The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-07 00:00:00

GERMANY

AND

THE NORTHERN STATES.

PRUSSIA.

The following is the Address voted by the Diet to
the King of PRUSSIA : _

" Your Majesty has called us together at a moment
when the German people, long repressed by divisions
and want of free institutions, is raising itself in all its
ancient strength to unity and freedom. The Germans
of every race extend the hand of brotherhood to each
other, and Prussia demands no more than to become an
active member of the entire body. Freedom alone gives
life and activity, and freedom is guaranteed to the whole
of Germany by the Assembly of the people, which is
now being developed; to Prussia it is guaranteed by the
institutions your Majesty has secured it, in the bases of
the new constitution; and in this, our last meeting, we
are penetrated with the cheering conviction that for the
future a real representation of the people will watch
over the destinies of the nation. _

" We are still, however, the legal organ of the coun•
try, and in this capacity have certain duties to discharge.
Your Majesty, in the decree of the 18th of March last,
in the appeal of the '2lst, and the declarations of the
22d and 28th of the same month, assured us that pro-
jects of Jaw will be laid before the representatives of the
people, relating to—
" Freedom of the press;
"'Security of personal liberty;
"Full right of meeting and association;
"Independence of the judges;
"Abolition of hereditary jurisdictions and domaie-
police;
" Publicity of judicial proceedings, and viva voce ex-
amination of witnesses, with trial by jury in penal cases,
and especially for political offences;
"Equality of civil and political rights to all religious
persuasions;
" A general arming of the citizens, with free election
of their officers;

" A thorough and popular law of election, representing
all interests;

" A decisive operation by a simple majority of the
popular assembly in the legislation and administration
of the State;

" Responsibility of the Ministers;
"The army to be sworn to the constitution.
" Your Majesty has also guaranteed the active ope-
ration of Prussia in a change of the German Confede-
ration into a German Union, with a real national
assembly.
" In thankfully receiving these assurances and recog•
nizing the fact, that from the present time a constou
tional monarchy, on the broadest basis, is to be the form
of government in Prussia, we are convinced that we are
warranted in so doing, not only by our own constitu-
tional functions, but by the will of the people.
" The nation will not, because it has raised itself to
freedom, abruptly sever its present history from its
past; it honours the monarchy under which Prussia has
become great, and sees in the constitutional form of that
system the surest protection of liberty, of public welfare,
and the unity of the kingdom. It considers it necesary
for its relations with other German states; it recognises
that under this banner alone Germany can become
united, and defend itself victoriously against dangers
threatening its national existence and the noble acquisi-
tions of society.
" Germany, firmly resolved to defend its nationality
from all attacks from without, wishes to do justice to
all. We, therefore, gladly approve the decree of your
Majesty, recognising the constitution of the Duchy of
Posen.
" Your Majesty, in a moment pregnant with danger,
has come to a fortunate decision; men have been sum-
moned to the councils of the Crown who possess the con-
fidence of the country. The general operation of the
power of the State, thus strengthened, will increase the
feeling of union between the nation and its princes, in•
spire trade and commerce with confidence; the Govern
meut will pay increased attention to the condition of
the working classes in town and country, and at the
sametjeescontrary time,in a legal manner, put an end to many prac
to the law which have grown up in
different parts of the country.
" Every division henceforth vanishes; the people and
the army are no longer two bodies; heroic hearts beat in
each of them, and the sacred love of their common
country will combine them in one perfect and insepera-
hle whole.
Your Majesty's Government in its efforts to restore
law and order in the administration of our public affairs
can reckon on the zealous assistance of all good citizens,
for all acknowledge that respect for the laws of the
country can alone guard us from destruction, and deve•
lope the opening blossom cif freedom in its fairest fruit.
" Reserving for the present any declaration of opinion
upon the projects of law which regard a portion of your
Majesty's promises above alluded to, we remain, with
the greatest respect,
" Your Majesty's true and faithful States,
for the second time assembled in United Diet.

" Berlin, April 2."
There is evidently a financial crisis approaching in
Berlin. Several failures (among others that of a
large banker) have been announced, and money is
very scarce.
A letter from Berlin in the Cologne Gazette men-
tions the arrival of a eourier from St. Petersburgh,
who was the bearer of a memorial from the St.
Petersburgh Cabinet, dated the 26th of March, in
which the EMPEROR expresses his determination to
observe a neutral position amidst the dissensions in
Western Europe, and to use all his endeavours to
maintain peace, adding, at the same time, that any
violation of the Russian territory should be punished.
The dispatch concludes with a special threat against
the Poles, to whom, it says, no mercy whatever shall
be shown if they dare to cross the Russian frontier.