The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-07 00:00:00

Toms

LONDAY, MAY

the defense which the Paleemicane bad erected.
Stabile, it seems, had fled to Malta, whilst Ruggiero
Settles° remained at the re9eset et both ;parties ; each
is the Imre t as ass Meseta& It le evident,
therefore, that hared treachery, sad
perhaps with too in reuse, as mete aaa knew
better than himself that the submission of Sicilians
tun only be the bard result of necessity, and ell pro-
%Mons at friendship miry bet the flimsy veil which
'he fear of extermination amines. Whilst from
Palermo, up to the present Moment, I have received
nothing more positive than what I sow mend you, es
to one will now commit himself by writing, not
very mach is to be told. The Preach stssiner
brought me a letter from Catania, which contains
farther details of the wattage destruction and bar-
barity used towards the unfottenste aed almost de-
foamless eity of Week. Pros the sonmeneensent
of Bongo, or the salmi* of thrash, there rens a
street nearly a mile and al half hag to the Pt .ma del
Demo, nearly the centre of the city. In the centre
of this space there are not left a doom houses scand-
ium All have fallen a prey to the flames ; and that I
which might have been ranked as no. of the hated-
sanest cities of Europe is new in rah& This is no
ex ted picture, IMU NI yea The following
day„ the city was given up to *See, sad
well have the barbarians availed themselves_ of the

permiseion. There is seareay a house or shop in this
city of nearly 70,000 inhabitants which has not been
broken open, dret having beam plandered by the
soldiers and then by the low rabble; who are urged
on to plunder by the "first soldiers of Europe."
An English mamas, belonging to the James
Walker, was murdered one night this week by a
Swiss sentinel. He was woueded by a bayonet,
which passed under his left shoulder, and he received
a sabre eaten.' his head. The murderer was arrested,
and, I believe, has been tried; bat with what result I
know not.

The Neapolitan troops which left a few days since
foe the frontier consisted of 4,680 man without com-
prising officere, musical bands, and conductors of aqui-
Plifltive received the following manifesto, published
by the intendente of the province of Catania, which 1
sad yon:
ilk Zestellesey the Prince eatriani, Lionises:it-General,
Commander-la-Chief of the first body of the army and the
squadron destined for the expedition of Sicily, in his re-
ions/cation of 15th April, has favoured me with
followarea moting:—
Big. lateadeate,—Sose of the inhabitants of the city
and of the otwamunes of the province who have sorrel in
the ranks of the national guard, and in the bends paid by the
illegitimate power during the dQbrable events which have
covered Sicily with so much (de, hesitate to return to their
homes from fear cf being arrested. Yon most measure the
timid, sad make known to all that if the government of the
king after having exhausted all the paths of elemeusy mad
moderation to restore order in this out of the royal As-
minions, has come, through compulsion, to the ears= r
amity of employing arms, it Me so Wolk%
the victory of striking at those who have ban sedesed or
aided, whoa • foreclose usurpation has dragged Law :al
series of ernes. Oily the Wets, the authors of the revela-
tion, the appropriators of the public purse, and of the sub-
stance of private persons, those only who can be regarded as
the immediate cause of the many calamities which now
'Mies this unfortunate people, are excluded from the above
said most ample pardon, whilst all the others who have only
followed the Iterrent by whisk minds and opinion have bees
upset, the deceived, the esmpelled, will have nothing taker,
and may repair quietly to thdir private occupations. And
let it be knows, Big. lateadents, that the great majority of
those who were opprcesed daring the past revolution are the
very dens who now iumekesualy require the above said
emotion to the molt ample pardon jest alluded to.
Mehe Mews these my sumewiess le the pc:miser, comfort
the dolt, easeweige the tremliktieselistedy in every way
to relates aim sad cmidense. Jowly, to those, within
your diarist that the army of the have not come to
strike tenor into this esactry, but only to renew the empire
of laws trodden urea and despised bye wicked faction, and
to defend the lessour, lives, and property of the citizens."
With the highest sandeetioa I haste* to publik this most
ample indulgease to all parts of the province, la seder that
all may retire to their several occupations, batik every fear
and that poop sad tranquillity may again Wks pmeswieasel
our minds, through the imams, dessesey or the UM ef
menarehe. who genera' us. Akoaret PANnaLtllOO,
Catania, April 16. _ _ Intendents
•

Ten days after the capture of Catania, the people
had not returned, and now many will be afraid to
trust a promise so indefinite u to admit of almost
any exception, where all have been so greatly com-
promised.
The Tempo of this morning publishes the following
telegraphic despatch :—" Colonel Nunziante, in Ca-
tania to his excellency the Minister of War in Naples:
Palermo has submitted, with all Sicily. A depute-
tine, which I accompany, is now on the road to the
General Commander-m-Chief to present to him the
act of submission, pure and simple.
Exchange on London, 580; Five per Cans., 88k.

GERMANY.

IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS IN THE
FRANKFORT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

The above Assembly met again on the 4th inst., in
order to receive the report of the Committee of Thirty
respecting the us ceseary measure for enforcing the
constitution. The house was crowded in all parte,
and several members of the late Second Chamber in
Preemie were present.
It was announced that three Prussian member',
including Herr Von Beckerath, had withdrawn from
the National Assembly.
'lts president then read, amidst the deep silence of
the house, the following report of the Committee of
Thirty:
Considering, Ist. That it is impossible to carry out, in the
way preseribed therein, the constitution of the German em-
pire so long as the elected head of that empire does not ac-
knowledge the coastitution, and appoint the day for the
eleotioes for the diet ; 2nd. That the rumple of several
German states have not yet acknowledged the constitution,
and that Prussia and Bavaria have del red against it ; 3rd.
That, on the basis of the constitution already voted, • feliei-
toes development of legal rights in Germany oat only
be looked for when the dignity of supreme head of the
empire is eoaneeted with the sown of Prussia; 4th. That if,
after voting the German constitution, the German National
Assembly were to dissolve itself, it would only bell fulfil the
mission entrusted to it by the German people with the con-
sent of the governments, inasmuch as the reeonstrating of
Germany is effected not by merely drawing up a commis-
ties, but only when Germany is really anted ander
the 'constitution which has teen voted; sth. That,
through the dissolution of the National Assembly,
the provisional central power would be unnaturally cot.
vetted into a purely absolute form of government, or be
deprived of the basis of its eminence; 6th. That, whatever
value may be attached to the circumstance that the
provisional power, until a new constitutional government
in common be celled into ithistenes, will still be (sword-
in to the law of June 28, 1848) in force, it feels that
it is at the sue time neither entitled nor bound to
Wee steps the right for the taking which can only
proceed from the constitution itself, inch as the lip-
poising a day for the elections and the opening at the Diet;
7th. That Men are formal and political obstacle in the way
of transferring those teatime to the provisioaal cen-
tral power, es well as in the way of creating a
collateral er new power; Bth. That at present the German
Dist no longer exists, bat that it has been dissolved, even
with the anew of the governments; that the dynastic in-
terests of several governments (interests voila( one from
the other, sad toadies to no union of any other- kind), are
both openly sad seamly working against the formation of
the confederate state which has been decided apes, sad that
the German people, on the other side, has everywhere de-
o'sred ter the easedtution, and, both by the deeendsed sad
mita& of the citizens gad the valour of the army,
Cseisty proved that the German nation is celled to an
hktericel development; 9th. That, were the National As-
sembly to abeades Germany at this adds, to itself, or to
the mediate' mriagiag frees madmiag dynastic is
the nation weld be either entirely rallied is a
=
dtistview, or be undermined by sew and indemeibehis
; seneiderieg, neatly, that in the mesa Ma of
Germany the stead* law respecting the general reprises-
ties of the soden made* the right and hpiessethe dap.
dos et taking measures fee mainte the swims tether-
lsad ; ad
that, masever, until threes be really
carried eat the power is Germany has
been entrusted blyithielp:ortio the National Assembly,
That Amen* melees
Ist. To Invite the gemenneests, the legislative assemblies,
the earameme of the miens stets., sad the entire German
nation,M admiededge sad eiders the essmitution of the
Gamma simples, se mad lathe lad ef Use* 1849.
Zed. nos the 16th et Aaron, MP, be Mind as the day
on which the Int dist shall seesmde is ?nekton-on-Me-
llish'', by virtue of the es•Mitation.
doss tee That the People's 15th e
Seas&
t July, OW, be the day for the
heelse-
4th. That, spat het Austria, the ace4desimios of whit&
was at the time regulated by the 87th of the 0011•
atituties—la ease say date should est la the
&et, and, Nitta account, any prevision for
all Gummy should sot wee/ penedeable4r6lll Amid=
obeli be provielemally ahead fa the ley bi the.
etrastitution until the time in whisk the amid oonstitatien
obeli be in fall forth; the 198th seeds* (14e. 1), whisk pre-

'. 1849. ITHREE PENCE.

scribes that tveo-tuirm of toe me .ban be present (to term .
home) will be carried out with reference only to times state'
which have aside the 'kolas'.
6th. That should Prussia, above all, not he represented is
'be dist, sad ebould set, therefore, have neknewladged es-
prowl, se ste Ago the oessitstioa, that the heed of that
state Whisk, compared with the others represented la the
Homes el Mates, messeme the greatest amber of inhabi-
tants, FYI be Invested, under the title et matt holster of the
maermps% with lie tights and duties of the supreme had of
Set.
Gs
That so seem, however, u the constitutisa hew:know
leased by Praia the dignity of supreme heed el Germany
bwwwwo. ifwalyzarta, transferred by virtue of the 69sh and
of the Weititation, to the Bing of Pros-
= at the game:the meognitios tithe monatitutkm.
7th. That the supreme head of the empire shall take the
oath to observe the ecesstkutios, and shall them opts the
diet, albs which the Natiosal Assembly is disolved.
Before the debate commenced, the president read
a not* addressed to him by the Baron Von Gagern,
the
thepro tees., of the central cabinet. That note
was to effect that the centred ministry, by virtue
of the law of June 25,1848, respecting the formation
of a central power (a law declaring that power the
executive in all cams where the general interests and
atoority of Germany were concerned), do not acknow-
ledge the right of any single state to take general
measures for the maintenance of the tranquillity and
peace ef the empire--a right claimed by the PlUillillll
government in that part of a recent circular note in
which they express their determination to put down
revolationary movements mall sides, and to lend their
!Vbe governmeeta is which those movements
occur.

The reading of this important document (particu-
larly the passage in which the right claimed by
Prussia is not acknowledged) called forth long-con-
tinued cheering.
After a lengthened debate (during which several
amendments proposing measures of a violent and
revolutionary nature were rejected), the propositions
of the majority of the committee were adopted.
During the debate the Baron Von Gwent stated
that, on the whole, he was in Lacer of the proposi-
tion of the majority of the committee. He could not,
however, agree with those members who desired to
enforce by violent measures the recognition of the
German constitution. Oa the other head, the prin-
ciple of the validity of that constitution should be
propagated. The unity of Germany an only be;
maintained by plac'ng Prussia at the head of the em-
pire. It would be useless to declare war against
Russia and Austria until the limits of the German
territory were practically defined. The existence of
the central power was necessary for the interests of
Germany, and he begged of the Assembly not to
urge the central executive to steps which would ren-
der its continuance problematical. He (the speaker)
was authorised to state that the vicar of the empire
would continue in his poet.
AUSTRIA.—The news of the last Hungarian

victories is completely coefirmed. The Austrian
army consisted after its retreat from Peeth and Ofen,
of three corps, which were kept apart by the successful
execution of Dembinski's plans. The corps of Jells-
chich consisted of Croat., some battalions of infantry
of regular Bohemian regiments, and a regiment (the
Welmoden) of heavy cavalry. These troops, which
were to have covered Ofen, were, by the bold move
of General Vetter, who crossed the Danube at
Foldvar, and occupied the Stuhl-Weiasenbarg and
Wenprim road, cut off from the main expo;
and forced, in order to avoid being blockaded
in Ofen, to make southward for the Croatian border.
But this route was already cot off. General Vetter
was posted at Kiss-Ber with his corps, reinforced
by the landstnrm of the Tomas, Eisenburg, and Salad
°oolitic'', and, falling fAI of the Ban, routed him so'
completely that his corps is no longer in existence;
while be himself, a fugitive, took the road apparently
to Emig before reaching which place he might pos-
sibly fell with some of the free carps of Perez&
The second carpi, consisting of between twenty-five
and thirty thousand men, under Welden, to avoid
being likewise cut off, sought to make good their re-
treat out of Ofen along the right bank, through Ace
and Raab, to the Austrian frontier. The bbigyare,
under Klapka and Guyon, hung close on their rear,
and, overtaking them opposite Conlon, inflicted that
disastrous defeat which is also just beginning
to be known. The Austrian vanguard ended the
frontier town of Bruck, on the Leithe, entire,
and toe wreck of the rest of the army under Weldon
is now attempting to be collected and pat in fighting
condition at Purensdorf, under the very walls of
Vienna.

The 3rd corps, that of Wohlgemuth and Jablonow-
ski, which, reinforced by the division' foroed out of
Upper Slovakia, might amount to some 16,000 or
20,000 men, were attacked and defeated by Georgey,
at Neuhatisel, so that the whole of the island of
Schutt had to be evacuated, and the road was open to
Preaburg, which is probably already in the hands of
the Hungarians. The extreme northern wing of the
Hungarian army has been equally successful. The
whole valley of the Waag has been cleared of the
Austrians by • corps consisting of armed ezikos
(herdsmen), 16,000 strong, so that Sullein, St. Mar-
tin, and Cons, at the mouth of the Jablanka Page,
have fallen into the hands of the Magyars, who now
menace Austria, Silesia, and Moravia.
Official statements report that the Russian van-
guard, 8,000 men strong, entered the territory, of
Cracow on the 2nd. Ten trains were ordered to
transport them by the North Railroad.
A letter from Prague, dated May 1, mays :—"
night the whole squadron of the Palatinal hussars
stationed in Saar deserted; only the captain remained
behind." _ .

Our correspondent writes:
VIENNA, May 2.
Welden was yesterday in Ksrlburg, near Free-
burg. CEdenburg was occupied last night by the
Magyars.
At this moment the ministers are deliberating as
to the place to which they will transport the public
monies in Vienna.
I should say that Gratz or Olmutz will be the
place of confidence, though Gratz is not thoroughly
fortified, and its population is one cf the most radical.
Fugitives arrive continually from CEdenbarg,
Freeburg, and other places near the Hungarian Min-
Vera, and many people are 'dread/ leaving Vienna.
There is an anecdote that Weldon and Kossuth
have laid a wager—each intending to be the first in
Vienna. Some lufluential men of the Magyars told
me that the commanders of the Magyars have not yet
decided whether or not they will attack the Austrians
af.er they shall have left the Hungarian territory.
I should say they. will. It would be ridiculous to give
time to the imperial army to reorganise.
Mr. Danebem and Mr. enema, two Englishmen,
and generals in the Magyar army, are considered
their best strategical chiefs.
On the 24th of April, Bern had, on the frontiers of
Tranrylvania a conflict with the Russians, who were
obliged to give up their positions, and retire again to
Moldavia.
The hospitals of Vienna are filled with wounded'
and sick soldiers, who arrive continually, and some
are sent now to the villages westwards of Vi•nna.
If the Magyars come to Vienna, they will be re-
ceived with open arms by the population.
SAXONY.—Our Berlin correspondent writes as
follows on May 4 :
Saxony takes leas tamely than Prussia her king's
rejection of the German constitution. Today. we hear
of serious disturbances in Dresden and Leipmc.
It memo that, on the 30th, a meeting of the people,
celled together at Leipsio by the Democratic Club,
adopted a resolution to the effect that the ohm-
bee laving declared that ministers do not possess their
madame, and the government having dissolved the
chambers, in spite of the decree of the National As-
sembly at Frankfort, the chambers of those
Mates which had not yet declared themselves with re-
gard lathe acceptance of the constitution should not
be dissolved ; that the king be petitioned to dismiss
the ministers.
In Dresden, on the 2nd of May, an address to the
Wog, urging the acceptance of the Frankfort eased-
tution, =changed, was unanimously adopted in the
town•connel A similar Mimes was passed in the
lower municipal assembly, with an additional resolu-
tion that the town-ao=cd should call out the Bur.
fee the maintenance of the coostitution. On
' ' (yeetstriay), these addresses were presented
to the Icing. Toe answer was a distinct refusal to
acknowledge the Frankfort constitution. Dr. Zechin-