The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-18 00:00:00

standstill. He also remarked that " liberty" was the
only thing that could lead to moral conquests, to the
solution of the Schleswig-Holstein question, which
had only been complicated by the Gastein Con-
vention, and conduce to the federal unity of

Germany.
This is bold and outspoken language, and may
be considered to inaugurate the Session well, and
to show Ministers that the Deputies are in earnest,
and resolved to carry out their purposes in a
spirited manner, and with a fixed deter-
mination. Herr VON BIS3IARCK will have no
easy part to play if he attempt to put down all
independent action, and to stifle all inquiries as
he did last year ; and, indeed, he is not likely to
meet with the same toleration, for people are
naturally getting tired of his pertinacious warring
against all constitutional rights, while the lapse
of time proves that nothing is to be hoped for
from leaving him alone. On the contrary, he ap-
pears to get worse and worse the more latitude that
is given to him, and to exhaust his ingenuity in
devising great schemes for the suppression of liberty,
and for new encroachments upon popular rights
and established usages. We may fairly expect
that there will be a stormy period this year in
the sitting of the Prussian Chambers, and unless
they are speedily and summarily dismissed
after the new fashion set by the BISMARCK policy
of late years, there is ground for a reasonable hope
that some check may be put upon the practices of
the Cabinet, and that the arbitrary rule of the
Court may be modified and improved, if not effec-
tually changed for the better in a great degree. It
is certainly high time that the lovers of constitu-
tional rights and privileges should bestir themselves,
for the change is imminent and the affair is press-
ing. The tone of the Royal Speech just delivered is
ominous in the extreme, and unless some decisive
movement is made, there is no saying when or
where this matter will end. From the time of his
self-coronation up to the present moment King
WILLIAM has pursued a retrograde course, and
dashed to the ground the hopes of those who fore-
told, from his earlier career, a reign of glory to
himself, and great gain and progress to his people.
Step by step have the plans which actuated his Ca-
binet been proceeded with, and the motives which
impelled them been manifested. In this last
speech we may find that he and his advisers
are approaching the culmination of their hopes, and
that they expect before very long to trample down
the liberties of the people at home, and sequestrate
the rights of those foreign states which are unfor-
tunate enough to come under their sway.
The more we dwell upon the discourse delivered
at the opening of the Chambers in its entirety, the
more fully do we recognise the mischief that is
brewing, and realise the dire meaning and dread
portents which it contains. Indeed it begins in a
significant manner enough by alluding to the
Budgets of this and other years. In the most bare-
faced style the Speech declares that, " in default of
the necessary agreement between both Houses of the
Diet and the Crown, law upon the Budget, as pro-
vided by Art. 99 of the Constitution, had not come
to pass." Instead of this untoward circumstance, how-
ever, causing any disquietude on the part of authori-
ties it is announced that the " administration of the
State had, therefore, to be carried on without such
law." This is an anomaly to meet with in a
constitutional speech in the nineteenth cen-
tury, and forms the best satire upon the
plans pursued by Herr vox BIS3IARCK. According
to this theory, the Crown of Prussia might just as
well dispense with the Chambers altogether and
other Constitutional rights ; and, indeed, for all
intents and purposes, there might just as well have
been no sitting of the House during the last year
or two, for nothing that was advocated by the

members was allowed to become law ; while, on the
other hand, all that they vehemently opposed was
carried out just in the same style as if they had
favoured instead of condemning the proposals.

The law as to the obligation to military cervice
cannot now be settled, as the Chambers are in-

formed, because before this time " fruitless nego-

tiations have taken place, and therefore his

MAJESTY'S Government cannot now expect a satis-

factory result from their repetition." We do not
witness this hesitation or unwillingness to proceed
with undertakings in which the Government is really
interested, but, on the contrary, we find a very
decided and fixed purpose,which always continues to

carry its point whatever obstacles are interposed,
and however strongly the claims of truth, reason,
and justice are advocated by their opponents. In

- -
short, King WILLIAM has found a royal road

to government on constitutional principles.

which he thinks so successful and satisfactory that

he perseveres in it on the part of his people.

We

cannot hesitate to declare that this Speech lately

delivered to the Prussian Chambers is a disgrace to

the Sovereign, a reproach to the Government, and

a scandal to all Europe. The people of Prussia
have themselves to thank in a great measure for the
state in which they find themselves. They coun-

tenanted the spoliation of others, and now they

seem destined to witness their own degradation.
In any case the lovers of freedom have much to de-

plore in the state things in Berlin, and the friends
of peace cannot fail to perceive that war, tumult,
and discord, at home and abroad, must follow

sooner or later upon the decision of the infatuated

rulers of Prussia.

The brief summary of news which we have re-
ceived by the City of Washington is of con-
siderable importance, so far as the aspect of Mexican

affairs is concerned. It is semi-officially announced
that Mr. SEWARD will call at Havannah and Vera
Cruz, and " such other ports as he may see fit," i

comprehensive phrase which affords scope for any
amount of diplomatic action which the Washing-
ton Cabinet may desire. The proposed voyage for
the Foreign Secretary's health and recreation
seemed so singularly appropriate in its time and
direction to the political crisis of the moment that
it is no great wonder that a different construction
should have been immediately put upon it by popular
consent. Rumour has now passed into semi-official
statements, and in those there is probably a good
deal more than meets the eye, though the Govern-
ment are naturally anxious to show that they do
not disregard the public feeling respecting Mexico.
More important than the political object now
confidently assigned to Mr. SEWARD'S journey' is the
reply of the French Minister to the representatives
of the American Envoy.! Mr. BIGELOW, as we know,
addressed a protest on behalf of his Government to
M. DROUYN DE LIIITYS concerning MAximILIAN's
decree of outlawry against armed Republicans, and
it seems that the French Minister in reply referred
Mr. BIGELow to MAximiLIAN himself for informa-
tion,
stating that the French Government was not
the Government of Mexico. This significant language
would seem to indicate that the Emperor NAPOLEON
is by no means inclined to assume the responsibili-
ties of his Imperial brother, or to identify himself
with his interests.
A. war with the United States
would be at the best
a heavy burden to his ex-
chequer and a tax upon his resources for no corn-
mensurate gain, while the unpopularity of the
Mexican cause in France from the outset would de- 1
prise it Of OTVII the recommendation of gratifying