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.

Alkho'
12/
713,
SIM

LONDON, TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 1863.

A recent number of our 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 lento 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.
planted the Trees of Liberty in the Public Places.
Those Trees of Liberty, so transplanted, were not
very long-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
was the fatal error of the old Monarchy of
France
'which led the way to the Great French
Revolution, The demagogues of that fearful time
were the consequences, not the causes, of the
Reign
of
Terror,
in the
the gaudy, Its causes are easily recognised
when
otil:Reous days of regal absolutism,
link: i
as an Institution and "the
People' an
name. Steering between
these two extremes
ntf/a rash impetuosity on the one
band,
and
unreasoning obstruction on the other,
the Empire of Austria is
advancing, towards the advancing, is steadily
S
desires a widel goal of the popular
Representative system. 4, freely constituted
The
Austria to copy," says Le cortrrue model for
England, whose illustrious esp.ondant, "is I
not the work of a day ; the Scots, thiaeon;Ghetala;:ells)a,s:Wtiniahaeaes.
Irish, did not take their places there
gradually, day by the side of the Anglo-Saxons. ,
meat was established slowly and
- of circumstances T
`Western
developed by the :ores . To attempt
and
`terapt
by a legislative enactment, 1-)y an absolute decree,
to establish the parliamentary system of
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 lure depuis plus de deux ass 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 wo live, and it
was with a legitimate satisfaction that the EMP!_;1:01i,
,asenabled to say at the close of the first sessione rhot Reichsrath, confidence in the strength of Aus-
tria has Powerfully increased. Her progressive and
decided advance in the new career of pacific deve-
lopment has ensured for her the esteem of foreign
nations and the
writer sympathy of friendly S:ates." No
country, Says the
this article, has profited
so much by its political dangers and difficulties as
Austria has
ses ni
asdoenebar
.:a,,a 1
es desastres ant porle
s
lionheur, e
oat
sortie."
And why
s) ? Because she has had tag
w
m to listen to
the warning voices of
the hour,.; and adapt
herself to the spirit of
the
age. Tne
uponcareer of development upon which she has
entered still extends far in advance
of her actual
progress, bat Excelsior is now her
motto.
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 established ?

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 nc:•;rv,e
their energies till it led them on to a trium'ph'ant
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'ls a struggle that will 'it' serious
and may prove fatal to the hopes, and sit aversive to
the position of those who take their st And in abso-
lutism. A significant fact is seen in the report that
the returns of the 'Ministers' cand'Adates 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-
rity of the House, 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
his new privilege he will even arrogate to himself
increased authority and claim additional exemption.
It is as well to be 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 ba 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 darn 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 np 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, All
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 J f 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-
ticians. 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

raanceavrers, the day of wrath will surely come,
and how shall they abide its advent. It is lament-
ableto divert on so sad a topic; and perhaps the
most irritating point in the whole affair is the utter
needlessness sino_essofthe casualty. Some States are to be
efforts
martyrs
tor theirtb sad misfortunes, and others are
only
win
cause of liberty ; but their greatest
would have
the crown, tu for them its cross, and never gain
seems
theut
a course of events for Prussia
sitions a fevi,
yelra b
to any observer of political po-
ack to be calm and equable in
the oven tenour of its
wise with that .w
from
It has proved other-
country,und now we must turn
some of our attention America, and the fiery conflicts
the civil wars of
the more peaceable but " Of Poland, to watch
wally
Portentous battle
„Y
of the Constitution in Prussia,
~,Nivihes and
earnt't
is a struggle
for Eft. and death, and the
sympathy of Englishmen
go with
htheeamrtfteoltthe
contest, ll
and they will pray that those
may come out victorious who are making
strenuous efforts for their independence, before it
h
is snatched away from them entirely, only to be
recaptured in the sanguinary and sorrowful strife
that adds poignancy to the bitterness and clouds the
triumphs of war.

A tolerably 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
informatics as to the state of trade, the condition