The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-18 00:00:00

GERMANY. •

PRUSSIA.—We have received our files of German
journals. Those of Berlin are of the 13th, but they
contain no news of interest. The following is the
letter of a correspondent at Posen :
rosEN, Arum 10.
I am net surprised at all at your not being able
to understand the position and the movement in the
duchy of Posen : tor we ourselves cannot clearly sec
through it. You know that in the first moments of alarm
the Prussian authorities entirely abdicated their power
into the hands of the Polish committee. A passive acquies-
cence, and, in many cases, an active support on their part,
made the Poles believe that everything that was done by
them had thesanction of the King's government at Berlin.
And now, after three weeks of indecision and higgliag with
our deputation, that seine government, having assembled
about 30,000 men of Prussian troops, suddenly sets
its face against the l'oseners, and calls on the mighty torrent
to fall quietly into its former channel. You also know what
hopes and promises were given us of an immediate war with
Russia. General Willisen came actually on the 25th of
March to the Polish deputation then assembled at the Hotel
de Rome in Berlin, and assured them in most solemn terms
that the King, having determined to
.place himself at the
head of the Germane and the Poles against Russia, approved
the general rising in Posen, and was going to get them or-
ganised into a regular army. Now, this same general,
alter 30,000 peasants had been collected by the nobles, and
so many refugees had come from France and from Bel-
gium, all of a sudden publishes an order enjoin.
ing the Poxesto disband their levies, and inti-
mates that the existing landwehr will be quite suf-
ficient for preserving peace and order in the duchy. The
higher classes, although thus shamefully deceived, are willing,
for the sake of peace and moderation, to comply with these
injunctions. But it is not so easy to send home 30,000 pea-
sant., who were led to believe that they were going to form
an army against Russia. The Polish committee, therefore,
tried to prevail on the royal commissary to grant better
terms, and to admit at least a portion of the insurrectionist
force into the army which he is come to organise. The general
having given a negative answer, the committee, as well as all
the Polish officers, left Posen the day before yester-
day, and hasti ned to join their countryman stationed
in intrenched camps at Wreschen, Pleschen, Snide, and
Keionz. 14,000 Prussian troops have been ordered to ob-
serve and cut off all communication between these camps.
A collision may be hourly expected ; but, on the other hand,
it is to be hoped that the general will make concessions, and
that the united effort. of the nobles and the Polish com-
mittee will cause the peasants to disband. You will see by
this account that the indecision, duplicity, and the tergiver-
sationsof the Prussian government have done it all. It
cannot be denied that a great change has come over the
Berlin population. All enthusiastic and burning for a war
with Russia, as they were in the first days after the re-
volution, they are now grown tame and hostile to all move-
ment in that direction. The King bias had time to receive
bland assurances from his imperial brother.in-law. The
ministry and the constitutionalists, following in the steps of
the jusfe milieu party after the revolution of J uly, 1830, are
ready to give up Poland as a means of propitiating Russia.
The dabble:sand the anarchists are afraid lest popular eathu-
simm, directed into and engrossed with the war against Rus-
sia, should fail them on the day when they calculate upon
being able to carry things much further and establish
a republic. All these have combined now against the
claims and the hopes of the Poles. And yet war is
inevitable. However, the Poles, who are all unanimous
among themselves, are prepared to bide their time, and
meanwhile to accept the concessions made by the King.
You inquire, who are the members of the Polish committee t
It is composed of all shades of former political arties. Men
of the outbreak of 1840, and the heroes of the day, are repre-
seated by half a-dozen patriots, of whom Charles Libelt, the
well-known philosopher and writer, is the most conspi-
cuous. Three prelates of very high standing, and a pea-
sant, John Palace, represent the religious and the po-
pular feelings of the lower classes of the people ; whilst
three nobles, Count Mathias Idieleynaki 'Count
Gustavus l'otworoski, and Count Roger liaizynski,
sit in the committee as the organs of the
wealthy portion of the community. This committee
havebeen indefatigable in their efforts. Day and night have
they been labouring at their post. They have gent commis-
saries and agents all over Europe—to the Pope, to Bohemia,
to Hungary, to France, and to England. I conclude with
copying the following address they have issued te the people
of Great Britain :
Poland, sustained by the sympathy and the most vital interests of
regenerated Germany, is already on foot to repel the invasion medi-
tated by Russia, to prove herself once more the proteetrews of Euro-
pean liberty and civtlisation, and to recover her independent existence
on the termination of this terrible conflict. While this conflict can
be nothing low than a last crusade against the enemies of the human
race Poland calls on the people and the governmentsof the West,
awaiting from them that faithful and vigilant support which every
army owes to those who march foremost against the enemy. To us
these vanguards, money and arms, are wanting. Will regenerated
Europe, like despotic Europe, tranquilly look on, while an unarmed
nation Is exterminated before her eyes ? Rejecting this dreadful 1111A-
pcion, the NAtionaMotanaittee of Poland address themselves espe-
cially to the government and people of England, to obtain from them
the material means for fulfilling this great task, which God and the
unanimous 'Woe of a heroic people have imposed upon them.
AUSTRIA.—Our dates from Vienna are to April
12. The Emperor has addressed the following
autograph letter to Count Radetzki :
Dear Count Radetzki,—The reports which have been sub-
mitted to me by my Minister of War, and which have been
rendered by you, respecting the transactions in the kingdom
of Lombardy Irene the 18th of March to the 2nd of April,
contain so many proofs of the circumspection, martial ex-
perience, intrepidity and heroism, exercised by you in your
official capacity at the head of my valiant troops, that they
will be celebrated both by your contemporaries and by pos-
terity. In them especially I take comfort, when I contem-
plate the disasters which have befallen my dominions. I
indulge in the assurance that your energies will
never tire iu defending the cause of justice, and
the free institutions guaranteed by me, with the
desired and victorious result. Be pleased to make known
my acknowledgment in a suitable manner to the army
under your command, and accept for yourself my heartfelt
thanks tar the distinguished personal honour due to you, for
the charge and conduct of the splendid achievement of
ancient Austrian martial discipline.—Signed, FERDINAND.
The Emperor and Empress, and the Archduke, re-
turned from Freeburg on the 11th.
Accounts from Presbnrg of the 10th state, that at
the sitting of the two Chambers, which took place
with closed doors, the royal sanction was given to
several projects of law. The ministers were all re-
ceived with great enthusiasm, and the second cham-
ber passed avote of confidence in them.
FRANKFORT.—At the discussion of the Ger-
manic Diet, on the 13th of April, the delegates of
Prussia informed the Diet that while the Danish
government was persevering in the project of detach-
ing Schleswig from Holstein by force, an order had
been issued on the 10th of this month to the Prus-
sian troops to enter Schleswig for the purpose of statu
quo, and to act as circumstances might require • that
meanwhile the Prussian government continued to
offer its mediation, and to recognise at all times the
fights of the King of Denmark as Duke of Schles-
wig. The Diet received this communication
with satisfaction: in order, however, to adopt all the
necessary precautionary measares it was decided that
the Prussian government should be specially invited
to keep in view, in its negotiations with Denmark,
the preservation of the interests of German trade and
commerce and navigation in the Baltic and Black
Sea, and, if possible, to recommend, by means of a
treaty concluded with a maritime power, the protec-
tion of the littoral and maritime towns of Germany.
BAVARIA.—Account from Munich, of April 12,
say Bing Ludwig purposes setting oat early on the

13th for Switzerland. He intends travelling by way
of Hansen and Reutte. His Majesty will probably
remain in Switzerland some time; but the exact place
of his intended residence is not yet known.
The Diet is actively engaged on the question of the
elections for the German parliament. In the sitting
of the llth, it was decided that every person of full
age, belonging to the states of Bavaria, and paying
a direct tax, should have the privilege of voting, and
that every German of full age, and belonging to the
state, shall be eligible. This de vision was referred to
the Upper Chamber, and was to be brought under dis-
cussion on the 13th.