The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-14 00:00:00

APRIL 14, _B4B.

wish, and supported by the unanimous advice of men of
confidence attached to it, modifies and changes as follows
its resolution of th• 30th last March relative to the for-
mation of the Constituent Assembly:•—
° 1. The election of the representatives of the people
at the National German Constituent Assembly shall
take place in such a manner that, keeping to the base of
the population of the German confederation, as estab-
lished at the sitting of the Diet of the 14th April, 1842,
as legally exists at this period, there shall be one deputy
to 50,000 inhabitants; that when the excess of popula-
tion in a state shall exceed 2.5,000 .souls, the excess
shall give ground for the, election of an additional de-
puty; and that in every state where the population
does not amount to 50,000 souls, still they shall elect
a deputy.
"2. As regards the election of deputies for the con-
stituent assembly, no restriction in any case can be
brought forward to eligibility, by reason of prescrip•
tions in certain franchises, or profession of any esta-
blished religion, and the election cannot take place by
states. _ _

"3. Every citizen of the state, not in service and of
age, is considered as an elector, a.-1 is eligible.
"4. Every German possessing the qualities above
is eligible, and it is not necessary that he should be-
long to the identical state which he is called upon to
represent.
" 5. Political exiles, if they return to Germany, and
are admitted to the possession of their rights, are also
electors, and eligible.
" 6. In fine, the Diet invites all Governments to has-
ten the elections, so that as far as is practicable the
sittings of the National Assembly may commence the Ist
May."

According to the fresh resolution of the Diet, the
Constituent Assembly will consist of 605 members,
divided among the different states.

DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.
THE FIRST BATTLE.-THE DANES VIC-

TORIOUS.

The Hamburgh Borseuhalle of the 10th inst. con-
tains the following intelligence :

" RENDSBURG, Arm 9.

" The command of the fortress is intrusted to Lieu-
tenant Orges, of the Prussian service. The fusilier
battalion of the 20th Prussian Regiment of infantry ar-
rived here this morning, and have taken up their canton-
ments in the surrounding ♦illages.
" Eight o'clock at night.
An officer has just brought word that an obstinate
t'ngagement has taken place at Bou.
" Two Danish men-of-war threatened to bombard
Flensburg. in consequence of which the Schleswig-
Holstein troops have been obliged to abandon their po-
sition both at Flensburg and Bou; and they have taken
ap a stronger position on this side of Bou. The 16th
battalion, under Count Baudissen, is said to have suffered
very much in the retreat. The King of Denmark has
entered Flensburg."
Since the above was in type we have received the
following from Hull by electric telegraph :
" HuLL,:FRIDATMORNING.—The Hamburgh steam-
packet, Captain Brown, arrived here from Hamburgh
this morning. She brings the Borsenhalle of the
11th instant, from which we extract the important
intelligence subjoined. •
" Hostilities have seriously commenced between
forces of Denmark and those of !Schleswig-Holstein.
A. very fierce battle has been fought near Flensburg,
in which the Danes had a decided superiority in num-
bers as well as in their cavalry and artillery. The
Schleswig-Holstein army was defeated and compelled
to retreat towards Rendsburg. The loss of life has
been very great on both sides.
"The Danes entered the city of Schleswig yester-
day.

The Prussians have received orders to drive the
Danes out of Schleswig, in order to the re•establish-
ment of the status quo ante. This being done, the
King of DENMAEK is to be informed that should he,
in retaliation for this step on the part of the German
Powers, stop the passage of the Sound, the Prussian
forces would immediately advance into the Danish
territories, and vigorously prosecute the war.

The Duke of AUGUSTIEINDERO and Prince WALDE-
MAR arrived here yesterday from Berlin, and imme-
diately left for Rendsburg.
The Duke brings the order for the Prussian troops
to enter Schleswig.
Pursuant to this order, two Prussian battalions
have been directed to advance, but it is stated that
they will have to await the arrival of cavalry arid
artillery.

M. VIGNALE, Interior.
M. FERRETTI, Finance.
M. LTBERTI, Public Works.

They had accepted office on condition that troops
should be sent to Lombardy, and that the 16th Regi-
ment of Infantry and the gendarmes be immediately
embarked for Leghorn; that the electoral law be
mo:iified ; that the Chamber of Deputies appoint 180
candidates, from amongst whom the KING should
choose the Peers, and that the Chambers be em•
powered to reform the constitution on a more liberal
basis.

The British fleet, consisting of nine vessels, arrived
in the Bay of Naples on the 2d inst.

BANKRUPTCY-(THIS DAY.)

IN RE YNAPF.-THE ABINGDON BANK.

To-day was appointed for the last examination of this
bankrupt, who had been a banker at Abingdon.
Mr. LAWRENCE, who appeared for the bankrupt, said
that, as Mr. Johnson, the official assignee, was of opi-
nion that the balancee-sheet was not satisfactory, it would
be useless to urge anything tu,support of it; but let it
commence from whatever period it might, there must
be a large deficiency. The, banking accounts had
been in a very bad state ffie years. In 1825 the
bankrupt took. to the husind4 on the death of his
father, and there was then a deficiency of 45,0001.
The assignees were of opinion that there had been no
fraud or conceslement of property, several thousands
being in the bank when he left home, and he only took
501. He had not had any allowance, and not being able
to employ an accountant he had not been able to make
out a correct account,, Which was required with a view to
ulterior proceedings against other persons.
The official ossignee said there were losses on foreign
stock amounting to 17,5001., and the bankrupt had been
•in the habit of sending up one, two, and three thousand
pounds to his broker to meet the losses—these amounts
had not been posted up in the ledger, and the bankrupt
could do that with the assistance of letters.
Mr. LAWRENCE hoped that some allowance would be
made to enable the bankrupt to employ an accountant.
After some discussion it was agreed that the elimi-
nation should be adjourned fur six weeks, and an allow-
ance of 51. shuuid be wade up to that time.

IN RE STIJRT.
This bankrupt was described as late of St. Alban's,
banker, and to-day was appointed for his last examina-
tion. The choice of as,ignees had nut tsk.-n place
in consequence of every debt except one being
disputed on technical grout ds. One of the
proofs was tendered by Mr. Matthew Sturt,
for a sum of 600/.; but it was urged that the claim was
barred by the statute of limitations.
The claimant said that he had received letters from
his brother, offering to assure his lite for 1,0001. as a
security:

His noNourt (Mr. Commissioner Shepherd) said that
a very slight admission would, iu his opinion, support
the claim, and that the offer of security was tantamount
to a promise to pay.
In consequence of there being no assignees, and
scarcely suffich•nt assets to defray the expenses, the fiat
was superseded. The banking accounts are not affected
by these proceedings.

NEWMARKET RACES.
(THIS DAY.)
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

Sweepstakes of 100 sous. each. D.M.

Loadstone
Sweepstakes of 50 sous. each. R.M.

walked over

Tisiphone
Match, 200. T.Y.C.—Sable beat Lovelace.
Handicap of 15 sovs. each. D.M.
Marquis of Conyngham
Sagacity...
Duplicity ••• ••• ••• ••• ••
Match, 200. A.F.—Tisiphone beat Wilmot.
Handicap Sweepstakes of IS sovs. each. T.Y.C.
St. Anne ••• ..• •• ••• •••
Taffrail

Mantiila, Carissima, Clerk of the Council, and Mill
wood, also ran.

The Port Stakes of 100 soya. each. T.M.M.
Conyngham
Red Hart

... ... .
Won easy.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
Mr. G. THOMPSON presented three petitions from
the inhabitants of Bethnal green, Whitechapel, and Fins
bury against the Crown silo Government Security Bill.
Mr. HINDLEY presented a similar petition from
Ashton-under Lyne.
THIRD READINGS.
The following Private Bills were read a third time
and passed:—
Dov,r Landing Pier Bill.
Morley Gas Light Company Bill.
Sutuhamptun Gas Light sv.d Coke Company Bill.
REPORTS.

The following reports were considered and agreed to:—
Leeds Improvement Act Amendni ,-nt Bill.
Price's Patent Candle Company Bill.
sEei )ND READING.
The Walsall Improvement and Cemetery Act Amend-
ment Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

THE NATIONAL PETITION.
Sir W. CLAY presented a petition from certain inha
bitants and town-councillors of Hull, complaining that
their names had been affixed to the Charter petition
without their knowledge or consent.
LANCASTER ELECTION.
The SPEAKER informed the House that he had re-
ceived a communication from the Clerk of Elections
stating that the recognizances entered into for prose-
cuting the Lancaster election were unobjectionable.
CROWN AND GOVERNMENT SECURITY BILL.
On the motion being put that the Speaker leave the
chair for going into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he regretted that her Ma-
jesty's Government had felt it to be their duty to intro-
duce such a Bill as this. While every other country in
Europe was preserving an onward course England was
taking a retrograde step, and he was convinced that if
this Bill, became the law of the land it would be made
the means of inflicting more cruelty and more misery
on the unfortunate people of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)
Already had the wretched and detestable spy system
been resorted to by the Government of that unhappy
country, and he very much feared this Bill would enable
the Government still further to extend the political
sufferings of the people. It was too bad that they
should be visited with such a Bill as this at a time when
Ireland had a right to expect that some legislative mea-
sures would be passed to remove some of the
misery and discontent that prevailed amongst her people,
and he hoped the inhabitants of the three kingdoms
would ere long be aroused to the danger of this retro-
grade policy.—(Hear, hear.) The genuineness of the
Chartist petition had been impugned, but he was not
aware that any gentleman in that House was prepated
to deny that it bore the signatures of upwards of a
million of persons. That million at least were opposed
to this Bill, and surely the prayer of so large a number
of persons ought not to be treated with contempt.
Some Hon. Members in that House, while speaking
of this unconstitutional measure had said do what you
like with Ireland, but do not interfere with the right.
and privileges of the people of England. Now, in his
opinion that was a most ungenerous argument, and he
was rejoiced to tee! and know that it was an argument
not sympathised with by the masses of the people
of England.—(Hear, hear.) He had done all in
his power to allay the feverish symptoms of
discontent which had begun to manifest themselves
amongst the Irish people, but how was it likely that his
counsels or those of his supporters could succeed if that
Hots a persisted in lending a deaf ear to the complaints
of Ireland?—(Hear, hear.) It was already clear that
the repeal representatives would not succeed in their
modal' for a repeal of the union, and when they went
back to Ireland it would be for them to consider
what course they should now pursue.—(hear, bear.)
Already some of them had been subjected to abuse and
insult at meetir gs in Ireland for continuing the cry of
"Peace, peace," and he called upon the House at once
to come forward and save Ireland from being plunged
into bloodshed anti anarchy.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. M. MILNES said, after the concession the
Government had already made in refereuce to the third
clause of this Bill, he thought it was due to them that they
should not delay going into Committee, and certainty
anything he might have to say upon the Bill should he
reserved till they had got into Committee.—(Bear, hear.)
His principal object in rising, however, was to recaho
lit o h
the recollection of the House the admirable lesson which
the Speaker read to them yesterday upon stimportance
Honourabletha w hole.
under.
ofm ehmeibnegrsstrariacdtley
taocctuhreaHteoionset
and
nadt statements mh
oepn
etds_
the
this Bill
sommer.aEdvvicAe
Nwsoul:laindothebehl:dstvsoitgehdt
foofr er d.
g
misapprehension, and as a silentbrieemmablenrsohenotellotutheart
the time had arrived when ho could
—(llear, bear.) In his opinion, this was a most uncon•
stbistuotjtomniao4
lßiltl,he position it had always taken up
he regretted to observe the House
u
in preventing the Crown from encroaching upon the
rights of the people.—(Hear, hear.) This Bill gave the
Crown very dangerous powers, and the House, if it
wished to retain the respect of the people, ought to
pause before it gave its sanction to the measure.—(Hear,
hear.) Had the Noble Lord at the head of the Govern..
ment come forward and told them that information bad
reached him which rendered this Bill absolutely
necessary for the safety of the State, he
might have agreed to the Bill, but looking
at the state of the country he could not
consent to brand that man as a felon who had the
courage to speak his thoughts openly and without re-
serve. Why if this were felony ho was surrounded with
felons.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) In other European
states changes were brought about by the force of arms,
but in England they did things in a different way and
without bloodshed.—(Hear, hear.) If abuses prevailed
here, meetings were called to denounce them in
the strongest possible language, and it was
the safety-valve that protected them from the
,ealaraities that now desolated other parts of Europe.

—(Hear, hear.) Catholic Emancipation, the Reform
Bill, and the repeal of the corn laws, were all brought
about by agitation at public meetings and open and ad;
vised speaking, and ao long as the words '`open an
advised speaking" remained in the Bill be would not
give his support to ic,—(Hear. hear.)
Sir G. GREY appealed to the House to adopt the
advice of the Hon. Member for Pontefract, and leave the
discussion of the details till they got into Committee
(Hear, hear.) He must, however, remind the House that
his Hon. and Learned Friend who had just sat down had
given an erroneous construction to this Bill. it et but
not have the effect of putting:down public meetings,
of preventing " open and advised speaking" for the P
pose of dethroning the Queen, or depriving her of aDY
her rights.—(Hear.) This Bill would not prevent pet;
from meeting to discuss the policy pursued by
authorities, but it would prevent individuals from advte:
ing the people to resort to traitorous acts or compass °I
imagine traitorous designs. The Hon. and Learnei.
Member stated that during the agitation on the corn'
laws an Hon. Member of that House was openly acetyl
of exciting the people to murder the Rig
Baronet the Member for Tamworth, and yet gibe
existed then to prevent the use of such langage. -
Hon. and Learned Member, however, was mistaketo.
By the 10th of George IV., any person inciting othersbe
the commission of murder rendered himself liable to
hung, without benefit of clergy. He asked the g°no
Gentleman the Member for Limerick if the Bill was
strong to punish such language as that which bad re
cently been spoken in Ireland?—(Hear.) age
Right Honourainore
Sir R. PEEL rose merely to put a question to
to
Learned Gentleman (the Attorney. General). 13Y Act
36th of Geo. 111., which was made perpetual by an s 0
passed in the 57th of the same reign, if anY Perre.
compassed or intended the death, the woundiog, °r
striction of the Sovereign, and should express sue_e h
_co
intention in writing, which he published, that the'on hs
would amount to high treason. That law, as this
had said, was made perpetual, and by
Bill the law would be extended to. Ire
Under it any person compassing, or inteDdl,ltsis
deprive the Sovereign of any part of her meihe,,r.)
dominions, would be guilty of treason.—(Hear, "-titn
And if a person should express it to be his inten,"pd^
by printing and publishing, or by "open and adY'ol-uld
speaking, that the offence under this Bill, „avv-Dass
be felony. Suppose a person should en•-,` of
or intend the death, wounding, or restraint
and
the person of the Sovereign, by " open sb.
advised" speaking, what would in the eye of the law'
to
that offence, and what the penalty ? What would,b!,.bJ
oi-flee of endeavouring to depose the Crown eit",7;fig?
publishing or writing, or by open and advised spea'''.-tiis
The offence of endeavouring to compass the death of
oi
Sovereign had occurred two or three times in the Pres.eics
reign, and it was necessary that the law on the sub./-
should be clearly defined.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the °tilt
of compassing or imagining the wounding or des 'he
the Sovereign would remain to be dealt with under "ree
/A, old law, with this exception, that the statute of Gen
A,
was made perpetual by the 57th of George 'tor
would be extended to Ireland, some doubt being erti f
tamed whether that Bill as it stood extended to the 11:f
country. A proposition, spoken or written, to 1•11,t'o.
would
by become
the Right a
felony
Hon.
Baronet by t hi s
Bill;
was h
ib but the
ssqsutieing
put ~,„"
that there was a clear compassing or imagininio
death, or maiming and wounding the SO/1-01°
uttered and expressed by " open and acl/%1//'
speaking, what would that offence be
ed
great respect to his Learned Friends the met ad' j
for Haverfordwest and Pontefract, he stated
that
visedly, after consulting the highest authorities, to
such an offence, or each of them, would continue f,)
be treason as under the present law.—(Hear, bet's
He thought there could not be a doubt about `l3O,
Words spoken wOuld not be treason, unless spoke° D.
visedly, and with ,the intention to inciting others to c°
pass the death the Soverei.
Sir ROBERTof gn
PEEL was understood to express 1)0
assent. of
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD referred to the C 19,01
Colonel Despard. That unfortunate officer was cool-01
of treason, which consisted in words he had utterer him'
not upon any treasonable document found DP°l3OOO4,
though an oath of an abominable nature WO f,-00,
upon the persoii!of some of his associates . He re„l
to the charge of Lord Ellenborough, who, he 9s'-,i'dolo
groat stress upon the greatdifficulty and danger attueo.
upon relying in so grave a matter upon words sr„
Mr. MARTIN did not agree with the Attn.„-:011
General, and cited a passage from Burn's treatise 'jai/
criminal law, which stated that words spoken could,.°,js.
render the utterers liable to punishment for aln-
meanour.
rt dig
Mr. C. ANSTEY versa understood to 54r--
opinion of the Attorney. General. tb.
Mr. CAVENDISH (who was very inaudable -
gallery) was understood to support the Bill.
(LEFT SITTING.)