The Sun.
London, England, 1832-08-04 00:00:00

inferred from the spirited proceedings of some
of the constitutional States since the promul-
gation of the late protocol. The Chamber of
Cassel has protested against the act of their
Plenipotentiary ; and even the States of Ha-
nover have remonstrated. In every part of the
west and south of Germany the greatest dissatis-
faction is expressed, and the most active resist-

ante is preparing. The Princes at the head of
their Governments must either, therefore, take
part with their people in resisting the dictation of
their two military confederates, or call in their aid
to destroy their rights. This call will not of
course be made in vain, for though the Diet be
slow or powerless in effecting any reasonable or
laudable object, it will be prompt and powerful
in the execution of vengeance, or the suppression
of freedom. It deliberated two years whether
it would restrain the vagaries of the mad Duke
of Brunswick, whom his subjects were obliged
to expel by setting fire to his palace. But it
will not deliberate two weeks about sending a
corps of Hussars to break the printing-presses,
or to disperse the legislative Assemblies of
Baden. Thus, free Governments, like our own,
who were parties to the treaty of Vienna, and
who are convinced that the liberty and inde-
pendence of the German States are necessary
elements in the wise and beneficial adjustment of
Europe, must interfere either at first to save their
rights, or at last to preserve their existence. In
discussing questions respecting the policy of the
Germanic Diet, or the relative interests and
rights of its separate members, two mate-
rial circumstances, which manifestly tend
to influence the conclusion, are generally
omitted or overlooked. These circumstances
are, that Austria and Prussia—the military states
which dictate in that assembly—are not exclu-
sively German Powers, or actuated by German
interests; and that they are both hostile to con-
stitutional freedom. The German Confedera-
tion consists of 38 states, having a population
of about 30,000,000 of inhabitants. Austria,
though her population be upwards of 27,000,000,
has only 9,482,227 German subjects ; and
Prussia, with a population of more than
10,000,000 has only 7,900,000 Germans under
her dominion. Bohemia, Moravia, Gallicia,

Hungary, Dalmatia, Venice, and Lombardy,
constitute the chief strength of Austria, and
Prussia adds Posen and a Swiss principality to
her German provinces. Thus, both are, more or
less foreign Powers to Germany, possess foreign
interests, and form foreign alliances; while none
of the States completely German—such as Ba-
varia, Baden, or Wurtemberg—enjoy similar
privileges. Between them they command the
half of the Germanic population ; but, by their
foreign influence, they have no more right to
command the votes of the Diet, than Great
Britai❑ has on account of Hanover, or the late
King of the Netherlands on account of Luxem-

burg—. But their principles of Government dis-
tinguish them from the other states of the Con-
federation still more than the separate races of
their population. Austria is the very type of
absolutism,—the declared enemy of all free-
dom,—the patron and supporter of ignorance
and despotic rule. Prussia, though more enlight-
ened, is not less an enemy of free institutions ;
and yet these are the two Powers who pretend to
tremble for the tranquillity of 12,000,000 or
14,000,000 of enlightened and orderly Ger-
mans, if they are but allowed to enjoy the rights
which have been guaranteed to them in the great
European settlement at Vienna ! Verily it is
time for the free States of Europe to make a
stand against a policy, which allows a barbarous
Power near the Pole to decide on the fate or
freedom of Belgium, and an army of Croats to
settle the liberty of the Germans !—Times.

" So, when they arose, and saddled their beasts in the
morning, Save you, noble gentlemen,' said the student
to the company, ' if your road be towards Barcelona, I
shall crave of your bounty that I may travel in fellowship
with you, and, it may be, help to the lightening of the
weariness of your journey.'—' By my head, Sir,' said the
Captain of the troop, gravely, ' you should find in me and
my kindred but sorry society. For the beasts that bear
us are obstinate mules; and whether we turn us hither or
thither, east or west, to the city or to the sea, it were
fitter to inquire of the will of the cattle than of the wit of
their masters."

We met with this passage the other day in
an old Spanish romance ; and, as we read it, we
could not help fancying ourselves addressing the
associated wisdom of the Cabinet in the words of
the obliging student, and hearing the reply of
the " Captain of the Troop" from the disconso-
late lips of the First Lord of the Treasury. If
the councils of the Cabinet are tending right on-
ward to the tranquillizing of popular excitement,
the extension of the public wealth, the mainte-
nance of the national character, most gladly
would we tender our fellowship and company on
such an errand as this ; but, in truth,the animals
on whose shoulders those Noble Gentlemen are
mounted are obstinate mules ; and whether his
Majesty's advisers design to take one path or
another, it were fitter to inquire of the will of
the cattle than of the wit of their masters. We
believe that the Home Secretary desires to see
internal peace re-established throughout the
country, and the laws once more efficiently ad-
ministered by the hands which are responsible
for their administration. We are convinced that
he is fully sensible of the necessity of the im-
mediate extinction of those self-constituted as-
semblies, whose ❑ature, though for a short time
and for a particular purpose they may have
strengthened the hands of the Government to
which he belongs, is yet wholly adverse to the
permanent utility of any Government whatever.
But a few of his Lordship's friends are deter-
mined that the affairs of the Home Department
shall be managed by Clubs, and Councils, and
Committees; by Presidents and Secretaries ;
by constables and tithing-men. And how.
ever his Lordship may flatter, and wheedle,
and threaten, and proclaim, he cannot go
the way he would go. The Birming-
ham Union is Lord Melbourne's " obstinate
mule." We are inclined to hope that, in spite
of the insane declamations on the subject of co-
lonial slavery, poured forth in old time by some
members of the present Administration, there is
now a disposition in the Cabinet to look more
calmly at a subject of such appalling importance,
and to make the future destiny of millions of
their fellow-creatures a question for grave debate
—a matter for cautious legislation—not a theme
for hackneyed rhetoric, or a machine for party
hostility. But Dr. Lushington is ready to rant,
and Mr. Fowell Buxton to rave ; the alliance of
the emancipationists is necessary to the ex-
istence of the Whig Cabinet ; and however
sincerely they may desire to proceed with fore-
thought and prudence, however fearfully they
may shrink from the perilous experiments they
are trying on the negro, however joyfully they
would avert the rapid ruin they are inflict-
ing on the planter, they must go even
whither they are carried. The African As-
sociation is Lord Howick's " obstinate
.mule."
We have watched too with much attention
the line of policy which Mr. Stanley has
adopted with regard to Ireland, and compared