The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-27 00:00:00

in Berlin, when a meeting of the electors of the
third electoral district of the city was held in the
Colosseum. During the opening speech made by
the Chairman, a member of the Chamber of De-
puties, the meeting was dispersed by the police.
No doubt Herr BISMARCK does not approve of the
various resolutions that have recently been come to
at these assemblies, and therefore he thinks it is
high time to take measures to put a stop to
them. Such a step is only in perfect accord-
ance with the policy pursued by Herr Bis-
MARCK for some time past, but the present is a most
unwise time to continue such arbitrary conduct.
The people of Prussia have shown of late that they
quits appreciate their position, and the designing
statesman may find he has carried his schemes too
far, and worked out his own ruin while seeking to
monopolise all power to himself. The Berlin
journals of yesterday evening do not seem to enter-
tain a very favourable of matters. The Borsen
Zeitung declares that the Austrian despatch
states that the fresh complications of Italy
will prevent her disarming just at present, but it is
not likely that this willprove to be the case, because
Austria has shown great willingness from the outset
to make the first advance in a peaceful direction.
Noshing has occurred in Italy that can give rise to
the necessity of increased armaments. Some people,
however, are never satisfied, and we find
in the semi-official Nord-Deutsche Allgemeine
Zeitung that it is said Austria must reduce
her military establishments on the Italian as
well as the Prussian frontier or the present
armaments of Prussia will be increased. This
is going out of the way to make trouble and create
difficulties, and shows the style in which the Berlin
Cabinet have been carrying on their affairs for some
time past. There was no occasion for Italy to have
been mixed up in this last altercation between the
German Powers, and no good has come of it.

From Frankfort we learn that in yesterday's
sitting of the Federal Diet a committee on the
Reform of the Federal Constitution was elected,
and it consisted of the representatives of Austria,
Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, and numerous minor
States. Whatever be the result of this sitting
of the Federal Diet, it is evident that they
have set to work in good earnest, and
seem resolved to give Herr BISMARCK'S plan a fair
trial. The interest and excitement of the question
in debate will, no doubt, tend to check the ten-
dency tQ war, and thus some good end may be
answered after all. It is not at all likely that the
scheme of the Prussian Minister will succeed in its
entirety, because it is very one-sided, and seems to
have been framed for all intents and purposes to
suit the views of Prussia. Some salutary alteration
may take place, however, in the management of
affairs, and certainly a Reform of the Federal
Constitution is much needed, because far too
much power is now accorded to Austria and Prus-
sia. The full text of the reply of Count BISMARCK
to the Chamber of Commerce is given to-day, but
it does not contain more in its meaning than we
gathered from the summary of it, which appeared
some days ago. The Count lays great stress upon
the good feeling of the KING, and declares that his
wisdom affords the signitaries a sure earnest that
the country will not be hastily exposed to the
horrors and losses of war. He emphatically de-
clares that the KING expects the Chamber of Com-
merce to support him as in former times, whether
he decides on peace or war. This sounds very
well in a reply to an address, but the sense of it is
that all the sacrifices are to be on one side in Berlin.
We-hear plenty of what the authorities expect the
people to do in the way of devotion and loyalty,
but we bear and see nothing of anything in return.
The breaking up of the meeting, by the police,
of yesterday, was a scandalous proceeding, and
clearly shows to the community what they have to
expect from their rulers. The fact is that the
Government is just verging upon absolutism, with-
out having the boldness or the honesty to proclaim
its purpose.

The political crisis in America is just now of a I
very interesting and important character. The
rupture between the PRESIDENT and the Radicals
has assumed formidable proportions, and has now
come to an absolute trial of strength. The first
movement on the part of Mr. JouNsoN was so de-
cisive and unexpected that it took his adversaries
completely by surprise, followed up as it was by the
forcible speech on WASHINGTON'S birthday, in which
the object and manceuvreeof the SUMNER and
STEVENS party were completely exposed. The en-
thusiasm excited was universal, and for a time the
Radical party were paralysed. Their anxiety
for power, their determination to make poli-
tical capital and profit out of the misfortunes of
the South were, however, too strong to allow them I
to remain long inactive. The struggle on the Civil
Rights Bill, as every one knows, has so far issued
in their favour, and they have spared no pains in
disseminating rumours of the PRESIDENT'S inclination
to favour the South at the expense of the North,
and have employed every means in their power to
mislead the public. Some persons, not belonging
strictly to their party, seem inclined to resent the
second veto, as an exercise of arbitrary power„ and
an abandonment of the principles of emancipation
and equality. But, in fact, the second veto was a
natural sequence of the first, and the statesman
who saw the elements of danger and discord in
the one :could hardly fail to discover them in
the other. The Civil Rights Bill was, indeed,
less openly mischievous than its predecessor,
but Mr. JOHNSON has seen life both in the North
and the South ; he knows the rapacity and vindic-
tiveness too often displayed by the extreme
party of Abolitionists on the one hand, and
the prejudice and stubbornnecs 'perceptible
among the old slave-holding population on the
other. A civil war of almost unparalleled magni-
tude has just concluded, bat he secs in the distance
indications of another conflict, more disastrous,
more terrible, more difficult to deal with. The
struggle between North and South might be
succeeded by a war of races, and the PRESIDENT
is not slow to warn his countrymen of the evils
they may bring upon the States by rash and reck-
less legislation. Unfortunately, the party who
have just now completely the upper hand
in Congress are not men to whom it is possible
to appeal for enlarged and enlightened views, for
calm consideration and prudent statesmanship. To
carry their own party purpose, to hurry this Bill
through Congress by an ingenious manoeuvre, to
throw that one out by some hit of political- sharp
practice, are the heights of their ambition, and the
idea of sacrificing any immediate party end for the
ultimate public good is quite beyond their calcula-
tions. At present, however, there is a pause in the
struggle. The Radicals, having carried the Civil
Rights Bill despite the Veto, are uncertain what to
do next. The PRESIDENT is allowing them full
scope, his friends and partizans are making
little exertion on his behalf, and it seems as if he
was resolved, very wisely, to let the Radicals have
their own way, and show themselves in their true
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