The Sun.
London, England, 1824-09-02 00:00:00

[THE TIMES.]

We hear for ever of popular and even indivi-
dual viulences, ottempted against Sovereigns and
their Ministers ; but there are violences to which
these great personages seldom make any allusion.
Of such a character is the proposition, of which
we gave a short description yesterday, placed by
Austria upon the Minutes of the Germanic Con-
federation on the 16th ult. The fears of Prince
Metternich, or of his literary and enlightened
Sovereign, have broken out on this occasion in a
paroxysm of what is really nothing better than
outrageous folly. It seems to be the intent of
the Holy Alliance that nothing shall be done,
nothing published, nothing taught, nothing
thought, in any one state of Europe, over which
every other state shall not have the prerogative
of exercising an incessant controul. One qualifi-
cation only, it may be said, attends this
new system of Government namely, that
the controul is never to be applicable but
on behalf of the dozen or two of persons
whom fortune has raised to chairs of state,
with font-stools, canopies, and bayonets, for
their decorations, end against the hundreds of
millions of men, who, according to a certain creed,
are actually bound to live or die as a service or a
sacrifice is required by those who rule them.—
Prince Metternich • lays it down as the fixed
pleasure of Austria, that all the " public power"
of a state must remain in the hands of the Sove-
reign—not, be it understood, in Austria alone,
but in . every one of those countries which
she at the same time, with beautiful consist-
ency, declares to be independent in their in-
ternal administration : but if any legislative or
other act should take place ill one of 'hem,
which another (and that other means Austria her-
self) conceives to he alarming to the " Monarchi-
cal principle,`► why then the Diet—that is, Aus-
tria which reigns over the Diet—is privileged and
bound by duty to interfere and bring back the
erring Prince or Legislative Body to reason. how,
then, is such a rule to operate ? The most perfect
illustration of the monarchical principle is to be
found, no doubt, within the dominions of Francis.
Whatever differs from the Imperial model must
be wrong—whatever falls short of Austrian 44 mo-
narchy" in other German States must be defective
--whatever diverges from it, tt►ost dangerous
to thrones and altars. But Bavaria has a Diet ;
and Wurtemberg; and Prussia some shadowy
forms of a representative just proclaimed, or in
'preparation. Hanover, too, has had fur some

short period states, or what are called by that'
name. Are not all these so many adulterations
of pure monarchy ? Is it not very dangerous that
these assemblies should deliberate ? Ay, and it
is announced by the protocol itself, that the
printing of such debates should be curtailed
and guarded, so as to prevent any wicked no-
tions from getting abroad, that liberty can be
advanced by popular representatives, or know-
ledge by the publicity of their sentiments
• add proceedings. But then it is admitted—
nay, it is boasted of—that " the sentiments and
1" wishes of the Germans, if left to their own im-
" pulses, are full of attachment to their Princes;
" and that every contrary appearance is the
46 work of guilty demagogues." What then, can
the few demagogues argue the body of the
people out of their senses ? If the press be free
to the democrat, is it not to the loyalist likewise ?
Or is it wished to be inferred, that democracy
can be defended by reason, but monarchy only
by the sword ? In Booth, Prince Metternich,
this is unlucky logic. We are disposed to draw
from these desperate plunges of the legitimates
the conclusion, that they are more and more dis-
satisfied with their work—that the summit of
that cloud-capped eminence towards•which they
are aspiring, seems to recede as they struggle to
approach it ; and that they will never cease from
encroaching further upon the free agency and
common sense of mankind,until with one consent
the nations turn, and annihilate them.