The Express.
London, England, 1849-02-24 00:00:00

THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE.

It appears that while Count Colloredo is in London
for the purpose of making definite ments with
the British cabinet respecting the are of busi-
ness, the Marquis de Ricci, Sir Henryenry Ellis, and
M. De la Oene, have to treat of a difficult question
connected with Count Colloredo's journey, viz., which
of the states are to be represented at the conference—
s question by no means easy of solution in the present
position of the states of the church and the indecision
of the Ring of Naples. It is impossible that either
the Pope or King Ferdinand can be repre-
sented so long as their position with regard
to the congress is not ascertained. In respect
to the secondary states which are moat closely con-
cerned in the results of the conference, and have there-
fore placed themselves under the protection of Sar-
dinia, they will not have any direct representative,
but will send their representatives to the Sardinian
plenipotentiary. Lombardy will appoint Count
Durini ; Parma, Senator 'Maestri ; Modena and
Reggio, Paßrimieri. The first difficulty commences
with the claims of the republic of Venice, which has
separated itself from the sovereignty of Sardinia, but
whose existence has not yet been recognised by the
mediating powers. Whether, therefore, its delegate,
M. Picini, will be admitted to the negotiations is very
dubious. Further, how will the claims of the Lom-
bardy republicans, who likewise claim a seat
at the conference, be admitted by Sardinia
and the two mediating /*were ? On what terms can
the representatives of the government of Palermo be
admitted, especially as England and France have
taken Ring Ferdinand under their protection?
Until these preliminary questions (from which
Austria, with political wisdom, stands aloof) be settled,
Count Colloredo will have time enough in London to
arrange with Lord Palmerston respecting the basis of
the negotiation.

FRANKFORT, FEB. 20.

There has been asreat deal of talk about a new
aote from the Prussian government, accompanied by
a letter from M.Camphausen, the Prussian envoy at
Frankfort. In this note the Prussian government re-
peats its declaration that a federal state ought to be
constituted embracing Prussia and all the other states
which desire to be received into it ; and that the re-
mainder of Germany (Austria, and such states as
participate in its sentiments) should remain connected
with this new federal state on the footing of the old
confederation. It is said that Bavaria has intimated
to Prussia ',threat that she will withdraw from the
Zollverein in the event of Prussia being placed at the
head of a federal state from which Austria should be
excluded. Prussia is said to have replied to this
threat that it would regret much to see Bavaria se-
cede from the Zollverem, but even at this hazard it
would deem it its duty to interpose no obstacles to the
re-organisation of Germany, and that it hoped ere
long to see all the German states, without any excep-
tion, applying for admission into the federal state, as
was the case in North America, where several states
at first showed a disposition to stand aloof from the
union. _ .

You see Prussia maintains the ground taken up
originally by its volunteer advocates in unofficial
pamphlets, and subsequently in its first official note.
It has gained many adherents in the Assembly
within the few last days, partly in consequence of the
blunders of Austrian diplomacy; partly on account of
the increasing complications of Austrian affairs in
Hungary and Transylvania. The cry that the
Reagens have entered Transylvania has awakened
throughout Germany fears in some and hopes in
others—fears in the timid, hopes in the brave: for
the latter persuade themselves that a war with Rus-
sia will be the surest means of combining the greater
part of Germany to resist that power ; aed that the
war, if successful, will lead ultimately to the union of
the whole of Germany. Perhaps Germany has
never been better prepared for war than at present ;
and a war against Russia would call into action
the whole energy and enthusiasm of the nation,
which is unanimous in considering Russia as the
meat inveterate enemy of its liberty and unity. This
sentiment tells at the moment to the disadvantage of
Austria, which by taking its stand upon the treaties
of 1815, in opposition to the constitution of a federal
state, is regarded as holding oat to Germany under
these treaties a threat that it will ally itself with
Russia in a crusade against regenerated Germany.
The entry of the Russians into the Aaatrian States
would in these circumstances be considered the com-
mencement of a war between Germany on the one
side and Russia and Austria on the other. Such a
war appears to many inevitable, and hence the news
that Russia has occupied Transylvania cannot fail to
injure Austria in the estimation of German patriots.
Moreover, the organisation of the Austrian party in
the National Assembly is as unfortunate as can well
be imagined. At its head is M, von Schmerling,
whom all Mends of German liberty and unity regard
as the enemy of their country, and whom an over-
whelming majority in the National Assembly hate the
more that he has used all his influence to injure that
body everywhere. The second " leader" of this party
is M. Welker, who was deputed to wait upon Prince
Windischgratz during the Austrian crisis, and who
completely failed in asserting the dignity of the
German empire in his negotiations with the Austrian
general. The left in particular hate one of these
politicians, and despise the other to a degree that
an
interposesadditional difficulty in the way of a
coalition between that party and the party of Austria.
Even the attempt to brag about a meeting of a joint
committee of the parties to devise a common system
of operation with reference to the Prussian question
has failed. Each party has maintained its own com-
mittee. The probability is that they will be unable
to come to an naderstanding.
The second reading of the constitution will come on
in a few days, and no one can so much as form a con-
jecture of what may be the vote on the essential
points. The most trivial incident may reverse the
majority. To-day a report is circulated that there
hes been a new rising in Vies= to expel the Croats.
Meanwhile chance directs everything,and unless some
=foramen events oceur,the victory may fall to which-
ever side is most prompt and audacious in its mea-
sures. Hitherto the chances are all in favour of the
Prussian party.
P.S. A letter from Prague data that Jellachich
has declared for the Hungarians. This is probably
a groundless rumour. But it is also one of those
rumours which swarm over the whole of Germany,
and prove the agitated state of the public mind. Pro-
phecies are current in every corner of Germany about
a bloody war with the Russians. Should it break out
Crlay their account with the countenance of Eng-
and eventually of France. But this is too
weighty a subject for a postscript ; I may, perhaps,
return to it hereafter.