The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-28 00:00:00

DENMARK.

OPENING OF THE NEW DANISH PAR-
LIAMENT.—IMPEACHMENT OF THE
EX-MIN ISTE RS.
COPENHAGEN, ➢ec. 22.—The opening of the new
Parliament, which took place this time under such
significant circumstances, and promises to form an
important era in the history of our constitutional
development, was attended by all the newly-
elected members, the new Ministers, and a nu-
merous public, who filled the galleries set apart
for them. The only member of the Cabinet not
present was the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Count
Wulf Scheel-Plessen), who had not yet arrived from
Stockholm, hitherto the seat of his diplomatic
labours.
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather,
the Fackelzug, or serenade by torchlight, on the
great square in front of the royal palace of Chris-
tiansborg, was most numerously attended, and
presented a very striking spectacle. When the
King appeared on the balcony and thanked the as-
sembled crowds for this demonstration of their
loyalty and patriotic feelings the enthusiasm of
the multitude knew no bounds. It is satisfactory
to be able to add that no disorders took place, and
that the crowd separated without the occurrence
of any accident.
The communication of the programme of minis-

terial principles was laid before both houses at the
same time ; in the Landsthing it was read by the
Prime Minister Bang; in the Volksthing by the
Minister for Religion and Education, Hall. The
other ministers were present, and all were dressed
in their gala uniforms in honour of the importance
of the occasion. The programme itself is as fol-
lows :
" The new cabinet appointed for the administration of
the affairs of the country by the royal decree of the 12th
inst. considers it a paramount duty to lay before the
assembled Diet the principles they intend to follow
with the full concurrence of the King, and the co-ope-
ration of the Legislative Assembly in carrying out the
principal question so long under discussion—tie defini-
tive settlement of the constitution of the Danish

monarchy.
" Ministers conceive it to b• a matter of the mos'

pressing urgency to bring this question to an end with
the least possible loss of time, to calm the public mind,
and remove any doubts that may exist of their pa-
triotism or the honesty of their intentions. Under these
Circumstances, they express their opinion that it is not
advisable to make any change in the accepted project of
a restriction of the fundamental law of the sth June,
1849, and further that there caa be no danger in ac.
cepting such project, particularly as the alterations
which may appear needful, especially with reference to
the affairs belonging exclusively to the general fun-
damental law of the monarchy, may easily be effected
by legislative enactment at a later period. If,
therefore, the above-mentioned project should be ac-
cepted by the Assembly without any amendment or al-
teration, Ministers will lay unaltered before the King,
to obtain the royal sanction, so as to fulfil the conditions
contained in sec. 100 of the fundamental law, of impos-

ing on the King the obligatory approbation of a mea-
sure passed in succession by the three newly-elected
Parliaments.

"Before the Cabinet proposes a vote of the Assembly
for the definitive restriction of the fundamental law of
the sth June, 1849, in accordance with sec. 5 of the
new fundamental law, they will consider it neces-
sary to the full vindication of their principles to carry
out a modification of the Dani-h monarchy, as con-
tained in the Royal ordinance of the 26th July, of
'the present year, in such a manner as to give it a really
constitutional character, and especially with refer-
ence to the necessity of investing the representative
body with the full and unquestionable right of voting
and exercising a veto in all financial questions and
other legislative enactments, whilst at the same time the
Volksthing, as the direct representative of the people,
be invested with greater attributes and elements of more
legislative power than they now possess. In doing so
they will be simply fulfilling strictly to the letter the
in,tructions contained in the royal decree of the 281 a of
iv".% U 52, for the develop-in:lit and
the con,i+Aulional eiercont for the whole extent
of the Dili-11.h inuuarcuy, and carrying out the objects
therein mentioned and sot forth, viz., the perfect union
of the different parts of the kingdom into 91r. 'roll:

organised whole, to be kept together and strengthened
by one joint constitution.

"Ministers repose the fullest confidence in the patriot.
ism and public spirit of the Diet, and rely upon their
co-operation in effecting the above desirable results,
and upon these grounds have accepted the responsible
duties of office offered from the Sovereign.
" With respect to our foreign policy we may add that,
in direct concurrence with the sentiments entertained on
this subject by the King, we
, do not intend to propose
any change or modification.'

The programme was received in both houses with
great acclamation.
It will be remembered that about a month befor♦
the dismissal of the late ministers, a patriotic mem-
ber of the Volksthing, Herr Tutein, proposed to
impeach them for the unconstitutional edict of the
26th July, and also for unwarrantably altering
the budget after its final adoption by the house.
The impeachment was really never made, but the
question was put and carried. It remains now to
be seen whether it will really be executed. The
new ministers are unwilling to take so extreme a
step against their predecessors, but there is a strong
party in the house, at the head of which is Bishop
Monrad, who earnestly wish to see them impeached
and severely punished, as a warning to all future
ministers not to attempt to tamper with the con-
stitution.

The Chambers will be prorogued most likely to-
morrow for the holidays, and they will not re-open
till the 4th January.

THE BALTIC.
EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE.

TILSIT, Dec. 19.—Our transit trade has never
before been so important as this year, exclusively
in consequenceof the blockade of the Russian ports.
Although the short but severe frost in November
threatened to put an early end to our navigation,
the late mild weather has again opened the com-
munication with the interior of Russia, and
several hundred loaded vessels which were
frozen up in the ice have been able to proceed
to their destination. From the opening of the
navigation at the end of April, down to the close
of the season by the early setting in of the frost,
no less than 2,223 loaded vessels and other river
ships, besides 1,036 rafts of timber, passed the
Russian frontier station of Schmaleningken, bring-
ing the following goods :-364,964 barrels of rape
and linseed, 403,000 cwt. tallow, 16,300 cwt.
copper, 87,000 cwt. cordage, 11,160 cwt. bristles,
70,000 cwt. rags, 3,680 cwt. sailcloth, 1,180 cwt.
oil, 7,987 cwt. mats, 6,090 cwt. raw hides, 5,100
cwt. tar, 3,600 cwt. feathers, 400 c mt. potash,
555,012 timbers, 21,065 oak timbers for ship-
building, and 2,136 lasts pipestaves.
All these goods were destined for Memel, whence
they were transshipped to England, and the vessels
returned to Russia freighted with valuable cargoes
of colonial produce, British manufactured goods,
salt, wine, and other articles of consumption.

Letters from Tuscany, in the Corriere Mercan-
tile of Genoa, positively announce that the Aus-
trian troops are to evacuate the Grand Duchy in
the course of next month.

The Wanderer of Vienna of the 23d says :—A
letter from Tcharakou states that there has been a
sanguinary engagement between the Russians and
a battalion of Tunis inf entry, which was making
a reconnaissance. The latter had the advantage."
The Mahmoodeyek canal, which connects Alex-
andria with the Nile, is to be closed after next
January, for the purpose of being deepened.
Wheat keeps up to 50s. ; beans, 40s. per quarter,
free on board. Freights dull at ss. 6d. per quar-
ter. Exchange on London, 98 piastres per pound
sterling.

The accounfs received in high and official quar-
t er; from St. Petersburg, relative to the Empress's
health, are calculated to inspire most serious anx-
ieties, so serious indeed to awaken apprehensions
of a gradual if not a speedy decline. Should these
sinister apprehensions be realised, as feared, within
the next six weeks or two months, the Imperial
family will not only be smitten in its dearest and
most heartfelt affections, but the people of Russia
will be deprived of the benevolent and maternal
solicitude of a guardian who has endeared herself
to all classes, and devoted her whole Imperial life
to befriend and succour all those who stood in need
of her sheltering advocacy or protection. The vir-
tues which distinguish the princesses of the house
of Hohenzollern never shone forth more conspi-
cuously than in theillustrious daughter of Frederick
William 111.