The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-08 00:00:00

Our correspondent writes :
BERLIN, MARC* 3.

I perceive that the statements of the rrussiin
' ministerial press have found their way into the English
journals, and I fear that the English public may be led to
believe the story, -that the Prussian government intend to,
or has already, demanded the return to the old German
Diet as the only method of peaceably settling the dispute
between the great powers, and at the same time restoring
to Germany a central executive and legislative organ.
Those who put forth these statements are either deceived
hyothcrs, or deceive themselves into believing, that because
the course of events has brought the German question into
a position in which an opportunity is offered to Prussia to
regain much of that influence in Germany which, since the
convention of Olmutr, has been gradually vanishing into
thin air. The return to the old Diet would destroy the
ambition and far spreading plans of the Austrian premier;
but men capable of perceiving this fact, and possessed
of sufficient energy and honesty to take advantage of it,
are wanting at this moment in the councils of the
King of Prussia. I have the best possible reasons for
knowing that his Majesty has been advised to take this!
course by many persons whose opinions and position in
the country ought to have weight and influence; but it has
been in vain. The cabinet have derided at present not to
entertain the plan of simply deputing a Prussian plenipo.
tentiary to Frankfurt, where the Diet is still sitting, though'
it is a proceeding which neither Austria nor the friends of
Austria in other countries could venture to approve• De-
spatches have been forwarded to Vienna, in which this go-
vernment renews its consent to the eleven votes' project,
provided the opposition of the minor states can be subdued
without forcible and inequitable measures; the admission
of all the provinces of Austria is again conceded, and the
only concession claimed in return is the phantom purity
which Mauteuffcl declares was promised in Warsaw and
°hunts. This would have been conceded by the ultramon-
tane party behind the throne, had not 3lanteuffel
shown more energy than usual in insisting upon
it. The King himself is decidedly Austrian inclined, and
would not hesitate to undertake the journey to Frankfurt

t, do homage to the Austrian monarch as Emperor of
Germany. He wishes the empire to b, restored, and the

Prussian monarchs to be the

of the empire.

It is not without disbelief, therefore, that your readers
will learn that it was his Majesty's opposition alone which
thwarted Prince Schwarzenberg's plans for compelling the
minor states to adopt whatever Austria and Prussia might
choose to offer them. lie sttsche.,, however, the utmost
religious importance to all sovereign rights; privileges
possessed by God's grace are to him in reality objects of
idolatry almost, and from this consideration only has it
been impossible to prevail upon him to consent to the
employment of compulsory measures against the small
states. _ .

A plenary sitting of the conference took place at Dresden
on the 2,ith alt., at which the protocol of the 23rd was
drawn up and agreed to. The plenipotentiaries of Lim-
ber; and Luxemburg and Holstein have not yet declared
their sentiments on tho eleven vote project. The
1 protocol has accordingly been left open. All the minor
German states, with the exception of Is:maw' and Bruns-
wick, have voted against Austria. These two were Prussia's
most faithful allies during the late attempt to carry out a
Prussian policy in Germany ; but they have turned cora-
lpletely round in anger and annoyance at having been so
long deceived.

PORTUGAL
[By 111Cyctele Telegvaph.)
The Madrid arrived at Southampton this morning,
with the Peninsula mails. She left Gibraltar on
Feb. 27, and Lisbon on March 2.