The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-25 00:00:00

GERMANY

AND

THE NORTHERN STATES,

AUSTRIA and UNITED GERMANY.
FALL OF PRESBURG.
The Silesian Gazette has thelfollowing under the
head Vienna, Dec. 18 :
The Imperial army proceeds victoriously from place
to place. Presburg has surrendered. A courrier ar-
rived here from head-quarters to-day, at noon. stating
that it had come into our possession yesterday at noon.
This intelligence has caused great satisfaction, and
occasioned an immediate rise of the funds. We have no
particulars.
The last portion of the troops which form the reserve
of the army operating against Hungary left us yester-
day. Two batteries of Artillery accompanied them.
Prince Windischgratz also took his departure yestei day.
A wing of the army had advanced upon Presburg, the
assault upon which it was determined should take place
yesterday morning (the 17th). Marmoraaeh, a large
town in Hungary, has already fallen into our hands, as
well as the important places of Eperies and Kasehan. If
our troops succeed in their first conflict with the Mag-
yars, the Pesth Cabinet will: be glad to come to terms
The Magyars are everywhere attacked and overcome.
Magutto, of the Coeropieri Regiment, has been shot
for deserting his colours and enlisting in the late Aca'.
demical Legion.
A woman has been found murdered in her bed, in
consequence, it is given out, of having denounced a rela-
tive to the public authorities; and a yager was shot, yes-
terday for discharging his piece at his superior officer
just as his regiment was leaving his quarters.
Count Stadion has' had the good sense to set on foot
a popular journal, freni which the best effects are antici-
pated, in giving the minds of the lower classes a more
wholesome direction,- and • the Government has won
golden opinions by promulgating a very liberal com-
munal law.
The tone of public opinion has much improved, for the
character of the individuals composing the present Ca-
binet inspires confidence and good hopes for the future.
According to the latest intelligence from Gallicia,
the fostered animosity between the Polish and
Luthenian races is more violent than ever. It is now
clear that the 'Austrian Government rely upon the
latter for doing—in• case of another Polish insurrec-
tion—the sanguinary work which the Gallician
peasants some time ago performed, and now bitterly
regret. - -
The foll Owing is the programme of the new Mi-
nistry of the Empire with respect to the Austrian
question. It was read to the German Parliament by
the new Minister Vois GAGERN, in the sitting of
the 18th
"A feeling of necessity, and an evident desire per-
vades the people that the work of forming the consti-
tution should be carried, through as quickly as pos •
sible. The Constituent Assembly of the empire has
recognised this necessity, and the aim in view is
approaching attainment. It is true that the central
power is shut Out from participation in the establish-
ment of the constitution; but the object of showing
the way by which the constitution is to be carried
out, and by Which all' obstacles must be overcome—
such a co-operation on the part of the central power
in the. Work of the 'constitution appears to be in so
great a degree a condition of future welfare, that the
Ministry of the Etripire considers it to be of the
greatest imPortance. The position which Austria
has assumed with regard to the German National
AsSeinbly, and'towards the Provisional Central Power
for Germany, renders it _imperious on the Ministry
of the Empire to-make the Assembly acquainted with
it. The programme of the Austrian Ministry of
the 27th of - November says, first, that all
Austrian countries must remain bound by unity
of state ; and, secondly, that the relations of Aus-
tria to Germany are not susceptible of being
legally and constitutionally fixed until each of these
combinations of states (staaten cempleze) has received
a permanent internal organization, i. e., until the con-
stitution of each is completed. This view of the
position of Austria-with regard to Germany has not
only received theapprobation of the Austrian Diet at
liremsier, but seems else to express the wishes and
views of thegreater part of the inhabitants of German-
Austrian countries. Herewith is given on the part
of Austria the answer to the question which was put
to that power in the conclusion of the National As
sembly on the project of constitution, viz., in the
paragraphs 1-3, in the chapter of the empire and
government of the empire. The Ministry of the
Empire, in its judgment of the relative position of the
central power with regard to Austria, thinks it
necessary to put forth the following propositions :-
1. On account of the nature of the union of Austria
with non-German countries, the duty of the central
executive for the present, and whilst it is merely a
provisional executive, is to maintain the existing
federal relations of Austria to Germany in general.
But the separate relations of Austria as a confederate
state, the coming to an understanding respecting
all mutually existing or future federal duties,
rre to be arranged through the medium of
ambassadors. 2. Austria will be considered ac-
cording to the decisions come to by the National
Assembly, by which the nature of the confederacy
has been determined, as not forming part of the pro-
posed German confederaoy. 5. The relations of union
between Austria and Germany will be arranged by a
special act of union, of which all the relative spiritual,
political, and 'material exigenCies will be reconciled,
as far as possible,. by which Germany and Austria
have been hitherto bound together. 4. As Austria
stands in an indissoluble union with Germany as re-
presented by the provisional central power, but as she
has not entered into the confederacy, the agreements
and other bonds of union and rights must be regu-
lated by ambassadors. 5. The constitution, however,
of the German confederate states (the final settlement
of whiCh constitution is a matter of mutual interest),
cannot form the subject of negotiation with Austria.
Whilst I submit (added the Baron von Gagern) these
propositions to the 'National Assembly I request for
the Ministry of the German Empire the authorisation
to effect in the name of the central power a diplomatic
conjunction with the government of the Austrian em-
pire, in order to treat of the relations I referred to.
I venture to request also that those propositions be
speedily
understandingyupossible,
referred to a committee,
uxbcpuittaeswdsi with
thaTthaisrpeproogrtrabmembreohuagshte
the greatest disgust.
"It cannot be discussed," exclaimed VsNIIDT "it
must be rejected at once; We are here to unite and
strengthen the whole of Germany : and are we now
to be expected to allow a great portion of our father-
land to be cut off?" - - _
'REUTHER said—l coincide with the words of Herr
VENED; as it must be seen whether Germany is to
be a second Poland, and to be betrayed to Russia.
WESENDONCR, whilst he recognised the feeling of
love for his country shown in the words of Herr -VA-
NED; would propose that the project be submitted to
a committee, but not to BIEDERMANN'S Committee,
which had already dealt with the Prussian question.
It was finally determined to take into consideration
the relations by which Austria claims exempton
froth entering into the future German confederate
state, under conditions which alter the state
conjunction of the German with the non-German-
Austrian portions of the confederation ; consequently
Austria is not to be considered as entering into the
future German confederate state, in accordance with
the resolutions passed up to the present time by the
National Assembly, and determining the nature of
that confederate state. It will be' reserved for a
future, but not distant time, to regulate, by means of
a sepirate act Of union, the relations of Austria to
Germany with respect to that union, and to satisfy,
as far as possible, all the kindred, moral, political, and
material wants which have hitherto ,united Germany
and Austria, and which may still more closely unite
them.
In the plenary sitting of the Constitution Commit-
tee, on the 17th, the majority declared'' against an here
ditary imperial dignity.
Letters from' Vienna of the 18th, Says—Field-
Marshal • Lieutenant *elder), • the Governor of
Vienna, has just received a telegraphic dispatch from
Tyrnau*nfitheinh_ing., tAting that the insurgent
Magyars,jamfotenrichws corps,avingrtired before the approach of
General
to Szered, have been coannsdidmeraadbelyg
Presburg, and resisted the march of the Imperial
oroedintfhoreci re
d retreatfro m
troops near Tyrnmi.
General Simonich attacked them in their positions
at 4 o'clock P.M. on the 10th inst., and beat them after
an engagement of two hours' duration. The Magyars
lost fire pieces of artillery, one standard, 766 prisoners,
and 43 horses.
The setting in of the night prevented the Imperial
troops from following up their, advantage.
The corps of General Simonich took possession of
the city of Tyrnau and its environs.
Major Lainingen, who commands a troop of horse,
reports from Kaschau, of the 11th, that the strong for-
tifications of this town were on the 10th stormed
by the corps of Field-Marshal Lieutenant Count
Schlick. Several imperial officers, and amongst them
the Adjutant of Count Schlick, were killed.
Field-Marshal Prince Windischgratz advanced
yesterday his outposts on the right bank of the
Danube, opposite to Presburg.
The left bank of that river was occupied by an-
other corps, without meeting with any resistance, and