The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-06 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

The following is the proposition of the King of
Paussie, for the formation of a German central

power :
PRUSSIAN PROPOSITION FOR THE FORMA•

TION OF A CENTRAL POWER.

"L Austria slid Prussia agree to an interim, and lay
it before the otialc, States, wbereby the central power
for the German,„ Genfecteration is entrusted to the five
mentioned Powers ustil26th May, 1850; that is, should
a definitive power not be constituted before that period.
" 11. The object of the interim is the maintenance of
the German Confederation, as a lawful national union
for the protection of the independence and inviolability
of all States belonging to the Confederation, and for
the maintenance of the internal and external security
of Germany. (Final Acts, Congress of Vienna, Art. 1.)
"111. During the interim the question of the German
Constitution, and more especially the formation of a more
intimate Federal State, shall be left to the free acepta-
tion of the States. The same belongs to the questions to be
decided in plenum, according to the 6th article of the
Acts of the Confederation.

" IV. If at the expiration of the interim, the question
of a Constitution, and especially that of a more intimate
union, shall not be settled, then German Governments
will come to an accord as to the further existence of the
present union.
" V. The affairs hitherto entrusted to the Provisional
Central Power, in so far as they come within the com-
petency of the more intimate union, according to the
principles laid down in the laws of the Confederation,
shall, during the existence of the interim, be entrusted
to a State Committee, to which Austria and Prussia will
each furnish two members, and which will have its seat
at Mayence.
" VI. This State Commission will conduct the affairs
independently, under responsibility to those according
it full powers. In case of equality of votes, the deci-
sion will take place by afford between the Govern-
ments of Austria and Prussia, which, in case of need,
will issue a decree of arbitration. The affairs now
conducted by the State Ministry (Frankfort) will be
made over to distinct departments, of which the superior
management will be divided between the members of the
conimission.

" VII. So soon as the assent of the GoTernments
(Austria and Prussia) has been obtained to this plan,
his Imperial Highness the Archduke John will re-
sign his rights and duties, which he was instructed
to hold as national property, into the hands of their
Majesties the Emperor of Austria and King of Prussia.
The First Chamber, on the 2d October, resumed
the debate upon the 11th article of the Constitution,
touching liberty of conscience, freedom of religious
practices and observances, &c., &c. After a long
debate, in which Professor of Theology WALTER, of
I3onn, a stringent Catholic, took a prominent share in

support of two amendments proposed by him, the
House adopted, without coming to a division, the first
and second passages of the first paragraph proposed
by the Committee, that " Freedom of religious
profession, the association of religious societies, and
the exercise in common of domestic or public re-
ligious practices is recognised : the enjoyment of
the rights of citizenship, or of national citizenship,
is independent of religious profession." The House
then went to a division upon the last words of the
same paragraph, " and in the participation in any
religious society whatever," which was rejected by
104 to 9. Professor WALTER and eight other
Catholics voted in favour of the words being retained,
as the rejection tends to open the door to the exclu-
sion :of the Jesuits and of other religious societies.
Then came on a short debate on the last passages of
the first and the whole of the last paragraph, " the
duties incumbent upon citizens and national citizens
cannot be evaded by the exercise of religious
freedom : religious societies and spiritual. societies
which do not enjoy corporate rights, can only obtain
their rights through special laws." Professor WAL-
TER terminated the debate somewhat in these words :
"It is unwise thus to put an end to religious
and spiritual associations. The Trappists in Bel-
gium and England cultivate the land. As regards the
Jesuits, they have been driven from Italy. Yet
FREDERICK the GREAT, who cannot be accused of
excess of devotion, favoured them as best suited to
educate youth." Notwithstanding the defence of M,
WALTER, the House voted without coming to a divi-
sion. The last passage thus renders it necessary for
the Society of Jesus and other monastic orders to ob-
tain legal authority from the Chambers ere they can
establish themselves or exercise corporate or collective
rights.
The Cologne Gazette says that at a Cabinet Coun-
cil, held on the Ist October, it was decided that
Prussia should persist in the convocation of the Diet
of the empire, and in case of need invoke the arbitral
decision of the Federal Tribunal against Hanover.
It appears that the constitutional party at Dresden
is quite appalled at the intention of the Saxon Govern-
ment to withdraw from the alliance of the three
kingdoms. The chief hope of this party is fixed upon
Prussia, whose steady perseverance in the line of
policy which she has adopted, will finally compel the
other German Governments to adhere to the basis of
German unity.