The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-09 00:00:00

yesterday, and represent order as restored ; and we may
hope with something like confidence that this appa-
rently unpremeditated and isolated outbreak of popular
fierceness will subside without further bad conse-

quenoes.
The civil authorities appear to have acted with
promptitude and good sense as soon as they were
made aware of the riot. That they were taken by
surprise does not appear to afford any just ground of
blame. The tumult has every mark of an improvised
disturbance. The theory of mobs is still very imper-
fectly understood. The same people will be seen at
one time enduring with heroic long-suffering the most
acute privations; at another breaking out in reckless
fury apparently on account of some trivial provoca-
tion. All that we know is, that in every country,
under every form of government, such efftr-
veseenees occasionally recur; and that they are uni-
formly marked by aimless destruction and sufferings
on the part of the objects of popular ill-will
for the moment--sufferings gi nerally more severe
and protracted on the part of the active participators
in the outrages. It is scarcely ever possible to fore-
tel when a riot may break out: crowds with knitted
brows, clenched hands, and muttered curses have
been known to disperse without any acts of violence ;
and crowds which have begun with practical jokes
have been known to proceed to wanton insolence,
thence to anger at the interference of the magistracy,
and lastly to plunder and destruction. And when the
wave of the populace is np, too often all attempts to
stem it are unavailing; like the ocean wave, it only
stops when it has submerged as much of the earth's
surface as its volume suffices to cover.
Enough for our present purpose that the Glasgow
riot appears to have been unpreconcerted and isolated.
It has nothing of a political character about it : it was
a mere effervescence of the hungry, in which, as
usual, the parties least deserving of compassion took
the most prominent part. Such outbreaks are only
seriously dangerous when they occur simultaneously
in several places, or recur frequently in one or more
places. The insurrectionary disposition then becomes
chronic, and, with deference to a certain class of
alarmists we speak it, only the more dangerous from
being what is called nan-political. This frequency,
however is rarely, if ever, observed where there is not
some real grievance at the bottom.
Though our intelligence is as yet vague and appa-
rently exaggerated, it seems pretty certain that the
riot at Glasgow has been imitated at Edinburgh. It
may be English prejudice ; but when we consider the
stinted allowance uniformly made to Scotch paupers,
and the fact that in almost every case the pauper is
compelled to extort this dole by a law-suit, we are
only surprised that these insurrections of the belly
should not be of more frequent recurrence. A little
better feeding, less grudgingly administered, might
prove a sedative.

GERMANY.

DISTURBANCES AT AIUNICII AND
lIAMBUItG.
We continue to give a summary of the news from
the German States up to the latest dates.
According to a Berlin correspondence of the 4th
instant, published in the (Moyne G,re,tte of the 7th,
the shares of the Prussian bank fell 20 per cent. in
the two days succeeding the arrival of the intelligence
of the recent events in France. It appears, how-
ever, by the same article, that people have in a great
measure recovered from the panic, and that they in-
dulge in the hope that, after all, peace will be main-
tained. The police authorities of Berlin have forbid-
den persons attending public reading-rooms to make
remarks aloud on the intelligence published in the
various journals. Schoolmasters are also forbidden to
speak to their pupils respecting recent events in
France. The committee of the United Diet was to
have been dissolved on the 6th instant.
It is now certain that the war reserves of the 7th
and Bth army corps have been called out. The com-
mittee of the United Diet has petitioned the govern-
ment not to promulgate the new law relating to the
penal code before it is submitted anew to the United
I )iet.
The following paragraph is taken from the Allyc.
;swine l'reussische Zeibrug :
It was not with unfounded hope that we lately ureed the
German princeaand the German races to be united, "and
ti,rouith their unity strong." We are far from entertaining
the idea of an intervention in the internal affairs of France,
but we must recommend the Germans to watch closely the
movements of France, and to be prepared for war in order
to maintain peace. In the east and the west the north and
the south of Germany the press has unanimously exclaimed :
" Let there be no intervention, but, above all, let the inde-
pendence of Germany be maintained." It is thus the
Rhenish, the Silesian, and the South German journals
speak.
A numerously-signed petition in favour of reform
was forwarded, on the nth inst., from Dusseldorf to
the King of Prussia. Amongst the concessions
claimed are-1. A real representation of the people,
with a " deciding voice, on the part of the members
of the Diet, on all questions relating to legislation
and taxation." 2. Equality of all religious commu-
nities with regard to civic rights. 3. Unlimited
freedom of the press. 4. Trial by jury fur all poli-
tical offenders, and in all cases of prosecution of the
press. 3. Personal freedom. 6. Progressive taxa-
uon, according to property. 7. Protection for the
working classes. 8. Communieations of the penal
code to the representatives of the people. 9. Free
right of association. 10. Establishment of a German
parliament.
The town council of Cublentz has forwarded a
similar petition to the Kiug.
The garrison at Aix-la. Chapelle has been re-
inforced, and fresh troops are shortly expected there.
The Dortsehe Zritting states that on the 3rd inst.
the King of Bavaria recognised the French republic,
and that state councillor Von Voltz has been nomi- I
nated Minister of the Interior ad interim, vice Herr
Berks. The French ambassador at Munich has given
in his adhesion to the new government in France, and
has been confilmed in his post. Serious disturbances
broke out in Munich on the night of the 2nd inst.
All the windows of the ex-Minister of the Interior
(Herr Berks) and several even of the royal residence
were smashed by the populace. The above individual
had rendered himself unpopular by his patronage of;
or rather subserviency to, the famous Lola Montes.
Barricades were erected in several streets, but they
were soon destroyed by the military, who at half-past
nine p.m. received marching orders. At one a.m.
tranquillity was restored.
The people of Nuremberg have forwarded to the
King a numerously signed petition in favour of com-
prehensive reforms.
It is now certain that the destruction of the official
residence of the M nister of Foreign Affairs at Carlsruhe
was the work of incendiaries.
We find, by letters from Darmstadt of the 4tb, that
the Grand Duke of Hesse Darmstadt has conceded to
his subjects the liberty of the press, a civic guard, the
jury system, and publicity and oral examination in
courts of justice.
We stated yesterday that the Duke of Nassau had
returned, and granted the reforms demanded by the
people. A letter from Wiesbaden, dated March 4,
says the Grand Duke of Nassau, whose return was
expected with impatience, returned at 4 o'clock this
day. Immediately on his arrival be repaired oa foot
to the Château; and, ascending the balcony, he ad-
dressed the immense crowd of inhabitants who were
assembled in the Grande Place in the following

terms :
Nassovinns,—The demands which you have addressed to
me, and the obtaining of which has been promised you in
my name by my ministers, and guaranteed by my mother
and my brother, I ratify and will keep. Have con-
fidence in me, as I also count upon your fidelity and your
courage, should our country be menaced, and I should need
your aid. Meantime return to your homes, and place con-
fidence in me, as I also place confidence in you.
This declaration, so publicly and frankly made, was
received with immense applause. A spirit of cheer-
fulness pervaded all, and the streets resounded till a
late hour in the night with the rejoicings of the
people, which will be re-echoed to-morrow through-
out the whole of Nassau. The city was brilliantly
illuminated, and everything like discontent has dis-
appeared.
We have Frankfort papers of the 6th. On the 4th
the high senate caused to be presented to the legis-
lative assembly a project of law relative to the
liberty of the press, a project which is grounded in
its essential part upon a law of the Baden press of
the 28th December, 1841. The project of law rela-
tive to public proceedings in criminal matters will
be presented shortly to the said assembly, and it is
this project which will contain the disposition rela-
tive to the institution of a jury.
The freedom of the press and the permanent aboli-
tion of the censorship have been officially proclaimed
in Frankfort, in tho name of She leginintaTe astenbly.