The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-13 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

ohunrtshdeayspeeeh 0f
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
The Siecle has a commentary PARIs'T
Evening.
the
King of Prussia, which is worth attention. It says
—" We have sought in the speech pronounced by
the King of Prussia at the opening of the R • eichstag
relative to anterior treaties, engagements contracted,
and other matters, for some elucidation in regard
to the present position of Europe and Germany.
The speech is distinguished for extreme caution, and
for reserve carried to excess. The questions which
have excited the most storms, that of Schl • eswig for
instance, are not mentioned. No allusion is made
to the complications which may arise, and we may
opportunely recall to recollection the famous sayi •
ng
of Tacitus—"Eo magic consp• tcua quod non vide-
bantur." Frederick William takes care tolimit hi •
m-
self strictly to the Federal Constitution of the North.
It is only by words which escape involuntarily
that
one can discover the tendencies of Prussian policy,
the real object of which is not to
infuse
Prussia with an extensive German unity,
but to absorb Germany into Prussia. Thus
the King insists upon the organisation of the mili • •
-
tary service, an organisation to be copied from the
Prussian Landwehr. He speaks of the important
step taken for the regulation of the national rela-
tions of the Confederation of the North, and alludes
to the necessity of laying the foundation of a union,
supporting the national interest between the Con-
federation of the North and the German States of
the South. His Majesty, above all, as chief of that
Confederation, desires to consolidate it by giving
the same rights to all the members of it, and then
refers to various projects of laws relative to natives,
passports, weights and measures, the post-office,
and the merchant navy, as affording proof of pro-
gress towards the completion of the Federal Con-
stitution. In this enumeration of the projects
which the Reichstag will have to discuss, why did
not the King leave a little place for mention of pub-
lic liberty, the political rights of citizens, and the
guarantees requisite to protect them from arbitrary
authority ? With the exception of Hanover,
and the formerly free town of Frank-
fort, the greater portion of the States
represented at the Reichstag is ' inebriated by the
words unity, the country of Germany, and Ger-
many great and strong. But what will these States
have gained by the events of 1866 if they have only
to sacrifice men, shed their blood, and exhaust their
treasure for the good pleasure of Prussian ambition,
and if they do not obtain, with common accord,
liberal institutions by means of the powerful lever
of the Reichstag ?"
The Siecle then refers to the speech of the Grand
Duke of Baden, and says it results from the explana-
tions of the Cabinet of Berlin upon the subject,
that although it always puts forward the German
interest as its motive, it only consults its own. If no
attempt be now made byPrussia to make an annexa-
tion of Southern Germany, it is because she ima-
gines that she would lose by the incorporation.
Should she perceive any advantage in the annexation
the liberties of the Southern States would very
speedily be compromised. This is a proved fact
which Germany should appreciate..
A letter from Florence communicates various
matters of interest connected with Daly. Towards
the end of this month the opening of the sixth ses-
sion of the International Statistical. Congress will