The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-03 00:00:00

THERMOMETER.

This day at Two o'clock 4B

Barometer-29.81.
Wind—South ; moderate, with rain.

Q r-. 3
•
1:1111 74;

LONDON, TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 1863.

A recent number of oar French contemporary
Le Correspondant, in a very judicious article upon
the Representative Institutions of Austria, directs
our especial attention to the steady development of
the liberal Constitution of that country during the
last two years. Festina lente is, especially in poli-
tical matters, a maxim of sound wisdom. " Rash-
ness (says the old adage) is before the time; Idle-
ness is behind the time; Wisdom waits the time."
A Constitution, a Liberal Constitution worthy of
the name, cannot be made to order. That
was the great mistake of the Parisian Revo-
lutionists of recent days, who imagined that they
could erect and establish a free Constitution and
Liberal Administration as easily as they trans.
Vented the Trees of Liberty in the Public Places.
Those Trees of Liberty, so transplanted, were not
very
tong-lived in their duration, we believe !
Equally dangerous is that other extreme, which,
ignoring Present evil, puts off the days of reform
regardless
of all consequences—apres nous le deluge.
Such Neu
Franc; the
fatal error of the old Monarchy of
e ,
we.,
led the way to the Great French
Revolutions
were the The demagogues of that fearful time
R?•ign of Terrorgu7t 6
es, not the causes, of the
causes are easily recognised
in the gaudy, gorae
at te days of regal absolutism.
when the Baatile v
Institution and "the
peopl.e" an unknown
these two extremes or 4:20' Steering between
g obstlulPetuosity on the one hand, and unreasonin
the Empire of Austria is ildnett°ll on the other,
advancing, towards the
goilianciltale the popular. is steadily
desires a widely spread, freel
Representative system. "The reel constituted
r. Austria to copy," says Le vorresponlnodel for
d
England, whose illustrious part
jam ant, ,6 is
the
B:
lit
not the work of a day : the Scots, the Gau Was
ls
,he
Irish, did not take their places there en
day by the side of the Anglo-Saxons. That • e
la,
meat was established slowly and gradually, and
developed by the lorce of circumstances. To attempt
by a legislative enactment, by an absolute decree,
to establish the parliamentary system of Western
Europe in Austria, would be to ignore entirely the
past history of the formation of the Empire, to deny
established facts, and utterly to compromise the
future of representative institutions." The (to a
certain extent) Liberal Constitution of the 26th
February, 1861, still endures, and the writer of the
Correspondant lays great stress upon that word
" Elle dure depuis plus de deux ans sans interrup-
tion;' "Two years," he adds, "of real liberty and
of serious and tranquil constitutional existence is a
great thing in the times in which we live, and it
was with a legitimate satisfaction that the Eii.trEnoft
Scar enabled to say at the close of the first session
of t holteicharath, coifidence in the st ngth of Aus-
tria hag powerfully increased. Ifer progressivere and
dt ci:lecl advance in the new career of pacific deve-
lopment has ensured for her the esteem of foreign
nations and the gym
pa,.
lay of friendly S'ates." No
country, says the writer of this
article, has profited
so much by its political dangers and difficulties as
Austria has done.
"Sea clesastres lug ont porte
bonheur, et ses embarrass l ont •
ervie." And why
so ? Because she has had theee
orn to listen to
the warning voices of the hour, and adapt
herself to the spirit of the
age. The
career of develoPultql"R" 1'611411 she hab
entered still extends far in advance of her
actual
progress, but Excelsior is now her motto. Her
career is watched with anxious sympathy in this
country, nor should the lesson be unheeded. We

are in advance, it is true ; but are we arrived at the
goal ? Are our Reforms complete ?—our " Repre-
sentative Institutions" fully establiyhed ?

The result of the Prussian elections can surprise
nobody ; and indeed, from the first, no other finale
was to be looked for. The tide set in strong in
favour of the Opposition party, and the favourable
beginning seemed to fan their hopes and to nerve
their energies till it led them on to a triumphant
issue. So far a decided negative has been given to
the boastful assertions of some and the mistrustful
notions of others, that when it came to a push the
old feeling would prevail, and the quietest course
be adopted, namely of leaving things in statu quo.
These tame conclusions have not come to pass, as
the period of the fitful struggle that has disturbed
and distracted all Prussia this past year. On the
contrary, all forete'is a struggle that will be serious
and may prove fatal to the hopes, and subversive to
the position of those who take their stand in abso-
lutism. A significant fact is seen in the report that
the returns of the Ministers' candidates have been
by small majorities, while those of the Liberals
have been by immense ones. This isa circumstance
not to be overlooked by those who study the case in
its different bearings, and at all estimate the rela-
tive position of the Royal party and the popular
one. It will be of no avail to the Ministers that
they have gained some seats in this election, because
they have lost more than any numerical majority
can impart to them. It will not restore lost
confidence, awake disappointed hopes, or renew a
respect that has been rooted out by the late un-
warrantable proceedings. One curious event has
occurred. General VON ROON has been elected. It
will be remembered that, in the dispute last spring,
he declared that he was not amenable to the autho.
-kr cf. ,chc iruase, because he was there as a
Minister and not as a deputy. Now he will
appear in both capacities, and it will be interest-
ing to notice whether his views will have
undergone a modification through the altered posi-
tion which he holds. Most likely he will be quite
as imperative as heretofore, perhaps under cover of
hie new privilege he will even arrogate to himself
increased authority and claim additional exemption.
It is as well to b 3 prepared for any emergency, and
therefore it is not unreasonable to presume that the
most extraordinary and extravagant demands will
be made upon the patience of the representative
assembly. "We know that in the last Parliament
the conduct of the Ministers had reached a pitch of
assurance that was almost incredible, and so now
that they have been left to themselves all these
months, with no one to restrain their domineering
tendencies, and no assembly to utter a protest that
at least brought their conduct under the notice of
the public, they will doubtless surpass themselves
in arbitrary actions and oppressive measures. Those
who are returned on the right side, however, are not
likely to let themselves be sunk in the scale as com-
plete nonentities, nor yield a tame subservience to
views that are inimical to the constitution of the
country, nor by silence uphold principles that mock
the name of justice and do dishonour to the cause of
liberty. Herr Von BISMARK may range the fol-
lowers at his side, but where will be the discretion
to command, and where the spirit to follow. The
genius of the people will be arranged against them,
the memory of the past, the hope of the present,
the promise of the future, all belong to his oppo-
nents. They represent the talent and feeling of
the nation, which, wherever it is expressed, must
eventually triumph if its supporters have only
the faith to cling to the cause which in
its native integrity is sublime and immortal.
Most probably the policy of Herr BISMARK
will b 3 to provoke and insult his adversaries
as much as he possibly can and thus furnish a
pretext for another of those ebullitions of temper,
miscalled feeling, on the part of Ministers which
serve as a pretext for another dissolution. It has
come to something in the history of a great
country supposed to be possessed of a free consti-
tution when nothing better than misrule and mis-
conduct is in store for her, and when her position
as a first-rate Power in Europe is menaced. Never
was there a more unfortunate combination of affairs
for a country than those which seem accumulating
in Prussia and militating against her existence as a
kingdom, her honour as a nation, and her welfare
as regards her people. No man ever did more for
the land they profess to serve than the statesmen
who now mismanage the Cabinet of King WILLIAM.
They will leave a dam page in their country's his-
tory, and bear with them to the grave the shame
and obloquy that attened on men who, placed in a
high position, misuse their power and maltreat those
who are entrusted to their care. It is well known
that men are often infatuated up to the very last
moment in their estimate of things, both public and

private; they persist in pursuing their own reckless

course, and adopting their own ill-advised policy. Al

at once the crash comes and the business is ruined,
the position crumbled away, or the kingdom divided
and passed from them. Statesmen who cannot read
the handwriting on the wall, which the signs of the
times and the temper of the people daily exhibit
to their notice are not worthy 3f the name, and
should not presume to attempt to fulfil the solemn
and sacred duties of legislators. So with these

ministers of Prussia; they are totally unfit to

rule a country like Prussia, which needs combina-

tion of powers in her rulers just at present. They
should be men who unite the enterprise of the new
with the associations of the old generation of poli-

tictans. Thus can they be fit to direct a nation

which needs a firm but cautious propelling in the

progressive road of freedom. The present attempt

at mutilating the Constitution is sheer madness.

Want of judgment inevitably brings confusion in
its train. No matter how prosperous may be the
beginning nor how buoyant the expectations of the
leavrers, the day of wrath will surely come,
aaZiehtcovgdisvheratll they abide its advent. It is lament-
able to
roost
irritating
on so sad a topic ; and perhaps the
martyrs to point in the whole affair is the utter
pitied
for
their sad
casualty. Some States are to be
thheir sad misfortunes, and others are
efforts mit... . Cause of liberty; but their greatest
the crown':
ee
h
vt"latf7tlieni its cross, and never gain
would have s
raed
toeaourse of events for Prussia
sitions a few year
a baeln
yobserver of political po-
the even tenour of its to
ay.
be calm and equable in
wise with that countr It has proved other-
y'from
theY we must turn
and n„.._
wars of
some of our attention
America, and the fiery conflicts ()rp Ciivilaud
i
the more peaceable but • (pally port, to watch
those
of the Constitution in Prussia. It s
portentous battle
for life and death, and the earnest :ia.l1struggle
B
heartfelt ey and
inpathy of Englishmen will go
with
may
ym
ctoomt
eh e
oeuotn contest,
hyo will pray that
ectt,and they
are making
such
strenuous efforts for their independence, before it
we

is snatched away from them entirely, only to be
re-captured in the sanguinary and sorrowful strife
that adds poignancy to the bitterness and clouds the

triumphs of war.

A to!erably correct indication of the social condi-
tion of a nation is usually afforded by the returns
of the Registrar-General. From the seemingly
dull and uninteresting catalogue of births, deaths,
and marriages, we may extract a good deal of useful
Information as to the state of trade, the condition I