The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-19 00:00:00

GERMANY

AND
THE NORTHERN STATES.

FRANKFORT.
JULY 15.—The Vicar of the Empire has addressed
the following" proclamation to the German nation :
" Germans,—Your representatives assembled at
Frankfort have elected me Vicar of the Empire.
" In the midst of the confidential acclamations and
of the cordial salutations with which I was every-
where received, and which profoundly touched me, I
have taken the direction of the central power of our
empire.

" Germans,—After years of oppression, you are
now about to enjoy full and entire liberty ; and you
richly deserve it, for you have aspired to it with
courage and perseverance. It can never be taken
from you, for you know how to defend it.
" Your representatives will complete the work of the
German constitution. Wait for it with confidence.
It is an edifice the construction of which demands
much circumspection and true patriotism. It will be
firm and immovable.

" Germans 1 our country has severe trials to over-
come, and she knows how to overcome them. Your
highways and your rivers will again teem with life.
Your love of work will find a sphere of activity, your
welfare will increase, if you only have confidence in
your representatives, if you have confidence in me,
whom you have chosen to make Germany, conjointly
with you, united, free, and powerful.
" Never forget that liberty, in order to strike her
roots deep, must be protected by order and legality.
Unite your efforts with mine in re-establishing them
wherever they may have been transgressed. I shall
oppose all the weight of the law to every criminal
attempt and to anarchy. The German citizens must
be protected against every act of aggression.
" Germans ! I confidently hope that Germany will
enjoy an uninterrupted peace—to preserve it is my
sacred duty.

" But if the honour of Germany, and the rights of
Germany should incur any danger, our brave Ger-
man army will know how to combat and conquer for

its country.
" Frankfort-on-the-Maine, July 15, 1848.
" The Vicar of the Empire,
" ARCHDUKE JOHN.
" The Ministers of the Empire—
" SCHMERLING.
" PENCKER.
" HECKSCHER."
The Gazette des Pastes contains the following offi-
cial appointments :
" I appoint the Deputy of the German National
Parliament, M. ANTHONY VAN SCHMERLING, Of Vi•
enna, Minister of the Empire for the Home Depart.
ment and Foreign Affairs.
" July 15, 1848.
" The Vicar of the Empire,
"ARCHDUKE JOHN.
(Countersigned) " PENCKER."

" I appoint the Deputy of the German National
Parliament JOHN GUSTAVUS HECKSCHER, of Ham-
burgh, Minister of the Empire for the Department
of Justice.
" Frankfort-on-the-Maine, July 15, 1848.
" The Vicar of the Empire,
" ARCHDUKE JOHN.
(Countersigned) " SCHMERLING."
"I appoint the Prussian Major-G-eneral M. ED.
WARD VON GENCKER, of Schmerdeburgh, Minister
of the Empire, for the Department of War.
" Frankfort-on-the-Maine, July 15, 1848.
" The Vicar of the Empire,
" ARCHDUKE JOHN.
(Countersigned) " SCHMERLIN G."
The Vicar of the Empire honoured the theatre with
his presence last night, when the opera of Oberon was
performed. His Serene Highness listened with satis-
faction to a prologue composed in his honour, and
which was encored. Before quitting, his Imperial
Highness addressed the assembly as follows :—" I
now take leave of you for a few days. The promise
which I gave, and which I must loyally fulfil, recalls
me to Vienna. I shall soon return, and shall bring
with me that which I hold most dear—my wife and
my child." The Vicar of the Empire quitted Frank-
fort to-day, at half-past eleven, for Vienna.
In the sitting of the German Parliament of the
14th the following motion was carried :
" The decree of the Austrian Government prohibit-

ing the export of precious metals, under date of April
2, 1848, the validity of which was subsequently deter-
mined to be continued up to the end of July, is seri-
ously prejudicial to Austria, as well as to the rest of
the German states ; and a measure like this, the equity
of which, in regard to the other German states, cannot
be vindicated, is incompatible with the unity of Ger-
many. The National Assembly resolves to communi-
cate this, its declaration, in a suitable manner, to the
Austrian Government."
In the sitting of the 15th, the debate on the report of
the committee on armed forces was re-commenced.
Prince Lichnowsky supported the motion of the com-
mittee in a long and brilliant speech. He spoke largely
in praise of Cavaignac; but he besought them not yet
to dream of alliance with the French Republic. They
must see whether the young and spirited general would
establish the dictatorship of a Sylla, or retire meekly
as a Cincinnatus. As to Russia, he thought its Em-
peror did not want a war.
Various other Members spoke ; but the Assembly
called clamourously for the close of the debate. The
President and 19 Members still had to speak. He put
the question as to closing the debate. It was carried.
The modified motion on which the Assembly divided
to-day was as follows•
" The National Assembly resolves to refer the report
of the Committee of Armed Forces of July 1, and the
supplementary clauses of July 7, to the Provisional
Central Power, and to empower the Central Govern-
ment to carry out the proposals contained in that report
and the supplementary clauses, so that the amount of
the armed forces shall be increased up to a levy of two
per cent. on the present population."
Ayes . . 303
Noes 149
Estimating the population at 45,000,000, the armed
force will comprise 900,000, as was originally suggested.
P.S. Rieser's motion also, for making the new enrol-
ment universal, without any exceptional privileges and
exemptions, was carried.