The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-12 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS

(From the Votes and Proceeding .1 of the House ofCoynmonsj.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11.
The following Petitions for Railways were reported, and the Bills
ordered to be brought In N‘y the undernamed Hon. Members :
Wisbech, St. Ives, and Cambridge Junction—Mr. Feilowes, Mr.
Childers, and Mr. Allix.
Manchester, Sheffield, and Midland Junction—Mr. G. 11. Cavendish,
Mr. Evans, and Mr. B. Denison.
Lancaster and Carlisle (Extension to Caledonian Railway), and Lan-
caster and Preston Junction Amalgamation—Colonel Lowther and
Mr. C. Howard.
Bristol and South Wales Junction Railway and Ferry—Mr. P.
Miles,
Mr. H. Berkeley, and Sir J. Guest.
York and North Midland (Widening and Enlargement)—Slr J. H.,
Lowther and Mr. Hudson.
Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester (Deviations and Branches)—Mr.
B. Denison, Mr. Beckett, and Mr. Aldam.
Grand Junction (Huyton and Aston, Huyton, Prescott, and St.
Helen's, Warrington and Kenyon, Warrington and Parkshie,
Patten and Viscount Sandon.
BriSghhotwolih:llLaenuc.l Lewes, and
and Edghill and Huyton Branches)— Mr.
North Union—Mr. Patten, Mr. Clifton, and Captain Lindsay.
Kirkintillock and Kilsyth—Mr. Craig and Mr. DennLstoun.
r raid Elalsttzb:.)ouyrnaen,
liatl-
sham Seaford, andand liNacwsthinagNs'enDeßviraantich"ess'

Elphinstone.
London and Brighton (Wandsworth Branch)—Mr. Kenaile and
Captain Pechell.
Newcastle and Darlington (Sunderland and Wearmouth Dock Pur-
chase and Branchos)—Mr. Liddell, Mr. Hinde, and Mr. lludson.
Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction—Mr. Parker and Mr. Vernon.

The following Railway Bills were presented, read a first time, and
ordered to be read a second time :

London and Brighton (East Grinstead Branch)—" for making a
Branch Railway from the London and Brighton Railway to or near
to the town of East Grinstead, in the county of Sussex."
Newcastle and Berwick--" for enabling the Newcastle and Ber-
wick Railway Company to make certain Branch Railways in the
county of Northumberland."

Grand Junction (Huyton and Warrington Branch)—" for enabling
the Grand Junction Railway Company to make a Branch Line of
Railway from littyton to Warrington, and for amending the former
Acts relating to the said Company."
Manchester and Birmingham—" to empower the Manchester and
Birmingham Railway Company to make certain Branch Railways."
—London and south-Western (Farnham and Alton Branch)—"to
enable the London and South-Western Railway Company to make a
Branch Railway to Farnham, in the county of Surrey, and Alton, In
the county of Southampton."

NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11.
Surrey Grand Junction Railway—Committee on Petition, Thurs-
day, Feb. 19. •
Blackburn and Preston Railway—Second reading, Monday, Feb. 16.
Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston Railway—Second reading, Mon-
day, Feb. 16.
Cork Passage, and Kinsale Railway—Committee on Petition,
Thursday, Feb. 19.
Oldham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birkenhead Railway—Com-
mittee on Petition, Thursday, Feb. 19.
Ashburton, Newton, and South Devon Railway—Second reading,
Monday, Feb. 16.
North Staffordshire Railway (llarecastle and Sandbach Line)—
Second reading, Monday, Feb. 16.
North Staffordshire Railway (Churnet Valley Line)—Second read-
ing, Monday, Feb. 16.
Midland Railway (Birmingham and Gloucester Branches)—:Com•
mittee or, Petition, Thursday, Feb. 19.
Clithero Junction Railway—Committee on Petition, adjourned till
Monday, Feb. 16.
Manchester and Southampton Railway—Committee on Petition,
adjourned till Tuesday, Feb. 17.

POLITICAL MOVEMENT IN GER
MANY.
(From the Sit'cle.)

Germany is witness of a great spectacle; a people having
a consciousness of their strength and their rights delay
royalty, to which they remain devoted, from giving them li-
beral institutions ; a King, entirely penetrated by the senti-
ment of the prerogatives of the Crown, nevertheless submits
to the irresistible ascendancy of the national desire, and pre-
pares to share this sovereign authority of which absolute
Princes show themselves so jealous. Prussia loudly cries for
a Constitution, a Parliament, and the liberty of the press.
Frederick William IV., on the point of conceding all, hesi-
tates and hal ts, as if he were attacked by a sort of vertigo !
Hitherto the representative form of government has existed
in certain German states, but only in those of the second and
third rank. This fact has, no doubt, contributed in a re-
markable manner to prepare Germany for the practice of
liberal institutions, and it was as a pledge of the future esta-
blishment of those institutions in all parts of the German
country.
But we may imagine what a powerful future interest is
attached to the liberal movement now going on in Prussia.
It is not one of the most curious and instructive features of
contemporaneous history, that in a country still subject to
the almost exclusive system of absolute government, all the
symptoms, all the external facts are found, by which poli-
tical life is manifested in constitutional states? There is so
little doubt entertained in Prussia of the speedy triumph of
liberal opinions that, anticipating the period when the Prus-
sian constitution shall be in operation, the various parties
are preparing and delineating themselves; these parties exist,
they act, and discussions have been opened amongst them as
in the bosom of a regular assembly.
We have enabled our readers to keep pace with the labo-
rious parturition of the Prussian constitution. We shall now
complete our previous remarks on the subject by some infor-
mation relative to the origin of the political movement which
agitates Prussia. The Revue des Deux Mondes, whose im•
portant articles we have more than once pointed out, contains
an excellent article on the history of the liberal institutions
of Prussia, from the pen of M. St. Rene Taillandier, from
which we shall borrow a few extracts.

It is not from yesterday—it is not even from the accession
of King Frederick William IV., that date the desires and the
hopes of Prussia. We must go back to the events of 1814 and
1815, to find the origin of the rights on which the present
demand.= of the Prussian people are founded. It was in the
cry of liberty that the Allied Sovereigns raised Germany
against French domination. But they did not confine them-
selves to vague promises.
The 13th article of the federal compact says, that " there
should be assemblies of state in all the countries of the con-
federation." This prudent obscurity seemed to the Govern-
ment a sufficient rieservatiVe against the embarrassing de-
mands ; but they had reckoned without their host; i. e
without making allowances for the progress of public opinion.
It was to promise too little if the interpretation of the ar-
ticle was to be left to them ; it was to promise too much, if

it was to be left to the people.
Either actuated by good faith or wise foresight, the Prus-
sian Government thought itself bound to anticipate the
wishes of the nation, by completing article 13, which was
addressed to the whole Germanic Confederation, by other ar-
rangements which would particularly concern Prussia. An
ordinance of the 22d of May, 1815, signed by Frederick Wil-
liam 111., openly proclaimed that a representation should be
given to the people of Prussia.
This ordinance appointed a commission, charged with a
twofold task. It was first to occupy its attention with the
formation of provincial estates, sitting in several cities of
Prussia; secondly, to determine the form of the asseMbly,
which was no longer to represent such and such a province,
but the whole of the kingdom, and which was to sit at Ber-

The ordinance announced that this assembly would
issue from the States, but without saying how.
The labours of this Commission (presided over by the pre-
sent King, then Crown Prince) were prolonged much more
than had been anticipated. It was not until six* years
after its appointment—on the sth of June, 1823—that the
law of the provincial States was promulgated, This was,,
as our readers will see, taking a long time to accomplish
only one of the two promises of 1815. Prussia was endowed
with provincial States, but the general represention was still
a nullity.
Things remained in this state till 1840, although imps.
tient to see the realisation of the engagements made by
royalty. Prussia remained silent, not wishing to disturb the
last days of a sovereign deservedly loved and respected ; but
in 1840 the accesiion of the new monarch, and the political
crisis by which Europe was shaken, ro-awakened the desires
which had only beetr asleep. They broke out with such
force, that it must have been clearly seen that it would be
impossible to be unmindful of them. The personal disposi-
tions of the King at first appeared about to second the na
tional movement.

In several vague speeches, but impressed with the enthu-
siasm peculiar to bis character, this Prince made declarations
which were regarded as favourable, and as such received
with lively eagerness. But his last speech to the Deputies of
Konigsberg having been commented upon, a few weeks
afterwards (the 4th of October, 1840), by /3:Ministerial cir-
cular, which absolutely rejected the interpretation given to
the royal words, it was quickly understood that the King
and the people misunderstood one another, and distrust re-
placed the enthusiastic faith of the first days of his reign.
Still, the King had given reason to hope for something,
and his Government was actively occupied with the prepara-
tion of the plan announced by him in terms so obscure.
What had the ordinance of 1815 promised? A general re-
presentation of the kingdom. How was this engagement
kept? . Iu February, 1841, appeared a decree, which in-
creased the importance of the provincial States, by authoris-
ing the publication of their discussions. They were, more-
over, summoned to assemble every two, instead of every
three years.

As io the essential question—the General Assembly,—the
decree instituted a Diet, to which the provincial States sent
each a certain number of delegates. This assembly sat at
Berlin, and had two sorts of functions on all the
points on which the provincial States had emitted discor-
dant views it was to close the discusion, and so cut the
thread of the conflict ; 2d. the General Diet of Berlin might
be consulted by the Government on all subjects of publ►c
interest.

The stupefaction with which so derisive a satisfaction was
received may be readily divined. A constitution had been
promised in 1815, and the decree of 1841 conned itself to
ordering the formation of an assembly, nothing more than a
commission chosen in the provincial States, to decide between
the contrary proposals emanating from those States. Besides
this—no rights, no guarantee. no authority. It was to arrive
at this great result that the new King had expended in his
speeches so much enthusiasm and eloquence.
From this moment a resistance was organised in Prussia
of which the provincial States took the initiative, and in
which they were followed by the press. The author of the
article before us gives some curious details relative to the
two parties, which now divide Prussia, the Conservative
party, or " historical school," and the Radical party, or " ra-
tionalist school." The result of this intellectual and poli-
tical crisis cannot be doubtful. Prussia, in spite of the hesi-
tations of her Government, and the retrograde in diplomacy
of Austria, will soon take her place amongst the constitu-
tional states of Europe.

CHAIIIITG-CROSS CENTRAL RAILWAY TERMINUS.-At
the meeting of the London and Brighton Railway Company, on
Tuesday, the Chairman, Mr. It. Hill, stated that this measure had
been postponed, and that therefore he should not ask the proprietors
to .s,7,nction the previous vote of that Company •f I 00,0001. towards
the project. This announcement prodnces some regret, because the
prospect of obtaining a portion of the new embankment of the
Thames, so long desired, seems at an end. The project originated
with the contractor for the Hungerford-bridge, Mr. Chadwick, who,
just as it was finished, made a conditional purchase of this bridge,
Intending to convert it into a railroad bridge, and to make a terminus
of the land in front of Adelphi-terrace, to be embanked from the
river for that purpose. The proprietors of the bridge, however, re-
fused to confirm the bargain, and sold it to Mr. Jackson, of Birken-
head, and some other parties, for a larger sum. Since then there
have been various attempts made to cross the river by Waterloo-
bridge, or by a new bridge ; but these now seem all to he abondoned.
Tie object of Mr. Jackson's party in the purchase of the bridge is not
known.

NATIONAL DEBT.—It appears from a return issued
yesterday by order of the House of Commons, that in the year end-
ing sth of January last, the Commissioners for the Reduction of the
National Debt, received from the Exchequer, at sundry times,
4,134,484/. Os. 11d. ; and further amounts for interest on Reduced
Annuities, Consolidated, &c., making in the whole their receipts
4,143,8911. 3s. 2d. During the same period this amount was ex-
pended in payments for Reduced Annuitio, Consolidated, Old South
Sea Anauities, &c. They have further received 1,317,001, 3s, 3d.,
t(i De applied in the quartet ending sth of April.