
the liberty of the press. On the other hand, he has
declared that any participation on the part of the de-
puties of local states in the deliberations and reso-
lutions of the Germanic Diet is incompatible with a
monarchical government. In answer to an address of
the people praying far reform, the Kiag communi.
cated the following :—ln replying to the demands of
he municipal council and of the delegates of the city of
Hanover his Majesty submits the following—let. The
decree promulgated on the 3rd inst., relative to the
press, by the Germanic Diet, provides, that " each
state composing the Germanic confederation has the
power of abolishing the censorship andof granting the
liberty of the press." However, that can only take
plate under the guarantees which protect as much as
possible the federal states against the abuse of the
liberty of the press. Thus before abolishing the cen-
t sorship it is necessary to obey the guarantee thus
given, and to proceed to preparatory measures. His
Majesty will not refuse his assent to whatever resolu-
tions may be arrived at on the subject by the majority
of his august shies of the confederation. 2. That the
admission of members of the local Diets to the de-
liberations of the Germanic Diet and partici-
pation in their resolves, to which sovereigns them-
selves are obliged to submit, in virtue of the act of
federation, is incompatible with monarchical govern.
ment, as every one will agree on calm reflection.
3. Respecting the prompt convocation of the states,
his Majesty has anticipated the wishes of the people.
On the night of the Bth inst. the city of Bremen
was brildautly illuminated, in celebration of the ex-
tensive popular concessions made by the senate of that
free city.
A peaceful revolution has been accomplished in the
little principality of Hohenzollern Sigmaringhen. All
the demands of the people fur fundamental reforms
were complied with, and the Bavarian and Prussian
officers sent oat of the country.