The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-23 00:00:00

GERMANY.

BERLIN, SEPT. 20.
By Thursday neat (says the Promsisehe Zeittrny)
the labours of the Brandenburg Diet will have come to a
close. Of that which has happened in the meetings of this
assembly very little is known. But so much has transpired
—that the late protest of M. Hollweg has produced so much
effect on the Diet itself, that in the full sitting of the 19th
doubts were expressed by many members with respect to
the competency of a mere provincialassembly to deliver any
judgment on a subject of general legislation, and specifically
on the communal law. The Kretd: Zeitung attributes the
" had spirit " shown by this incident to "pressure from
without." " Within the Diet "it is anxious to have it un-
derstood the " best spirit " prevails, and of this " best
spirit" an example was given in the very sitting already
alluded to by a member, who declared the Diet should
stand up tor and maintain " its good old sworn-to
and chartered rights, and should be content with
nothing less." It maybe that inspiration from without
has also prompted this outbreak; for the /heat: dung
has often said as much, and, no later than two days ago,
declared, alluding to those who deny the legal existence of
the provincial Diets at all, that this institution had been
terribly maltreated by the revolution ; . that it was like a
man who had fallen among rubbers (the Chambers), who
had first stripped Wall his ornaments and outer garments,
and then disputed with hint his right to keep his shirt ,n 1
his back, or even to exist. But there is evidently a minority
in this Assembly who arc not prepared to go all lengths;
and the ministerial print confesses that the question, wh -
ther the abolition of the communal law of the 11th March
should be recommended to the government, provoked a most
" animated debate," and that there were finally nine votes
recorded against the recommendation.

The Customs convention between Prussia and Hanover
continues to provoke discussion.
Because England has been hitherto adverse to a commer-
cial union between these two countries, it is inferred by
some papers that this treaty will be offensive to English
merchants. But the reason of England's unwillingn.,s to
see Hanover enter the Zollverein, has been hitherto this:—
She has feared that thereby Hanover might be drawn in to
adopting the protective tendency of the southern states and
the Rhine provinces. But this danger at present is barred
out by the limit of 10 per cent., which is placed on the
Prussian Zollverein tariff; and although, according to this
scale of duty, the imposts in Hanover will be raised, the
counterbalancing general advantages by the general freer
circulation of outward bound and foreign commerce (the
ports of Hamburg!' and the north being opened to all the
Zollverein) make this drawback of comparatively slight
importance.
Another objection, quite of • temporary, if not
of a local nature, has been made against that
article of the convention which provides that all Hano-
verian merchandise which in January, 18.11, is in
depot, ready for sale, shall not pay any back duty—the
duty at present levied. This duty for coffee, wine, tobacco,
cigars, sugar, &c., is in Prussia and the Zollverein more
than double what the Steuerverein states pay, and will be
raised to the Zollverein amount fur Hanover only after
she has entered Into the Union. So that Hanoverian mer-
chants may begin now laying in large stocks of goods,
paying a duty of three dollars Steuerverein, which of course
will drive goods paying six dollars Zollverein out of the
market, and, what ts the same thing nearly, subject them
to a heavy loss. Thus, Hanoverian merchants may become
millionaires by taking advantage of the provision of the
treaty alluded to; whilst Zollverein merchants may sutler a
proportionate injury.
In the provincial Diet of Posen on the 18th, in a fie;
sitting, when the question of the clam and classification in-
come tax was under discussion, Prince Sulkowski, a great
magnate among the Poles, rose and said " Gentlenten, I
wished to speak at our first sitting. I wished then to efface
the first impression of the speech of the president by an-
swering it. As a Pole, and true subject of his Majesty, I
feel that, without wounding my conscience, I can unite
these two characters. With astonishment, ierefore, did I
hear the president say that from this time forward we aro
tote Prussians only. I know no law which lays upon me this
duty, and solemnly protest against being called Prussian.
Tho revolutionary system that would change nationalities
by ukases (royal decrees) will ever find in me, et
a Pule and as a conservative, an earnest opponent. Gen-
tlemen, allow me one word more. My sentiments towards
the throne have been keenly wounded by the expressions
of the president, inasmuch as he makes that which law and
justice commands dependent on conditions. I believe that
, in this he has not duly expressed the mind of his Majesty.
Our monarch punishes falsehood and treason, but he does
• not make justice conditional."
A deputy, Browdowaki, proposed, that the whole
1 Diet should at once give their assent to the sentiments
, expressed by Prince Sulkowski, but the marshal resisted
this proposition, on the plea that there was a regulation to
C the effect that no question should be determined on the
same day in which it might be moved. The sitting was
• closed by a short speech from the Deputy Niegolewiski, as
follows :

" Allow me to add a few words. I hope that the feeling
which the honoursblo deputy Prince Sulkowsla has given
utterance to, will sink deep into and glow in the hearts of
all the inhabitants of Posen, especially in ours who sit in
this assembly as deputies and as Poles; for as subjects of his
Majesty the King of Prussia we have not ceased to be
Poles; the national mark (merkiiial) which God has
stamped on our race cannot be effaced by the band of man.
Besides, this right of nationality has been secured to us by

law.''

This scene in the Posen Diet is first published in the
Kreutz &dung.

LATEST FOREIGN EXCHANGES.

I For Amount.
PARIS, Bern IL For :
Money. , °peeing Rights' Lowest Clang.
3 per Cents. ..... ...... 38 40 . 113 83 18 45 33 83 58 43
5 per Cents.
4 per Cents.
46 do. New Loan .. i .. ... ... ...
3 per Cents.
Eiebange on Lowden : at sight, 23 20; 93 daye,2s 91.
Belgian, 3, 1910 lol6llooey. Naples Rented
Ito. 3, 184 — ... Roman Loan, 1831 .. ~.
Do. 46
Do. 26
Piedmont 3 o. Cents. en 10 ... Bank shares
PARR!, SEPT. 22.—Versailles (let bank), 211 2s.
Parts and Orkans, 860 ; Peels and Bowen, 373 73; Rouen and
Ham, 130; Mantilla and Aslgeon. 205; 94101153011 and Pale. 13°1
Celte, 456 23; Boulogne and Andens, MO ; Oritami sad Bordeaux.
3; Northern, 460; Paris and Strasbourg, 333 73; Tours and
Nantes, 262 30; Montertan and Troyes, 97 30.
MADRID, SEPT. 17.—Three per Cents., 35 • after
Bolsa, 33. Four per Cents., —; after Bolsa, —.
Five per Cents., 16: ; after Boise, 18i. Coupons, 8;
after Bolsa, 8 c. Passives, 6/; after Bolas,
si. Bank of St. Ferdinand, 98 c. Exchange
on London, 51.

[By EISCOIC Telegraph.
ANTWERP, SEPT. 22.—Five per Cent. AfetaLliques,
781; ditto Ardoins, 13; . Three per Cent. Interior,
341. Russian Four-and-a-Half per Cents., —. Ex-
change on London, 25.25.
BRUSSELS, SEPT. 22.—Belgian Five per Cents.,
99;; ditto Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 92;; Ex-
change on London, 25.25.
AMSTERDAM, SEPT. 20.—Five per Cent. Metal-
Rpm 75; ; Five per Cent. Ardoins, 14 5-16 ; Three
per Cents. Interior, ; Russian Four-and-a-
Half per Cents., 991 ; Two-and-a-Half per Cent. In-
tegra 57 10-16. Exchange on London, 11.90.