The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-06 00:00:00

GERMANY

AND

THE NORTHERN STATES.

PRUSSIA.

OPENING OF THE PRUSSIAN DIET OF TIIE

STATES-GENERAL.

BERLIN, APRIL 2.—This day, at twelve o'clock,
the opening of the second United Diet took place at
the Whitehall in the Royal Palace. After the Mem-
bers of the Diet had assembled, the Royal Diet Com-
missary, the President of the Ministry, CammiAusEN,
was informed thereof by a deputation of the Members
of both Curies, and, accompanied by all the Minis-
ters, he entered the llall, wh..c he delivered the
following speech :
" High Assembly,—llis Majesty the King has com-
manded me to open the second United Diet in his royal
name. Mighty events have shaken a part of Europe,
and our own country has not remained unscathed. These
events menace us with increasing dangers; they open
before us a momentous future. Prussia and Ger.
many will stand this time of transition if they
act with deliberate courage and well-ordered energy
in the newly-opened career. The unity of Ger-
many has for a long time been the goal to which all
our wishes were directed, often with hopeless despair.
Now, however, we advance towards it with rapid strides,
and his Majesty the King voluntarily and cheerfully
stood forth on the side of the 15,000,000 of inhabitants.
The political position of the burghers in the state was a
necessity the more keenly felt, as the people had ad-
vanced in the scale of civilization which placed them at
least on a level with other nations living under free con-
stitutional legislation. His Majesty the King has gua-
ranteed a truly consl,itutional administration, and we are
already assembled here for the purpose of laying the
foundation-stone upon which the imperishable fabric is
to be erected. We confidently hope that the work will
rise rapidly; that it will annex and interjoin itself with
a vast constitutional fabric of the whole German nation.
It is deeply to be regretted that this state of things
could not be effected without bringing in its train those
disasters from which the community is at present suffering.
" We may, however, derive consolation from the re-
flection that the last few weeks have opened many hid-
den wounds, and have revealed to us their existence and
the mode of cure. The Government acknowledges its
task to give fresh energy to the power of the State, to
consolidate the hands of legal order, to re-establish
confidence, to revive declining credit, and to effect the
regeneration of commerce and the reward of industry.
The Government will strive to maintain peace abroad, so
long as the honour of Germany permits it, and to re
store peace at home. In carrying out these duties, it
relies upon the sound judgment of the burghers, who
are now called upon to demonstrate that they are ripe
for liberty. The Government also depends upon the
support of the High United Diet, a support which, if it
be given, may be given with perfect freedom of discus-
sion, a statement of personal conviction. None will
altogether lose sight of the imnression which a powerful,
indisputable expression of public opinion is calculated to
produce upon individual opinion; none will wish to deny
that measures may be indispensable and wholesome at
certain times, which at another period could not be
deemed advisable. This High Assembly will undoubtedly
bear in mind, in their deliberations, the radically altered
relations of the times; the expression of their views will
be welcomed by his Majesty the King, and by the ad-
visers of the Crown.
" The Prussian nation, while it has commenced the
free discussion of its most momentous affairs with
'reedom of the press and proceedings in public, cannot
but recognise that in the contest of principles only truth
appears, and that for the defence of liberty every person
must be at liberty to express his individual opinion,
with full right, and without impediment. Although
the High United Diet, both in its constitution and in its
privileges, will differ essentially from the future popular
representations, the Government lays great stress upon
its counsels at the present juncture, and in this spirit I
have the honour to lay before you the royal propositions
for your investigation and deliberation :

" 'DECREE OF PROPOSITIoNS.

_
" We, Frederick William, by the grace of God King
of Prussia, &c., &c.
" Send our royal greeting to the assembled States of
our second United Diet.
" For the purpose of calling into action the consti-
tutional administration promised to our faithful people
on the most extensive basis, it is indispensable that it
should be intrinsically combined with an assembly of
competent popular representatives, freely elected.
" We have, therefore, projected a provisional elec-
toral law, containing proposals according to which, from
the nature of its transitory duties, cannot go into com-
mittee, so to be elected and constituted, while we submit
this project to the United Diet, which is assembled fur
the last time in its present form. We recommend its
speedy decision, in order that, by the immediate estab-
lishment of the permanent and open administration of
justice, all those blessings may result which it is oar
conscientious endeavour to obtain for our faithful people
by the complete and thorough development of a free con-
stitution.

" This constitution, the project of which we shall
submit to the Assembly, which is about to be founded
on the basis of the electoral law, shall, according to our
view, and for the purpose of completely attaining its ob-
ject, approach in its form to the preponderating majority
of the constitutional Governments of Germany, and to
be in unison with the formation of a universal German
federal administration.

" Given at Potsdam, April 2, 1848.
(Signed) " FREDERICK WILLIAM."'
(Countersigned by the Cabinet Ministers.)

OUTLINE OF THE FUTURE LAW OF ELECTION.

" I. Every householder who has completed the
twenty-fourth year of his age, and who has not forfeited
any of his civil rights, will have a vote in the commune
in which he has resided for one year, provided he has
not been supported by any poor or public rate, or served
in any menial capacity without possessing a house of
his own.

" 2. The voters of each commune will elect fur every
500 of their number one elector; if the population is less
than 500 but more than 300, it will still retain the right
of choosing an elector. If it is under 300, the commune
will be joined by the provincial council to other com-
munes in the same district.
" In communes of a population of more than 500 the
votes will be taken by districts, in such a manner that
no more than five electors are to be returned for any one
of them.

" Properties that do not belong to a commune will be
united, tor the purposes of the election, to au adjacent
town or rural commune.

" 3. An elector can only be chosen in the district in
which he is qualified himself to vote.
" 4. The election is to be decided by the absolute ma-
jority of votes.
5. Every householder having completed his 30th
year, in full possession of his civil rights, and never
having received support from any public rate, is eligible
to be chosen as a deputy.
" 6. For each district having a provincial council, as
well as for every town belonging to a provincial circle,
one deputy shall be returned. It' the population of the
district or town reaches 60,000, two ; and for every
40,000 more one deputy in addition; so that, for 100,000
" 7. The number of the population to be reckoned on
sohf population,
silheelent ed.three, and, for 140,000, four deputies,
the census of 1846.
"
n tchoiceen d e
nonfe electorsnf t
he shallma magistrates,
ibs et r a
tcon-
ductedes,
and, where there is no bench of magistrates, under the
municipal authorities.
under
the townsts"
The manner of conducting the election will be fixed
In n
d r h e
up
by a future Ministerial order.
" The election of deputies in the rural districts will
be superintended by the provincial council ; and, in the
towns not belonging to such a district, by the magistrates
and the municipal authorities.
" 9. The election of Deputies is to be decided by the
absolute majority of votes written by the voters them-
selves. Where more than three Deputies are to be
chosen, the election is to be according to districts, which
will be divided by the proper authorities for the purpose.
I I" 10. The Deputies, when elected, will vote in the
Assembly according to their own independent opinions,
and are not bound to any specific projects or instructions.
" 11. The proof of the legality of the several elections
will be left to the Assembly itself."
" We, Frederick William, &c., to our United Diet,
assembled fur the second time, greeting—
" The Assembly of our faithful States, called together
this day, meet to consider the proposed new law of
election, and to conic to an understanding with us as to
the form of the free constitution which we have proposed
to our people. But we will at once state some of the
main principles of this constitution, and have therefore
prepared the following decree, for which we anticipate an
early assent by our faithful Dint.

"FREDERICK WILLIAM.

" Potsdam, April 2."
(Countersigned by all the Ministers.)
" OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE LEADING PRINCIPLES OF

TrIE NEW PRUSSIAN CONSTITUTION.

" We, Frederick William, &c.,
" 1. In order further to develope the freedom of the
press, which has been granted to our people, the regula-
tions contained in the 4th paragraph of the Ist section
of the decree of the 17th March of the present year,
with respect to the security to be deposited by the nub •
fishers of new journals, are repealed.
"2. The trial and punishment of political and state
prisoners shall be conducted by the ordinary tribunals,
and every exceptional law relating to such proceedings
is repealed. In the district belonging to the Court of
Appellation of Cologne trial by jury for political
offences and sedition will be restored.
"3. For the security of the independence of the
judges, all the former laws authorising their dismissal,
deposition, or forced retirement, are repealed.
"4. All Prussian subjects will possess the right of
assembling, peac.fully
and unarmed, in any enclosed
space, without the previous permission of the police
authorities ; they have also the right for all legal pur-
poses to form societies, equally without the previous per-
mission of the same authorities.
" 5. The exercise of all civil rights is henceforth inde•
pendent of religious belief.
" 6. The future representatives of the people will, in
every case, possess the power of consenting to all the
laws, as well as to all matters relating to the taxation
and revenua of the country."
The Prince of SoLms then named the secretaries
of the Diet.

A motion for an Milress, in reply to the speech,
11':13 i:yoi-mised aiid unani-
mously adopted.

The Address, drawn up by the Cepnittee and

adopted, expressed full confidence that a complete
national representation would for the future guide
the destinies of the country. But at that moment
they were still the legal organ of the ration, and,
as such, had certain duties to discharge. They re-
minded the KING of all his promises of tile 18th,
21st, and 28th of March, and declared that they
accepted with gratitude his assurance of projects of
law on the liberty of the press, individual freedom,
the right of meeting and association, and the pub-
licity of judicial proceedings, trial 75y jury for
political offences, civil and political equality for all
religions, and general arming of the people. They
would pay the deepest attention to the measures to
be submitted to them.

The Committees to which the consideration of the
two projects of law are referred were then named,
and the sitting was adjourned till Tuesday.

The Borsennachrichten has a letter from Stettin,
of March 31, stating that a deputation from the mer
chants of Stettin have been sent to Berlin to consult
the Minister for Foreign Affairs concerning the dan-
gerous position of the Prussian trade in the Baltic.
The Minister assured them that a note had already
been dispatched to the British Foreign—office, with a
view to induce the English Government to protect
trade in those seas, if the Schleswig-Ilolstein ques-
tion should make such protection necessary. The
same paper adds, that English trade is so much in-
terested in the Baltic trade, that Lord PALMERSTON
must necessarily accede to the demands of Prussia.
Letters from Posen and Breslau, in the Cologne
Gazette, confirm the former reports of the disorderly
state of the Grand Duchy. The Poles are preparing
for war, while the German inhabitants of the Grand
Duchy excite their hate by protesting against the
intended separation from the German empire.
Breslau, part of the province of Silesia, on the other
hand, seems to have overcome the convulsions which
necessarily attend so sudden a change as Prussia has
undergone. The citizens, who keep order admirably,
are armed, and muster a force of no less than 12,000
men. The country districts are still agitated, and
exhibit the melancholy consequences of protracted
fiscal misrule. Bands of armed peasants are still
here and there attacking the royal domains and seats
of noblemen. They destroyed the palace of Count
SAURMA, at Geltsch, and robbed him of his plate.
Their depredations in this single instance amount to
50,000 dollars. Count YORK, of Wartenburg, the
newly-appointed Chief President of the province of
Silesia, is said to be very unpopular, and it is ex-
pected that he will be forced to resign.
The Elberfelder Zeitung has a letter from Berlin,
stating that the Princess of PRUSSIA has given 15,000
dollars for the widows and orphans of the victims of
the Berlin revolution, and that she has promised to
give the same sum every year.
The Hamburgh Borsenhalle contains a letter from
Berlin, which says :—" A note is said to have been
received here from the Russian Government, to the
purport that that power does not intend to inter-
fere in the domestic affairs of Prussia; but that if
Prussia should resort to measures which might
affect the integrity of the Polish-Russian dominions,
Russia would act independently, according to circum-
stances. It is, however, asserted that letters have
in the meansl bile been received here from the fron-
tiers, which mention the appearance of the Cossacks
at Tilsit to 50,000 strong. Numerous aggressions
had been committed by these hordes on the Prussian
frontier."