The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-26 00:00:00

SPECIAL NOTICE.

In consequence of frequent misrepresentations, E. MOSES and
SON find it necessary to state that they do not employ any tra-
vellers or agents, and that their only Establishments aro the

above-mentioned.

LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1868.

The King of PRUSSIA has certainly more than his
share of speeches to deliver, and, what with one
thing and another, there seems always one approach-
ing or being criticised. His last venture in this line
was on the 22d instant, and it was distinguished for
its usual quotations about past achievements, and
promises of future glory and greatness. The open-
ing of the North German Legislature was the ocea•
sion of this grand display of eloquence and exhor-
tation, and for the third time the KING bade them
welcome in the name of the Government of the Con-
federation, so that it might continue to work with them
in the sentiments of the Constitution for the North
German Confederation. Three bills have been pre-
sented to the Federal Council, and there partly
discussed. These are now to be submitted to the
Reichsrag of North Germany for discussion, and
appear to be of consequence. During the last
session the principle of " freedom of domicile" was
was recognised ; and as the Parliament showed
such good-will and heartiness in this the best
hopes are entertained for the success of the fresh
measures that will be put before them in pursu-
ance of this idea. The former officers of Schleswig-
Holstein claim some consideration, and it will de-
volve upon this Parliament to decide what amount
of assistance can appropriately be afforded to them,
and also to attend to the wishes of the necessitous
soldiers of the reserve. The treaty of the Hohen-
zollern Duchies is an important item in the work
laid out for the North German Legislature; the best
attention of the members must be given to it, in order
that the interests of those parts not yet included in
the arrangements may be concluded. The budget
for the year 1869 will be presented, and although
there have been great difficulties in the way, its de-
finitive arrangement is confidently expected. Postal
conventions have been concluded between the South
German States with Austria, Luxemburg, Hanover,
and the United States
.of America. Similar con-
ventions with other States are also expected, and
may even during the present session be submitted
to the notice of the House.
One treaty of great importance is that concluded
with the United States to define the nationality
of emigrants from the two countries, and thus " to
prevent causes of misunderstanding between countries
so closely united by commercial interests and bonds
of relationships." A great deal of time and attention
were to have been given to the development of na-
tional resources and industrial effects, and in con-
cert with the Confederate Governments the treaties
have been arranged with a view to that end. The
Federal Governments have been very willing to ac-
cord their assistance, and hence the rate of national
improvement seems to be progressing satisfactorily.
It is a gratification, at any rate, to peruse this
speech and note the absence of those inflated sen-
tences which have so often occurred in previous
discourses of the kind. With some exceptions
it seems confined to various details, and to leave
the more vague and indefinite conclusions alone.
There is no denying that a great deal has occurred
to mar the effect of the grand scheme of a German
Confederation, for the work was carried out with
too fierce and bitter a spirit, and in too arbitrary a
style; but the past cannot be retraced, and the best
thing to do now will be to improve so far as pos-
sible the position of those States and provinces that
have been newly annexed, and to allow the full
exercise of the popular feeling, so that the
anomaly of a so-called free Constitution may
not appear side by side with the existence of many
glaring evils and restricted actions. The world is
wellnigh weary of the repetition of the old, old
story of conquests and regenerated Germany ; let
us hope that in future less may be said and more
done to testify to the zeal and ability of the Prus-
sian Government.

In France the general curiosity is not yet grati-
fied as to the meaning of Prince NAPOLEON'S visit,
and the silence of the Moniteur is in itself regarded
as ominous. This is certainly suspicious, and the
fact that the official journal has never even men-
tioned the Prince's journeymust mean something, and
so far as we can judge of such mysterious arrange-
ments, we should say that it was not prudent to
overact the part in so great a degree. If tha Prince
really meant nothing, he would have shown more
discretion in not going to Berlin at all, for he must
have known that it would inevitably give rise to all
kinds of rumours, but it is not at all likely that the
said visit was one of choice or merely of courtesy.
On the coutrary, we fully believe that something
definite was meant by it, although the
opinion of the Temps is doubtless exaggerated,
to the effect that the French Government
is in a state "of uneasy restlessness." Neither is
it likely that the EMPEROR really wishes for war,
though he has deemed it expedient to be prepared
for it. It is now thought in Paris that the mission