The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-24 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

The Cologne Gazelle of the 20th publishes the
following &ewe of the King of Prussia, dated Ber-
lin, the 18th, convoking the States for April 2 :
" We, Frederick William, by the Grace of God—
When on the 14th of this month we convoked our faith-
ful States for the 27th of April next, in order to adopt
with them the measures for the regeneration of
Germany, which we desired to propose to our faithful
allies of the Germanic Confederation, and which are also
necessary for Prussia, we could not have supposed thut
at the same time great events occurring at Vienna would
essentially facilitate, on the one hand, the execution of
our projects, and on the other hand, would render their
prompt execution indispensable. After these important
events we believe it right to declare before all, not only
before Prussia, but before Germany (if such be the will
of God), and before our assembled people, what are the
propositions which we have resolved to make to
our German Confederates. Before all, we demand
that Germany be transformed from a confederation
of states into a federal state. We admit that that
supposes a re-organization of the Federal Constitu-
tion, which can only be put into execution by the
union of the princes with the people, and that in
consequence a previous federal representation must be
formed of all the states of Germany, and be convoked im-
mediately. We admit that such a federal representation
renders constitutional institutions of the German states
necessary, in order that the members of that representa-
tion may sit side by side with equal rights. We demand
a military system of general defence for Germany, imi-
tated in its essential parts from that under which our
Prussian armies have conquered innumerable laurels in
the wars of liberty. We demand that the German army
be united under one single federal banner, and we hope
to see a federal General-in-Chief at its head. We
demand a German flag, and we hope that in a
short time a German fleet will cause the German
name to be respected on near and distant seas.
We demand a German Federal tribunal, to settle
all political differences between the Princes and
states, as also between the different German Go-
vernments. We demand a common right to all natives
of Germany, and a complete liberty to establish in the
German countries. We demand, that, for the future,
there shall be no barrier raised against commerce and
industry in Germany. We demand a general
Zollverein, in which the same measures, the
same weights, the same commercial rights,
shall draw still closer the material union
of the country. Wo propose the liberty of the press,
with the same guarantees against abuses for every
part of Germany. Such are our propositions and
our wishes, the realisation of which we shall use our
utmost
_efforts to obtain. We rely with the
fullest confidence on the co-operation of our German
confederates, and all the German people; we shall
fortify, by their incorporation into our states, pro-
vinces which do not form part of them, when, as
we suppose, the aepresentatives of those provinces will
partake of those wishes, and that the Confederation will
be disposed to agree to them. We hope that the i
realisation of our nte•stiona will put an end to the
anxiety which, to our great regret, at this moment
agitates Germany, paralyses commerce and industry.
divides the country, and threatens to deliver it
over to anarchy. We hope that these measures
will strengthen Germany in itself, and make her
respected abroad, in order that in her united strength
Europe will find the firmest guarantee for a durable and
prosperous peace. But in order that the accomplishment
of our intentions may experience no delay, and that we
may develop the propositions which we judge necessary
for the internal Constitution, we have resolved to hasten
the convocation of the United Diet, and we charge the
Minister of State to make the convocation for Sunday,
the 2d April."