The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-24 00:00:00

PROGRESS OF REFORM IN PRUSSIA.

PRUSSIA.—The King has nobly and promptly
redeemed his pledge to forget past animosities. The
following general amnesty appears in the ..illyenieine
Preassische Zeitung of March 21 :
Yesterday, I declared that from nay heart I have for-
gotten and forgiven. But, in order that no douht may re-
main of my wlwk people being embraced in this forgive-
ness, and becauie I will not have the great future of our
Fatherland now dawning upon us dimmed by painful remi-
niscences of the past, I hereby proclaim—pardon to all who
hare been accused ti.f or condemned for political offences
or offences perpetrated by the initrumentality if the
press. My Minbtcr of Juvice, Uhden; is charged to give
immediate effect to this amnesty.
FREDERICK W ILLIAM.

Berlin, 20th of March, 1919.
In the official journal a circular of the Minister of
Justice, giving directions for the fulfilment of the
royal amnesty, immediately follows :
All tribunals and the Procurator-General in the Royal
Court of Appeal at Cologne are to see to the immediate exe-
cution of the preceding royal dccr,e, and in consequence to
provide for the immediate liberation of all persons to whom
the amnesty extends, provided they are not cumulatively
&rained on account of other crimes.—Unume, Minister ot
Justice.—Berlin, March 20.
This appears to have 'seen the last act of M. Uhden
in his ministerial capacity, for this notification im-
mediately follows
The resignation of the ministers of justice, Von Savigny
and Uhden, and also of the ministsr Count Stolberg, pre-
sented before the proclamation of the 19th inst., have to-day
been accepted. 1 have nominated M. Bornemann, Doctor
of Laws, minister of justice, and have summoned M. Camp-
hansen, president of the Chamber of Commerce, to stand by
sty side in the capacity of minister. The directors of the
vacant ministerial posts will continue to discharge their
duties till they are definitively filled up.
There is a fine and kingly spirit evinced in this
arrangement, by which the last act of the retiring
minister is made to be one of clemency and oblivion
for former grudges.
Some of the incidents which characterised the pro-
ceedings of the 19th in Berlin are given in the Ger-
man papers, and are well wortn transcribing.
It appears that the withdrawal of the troops in the
forenoon took place contrary to the advice of the
King's councillors.
The King replied to a deputation of citizens the
same sentiments which are expressed in the proclama-
tion " to his beloved Berlinese," and imposed as a con-
dition of the withdrawal of the troops, the clearing of
the barricades. In ans4er to a remark of the King
on the greatness of his power, a man who accom-
panied the deputation made the following firm reply.:
" A victory, your Majesty, would in this case be equi-
valent to a defeat." Thus, by degrees everything was
granted—change of ministry, release of prisoners
made during the night, and withdrawal of the troops.
It was a tine sight to see the retirement of the
soldiers from the fearful service in which they had
been engaged, the people showing their joy by waving
of white flags from the windows, and by songs and
shouts of joy.
The King granted the release of the prisoners in
person, appearing for that purpose at the balcony of
the palace.
In the meanwhile great crowds assembled on the
Schlossplatze, and in the court of the palace, in order
to choose deputations t o the King, praying for an
armed civic guard. At the same time, as it by general
consent from all quarters, the dead bodies of citizens
killed in the combat, decked with flowers, were
brought in funeral procession to the royal palace.
A mass of people with bare heads accompanied the
procession. Four of the bodies, fearfully disfigured
and covered with green boughs and flowers, were
drawn in open biers up to the gate and under the
balcony of the palace. Loud cries were then raised
for the new ministers, Count d'Arnim and Count
Schwerin, to appear on the balcony,but these shouta were
drowned in a great cry of " The King." The King,
accompanied by the Queen, leaning on his arm, then
appeared on the balcony, and saluted the people.
His countenance was much agitated, and the Queen,
at sight of the dead bodies, instantly retired. In vain
a party of the assembly around cried for silence, as
the shouts drowned the King's voice; but a few
words were heard, and the King, unable to get heard,
retired amidst acclamations. Then the stout voice of
Count von Arnim was heard from the balcony, from
whence he managed to get heard fora few minutes ; and
amidst many interruptions spoke nearly as follows:
" Gentlemen, I thank you from the bottom of my
heart for the attention you have kindly paid me.
The men whom the King has once more called to him
in order to work with him for remodelling the consti-
tution on a free and lasting basis, cannot fulfil this
object unless you support them, and unless you con-
tribute to the restoration of order in the city. Here
storms of " Hurrahs," " Vivas," " Yes, yes, " No, no,"
interrupted the minister, in the midst of which a
young man, whose pale cheeks and glaring eyes told
of the combat of the previous night, raised himself on
the shoulders of the bystanders to address him.
" The people," he said, " require, above all, arms with
which they can defend themselves, and no longer allow
themselvestobe killed without defence." Count von Ar-
nim answered, "The military have, by order of the
King, retired. The people has no longer any attack
to fear from them, and can return peacefully to their
usual occupations." " The people," retorted the young
man, " requires the Prince of Prussia to renounce his
claim to the throne." At these words the minister
retired from the balcony. The crowd set up a great
shout, bat the cry of " Peace—to our homes,' having
the preponderance, the mass began to separate. At
this moment Count Schwerin spoke from the balcony,
and was received with a loud hurrah. He said :
" You have heard that a new ministry has been
formed, of which I have the horfoar to form a part. I
give yon my word that all shall bs done for you ; all
your rights shall be attended to. Do you, on your
parts, do all in your power to prevent any dis-
turbances. The arming of the citizens will imme-
diately take place under the superintendence of your
beloved Herr Von Minutoli."