The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-27 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

Berlin letters state that the Prussian government
has just addressed to its representativesin Germany
a circular note explaining its views on the projects
of federal reform presented at Frankfort. The cir-
cular strongly advocates the formation of a restricted
union under the direction of a single head, both as
regards internal and foreign affairs, and indicates,
as the means of attaining that end, that particular
arrangements should be made with the different
states of the confederation. The same government
has likewise addressed to the German cabinets a
circular concerning the treaty of commerce with
France. It explains the reason which led to the
conclusion of the treaty, and the line of conduct the
government proposes to follow with regard to France
and the Zollverein. Prussia considers herself bound
by this treaty, and declares that the governments
which have refused to adhere to it have implicitly
severed their connexion with the Zollverein.

THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.

A Bucharest letter of the 16th says :

Several partial elections have just taken place in the
capital and other electoral districts. The following are the
principles adopted by the electors at • preparatory meeting :
—l. Reform of the electoral law, so that all the interests of
the nation may be represented in the Assembly. 2. Orga-
nisation of the armed force on the Swiss or Prussian system.
3. Solution of the monastery question, with • view to
withdrawing the prokirrty of the monasteries from the
hand of foreign monks. 4. The creation of a ministry
of commerce, the establishment of commercial schools,
chambers of commerce, institutions of credit, and others cal-
culated to encourage and develop commerce. 5. Individual
liberty to be guaranteed by a law similar to the English l•w
for the same purpose. 6. Obligation on all to respect the
law, and, when the law may require modifying, that it
shall only be effected by the legislature. 7. Education to
be gratuitous and obligatory. I have felt found to give this
document, which may be regarded as the programme of the
national party in Roumania, to show that our demagogues,
as they are called, are not quite so black as they have been
represented. None of the recent elections has excited so
much Interco* as that of Prince Ribose°, es.Hospodar of
Wallachia, dethroned in 1848, and who has since kept aloof
from political life. This incident was altogether un-
expected, and gives rise to much comment. It
places the new deputy and the government in • very
novel position ; for Ido not think there has ever before
been an instance of • prince who had occupied the throne
having become a member of • political assembly in the
country he once governed, and in which his partisans hive
not Maned to put him forward u a pretender. Peolle won-
der what attitude the Prince minimums in the Chamber,
whether be will act merely as the leaderof the Right in the
place of M. Catardgi, or will stand forth as the repre-
sentative of the nation, of which be was the head for six
years. However that may be, the friends of the present
government are evidently ill at ease. The official journal
has jest published two unportant documents : the first is
the text of the international convention for regulating the
telegraphic service, by which the United Principalities,
recognised as forming "a completely independent tele-
graphic territory," declare their adhesion to the Brussels
convention of June, 1858 ; the second is an ordinance of
the Minister of the Interior founding and organising,
throughout the principalities, the municipal system, by
transforming the villages into communes.