The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-16 00:00:00

The Upper House of the Diet in Berlin is re-
solved to carry out its policy and vindicate the pur-
poses of the Ministers, without reference to future
consequences, and without any consideration for the
decision of the Chamber of Deputies. Such conduct
is certain to be provocative of the direst confusion,
and to render the results of the deliberations of this
session most unsatisfactory. It is an unwise course
which the Upper House have adopted, and many
will regret to ewitiaess it. It was some compensa-
tion for the annoyance which the tactics of the
Cabinet occasioned to find that the Chamber of
Deputies combated the proposals of the Ministers,
and did their utmost to thwart the fulfilment of their
designs. If the other branch of the Legislature
now endeavour to undo all that has been done in
this respect, and to urge on the Government to
carry out their original designs, it will be a very un-
desirable state of affairs. The want of unanimity
thL t exists in Prussia militates greatly against the
progress of the people, and mars the success of any
national undertaking. The Committee on the
Budget in the Upper House presented their report,
and propose that the Budget, as amended by the
Chamber of Deputies, shall be rejected by the
House. Nothing can excuse this contumacious
course; and, as if this was not enough, they further-
more advise that as the Budget has not been voted
in accordance with some article in the Constitution,
that the Government should fix and promulgate a
" normal Budget," at a sum sufficient for the
public welfare, and for conducting the affairs
of the country so as to enable Prussia to
accomplish her mission. Can anything be more
preposterous than this mode of proceeding, and
must not these enemies of liberty and freedom of
discussion imagine that lookers-on can see the drift
of their actions ? What is the mission of Prussia,
and how is she to accomplish it ? The world is
weary of hearing of this everlasting mission, and of
witnessing the evil effects its working out produces.
It is a profanation of terms to call spoliation and
injury by such terms, and no sensible person will be
taken by it. It would really be more consistent for
the Government of Prussia to abolish the Chamber
of Deputies altogether than to go on in this fashion,
contradicting all that is uttered there by inde-
pendent members, and manoeuvring to subvert all
that is effected in the right direction through the
spirit and enterprise of patriotic legislators. It
would be as well, for all intents and purposes, to
have an arbitrary Government in name, as it is, in-
deed, in Berlin. Nothing more plainly shows the
secret intention of the authorities than the manner
in which the name of the Constitution is taken in
vain. It is most elastic in its nature, apparently,
and the Ministers can turn it to any use they will.
Two years ago they contrived to act in defiance of
its established rules, and set its fundamental prin-
ciples at defiance. Now, the Constitution is to do
battle for the Government, and upset the decisions
of the Chamber of Deputies. These subterfuges
cannot answer their end in the long run, and even
now their meaning and mockery can be detected.

Railway travelling is one of the most important
subjects of our social system at present, and too
much attention cannot be paid to it. Last night,
in the House, Colonel GREVILLE asked the Presi-
dent of the Board of Trade if he could take any
steps to prevent the doors of railway carriages being
locked, and if he was aware of the additional risks
which the passengers ran through the custom
adopted in many lines of putting bars across the
windows of the carriages, so that the egress of the
passengers is prevented. Colonel GREVILLE very
properly styled this an objectionable practice. The
late disastrous occurrences on the railways suffi-
ciently prove that it is most important that all pos-
sible facility should be afforded to the pas-
sengers to extricate themselves from the
carriages instead of obstructions being put in
their way. Mr. GIBSON made a most
unsatisfactory reply to this inquiry, and, indeed, his
observations were altogether not calculated to inspire
confidence as to the better management of such
matters in future. He said that some time back,
when a serious accident took place in France, and
lives were lost in consequence of the doors being

locked, a circular was sent to the different railway

companies requesting that both the doors of the
carriages should not be locked, and an answer was
received intimating that the companies concurred in
the necessity of having one door left open. At the
recent accident at Raynsham, on the Great Western
Railway, both the doors of some compartments were
locked, through accident it appears. It must be
evident to all who consider the subject that it is a very
bad practice to lock the doors at all, and the sooner it
is put a stop to the better. It is always a pity
when there are more regulations than can possibly
be avoided, and we all know that railway servants
and other people following monotonous pursuits
are very apt to be careless, and besides, as Mr.
GRIFFITH said what would be the use of locking
one door if the carriage turned over, and the
unlocked door was the one under. Mr. GißsoN's
notions on railways and railway travelling appear
to be rather confused—the other day he stated it to
be his opinion that it was only a wonder that more
accidents did not take place, which was a very un-
suitable remark from one in his position, when it is
considered that both the recent accidents were the
result of carelessness. Last night the right hon.
gentleman made still more extraordinary remarks,
for he stated that the Metropolitan Railway had
placed bars across the windows, but they were of so
weak a construction that the passengers could easily
break them. It is quite inconsistent to suppose that
persons placed in such perilous positions, and under
such awkward circumstances as those in accidents
on railway lines, can perform a task requiring skill
and strength. Many who might escape if the win-
dows were free, or the doors unlocked, will be sacri-
ficed if these absurd and dangerous practices are
continued. The sooner common sense is brought to
bear upon these matters the better, and surely the
subject is one of universal consideration, and must
,ein.hgea
ignet
et hr
ees t attention
which
have
pa
rt e
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toefmetililte
through the country in consequence of the late acci-
dents prove how nearly the question of railway
traTelling concernB all, and the authorities are bound