Star.
London, England, 1814-12-26 00:00:00

HANOVER, DECEMEER 16.

The opening of the first assembly of all the States
of the Kingdom took place yesterday with the so.
lemnity worthy of the occasion.

The Deputies having taken their places in the Hall,
and also the Members.of the several Royal Colleges,
&c. having taken the seats appointed for them, his
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, amid t e
ringing of bells and firing of cannon, repaired to the
Assembly, attended by the Ministers and followed by
the whole Court, escorted by a detachment of tardy y.
First were real the full powers granted by the

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Prince Regent, by ♦irtue of which the Dale of Cam.

bridge had to open the first meeting of the States. On

this occasion his Royal Highness made the following
speech to the Assembly
Gentlemen,—Venerable, noble, firm, honour-
able, faithful, And dearly beloved—l can with jus-

Lice address you by these titles, worthy representatives
of the most faithful of people, whose undiminished
attachment to the ancient family of its Sovereigns has
been Approved in times of hard necessity and amid
clouded prospects, as the hereditary and ever. active
Inc of my family to its ancient subjects, -has not for

a moment been changed during the years that a cruel
fate has separated them from you.
•g This attachment to their legal Sovereign has in-
duced a large number of Hanoverian warriors to
assemble round the English banners. These valiant
men have combated in distant countries through
many bloody campaigns for the delivery of the world,
and have acquired under the greatest of Commanders
immortal glory. Even before the chains which su-
perior force had imposed on the country were broken
by the efforts of the Allies, the people of the country
followed the first call that was made to them, and
have emulated that army by their .constancy in the
dangers of a sanguinary campaign, and by their
valour in every action at which they were present.
An active army of 30,000 men, formed in a few
months, has partly contributed to defend the North
of Germany against an enemy equally formidable by
his strength and his desperation, and has partly re-
paired to another destination to fight for the cause of
the country. Peace has relieved us from- further
shedding of blood and prevented farther desolation. I
6{ Dear and faithful friends, with whom the Re-
gent, in whose name I address you, is again united
by the decrees of PROVIDANCI, the time for certain
exertion is now come. You are called upon to heal
by wise counsels and public spirit the wounds that
ear has inflicted.

" The race of Guelphs has been always distin.
geisbed for justice and mildness. Among my ances-
tors I count many fathers of their country ; none
who abused the strength of his subjects to further
their ambitious views, and subdue others. They have
recognized the limits which the Lotto ologr.Avitte
aid EARTH, who commands also sovereigns, has as-
signed even to the most powerfnL They have always
pgarded as sacred the relations between the Sove.
sign and the States. The greater rights which the
Treaty of Westphalia gave to the German Sove.
reigns, were used by the Good Duke George and his
was to repair the effects of the storm which had de-
solated all Europe for a longer time even than those
which we have seen.

69 Since the greatness of my house was founded by
tbe vigorous administration of the wise Ernest Au.
tastes. she rileotorai Dignity sequivei by him, and
Listly since one of the most glorious crowns in the
World, adorns the head of my fathers, the increase of
poster serves but to maintain inviolate the rights of
the subjects. In this manner George I. George 11.
and George 111. have acted.
" The Prince Regent, who has been induced, 1...,y
the dissolution of the ancient German Constittrion,
to assume, like other States that are became inde-
pendent, the Royal title of the House of Hanover,
gives to the German Sovereigns who join in a confe
iteration •in order to establish in commons security
both at home and abroad, the first example of c illing
in assembly in which the voice of the people m iy de-
clare itself with freedom ; but with orders to point
out to the Prinarthe means of promoting his object,
Much is the good of the country.
" It is now the business of the States of the Hano
verian domillions, now raised to an independent king-
dDin, to employ those extended rights that are given
faro, so that the State may be powerful and happy.
‘‘ The first step to this is made by the onion of
the States of all the different parts of the country in
one assembly, to which are given all the rights pos-
sessed by the former, of granting money, and other
parts of legislation. The several provinces have but
eau common interest. This cannot be discussed but
by deliberation in common, or promoted bat by one
commen resolution. if the administration of the
:Ingle provinces was ftrtnerly suited to their wants,
41.perious circumstances now require more vigorous,
tncre speedy measures.
" The necessary agreement of the single bodies
could not be legally effected, except by the onion or-
dried by the Prince. The necessities of the times are
meat. A strict examination of the obligations en-
tered into for the. country, will spew what justice re-
quires towards these who with confidence in good
1.-414 km their property to the public to supply the
public Wants. These demands are, however, to be
:Liked with the care for the welfare of the present and
insure generations. The Prince Regent considers
ht.; 6(44.: faith which the Sovereigns and States of
; country have never yet violated, as so sacred,
'he. h has decie.ed his disposition to contribute even
:=one the revenue of the domains that these claims
'nl7 be fulfilled. The nature of this contribution
roay be fixed when we have before us the whole of
o'lr wants and (bur resources.
" The independence of a State depends on its
Pisan: of defence. Warned by the sad experience
~,hich is still fresh in our memory, every friend of his
:,,Intry must feel the necessity of providing against
future dangers by vigourous reparations. The Bri-
tish nation, to whose persevering exertions Hanover'
'44 v 3 man; other countries, swallowed up, or threat-

ened by tile pftpondeiance of Wild vasions, Is in-
debted for a newly confirmed independence and
security, has by generous support replaced the
necessary warlike stores carried off by the enemy,
and thus enabled the men, iwho could bring nothing
but their good will, to join the list of combatants.—
When the external relations of the kingdom shall be
fixed, the strength of the army will be communicated
to you, which the Regent thinks necessary, as well
as its organization and its wants. You will consider
of the means to procure what is necessary. The
Prince Regent wishes, the country to be spared as
much as possible.
The burthen, which cannot be diminished, may be
eased by being divided ; and the consciousness that in
the repartition, justice towards all will be observed,
will make inevitable sacrifices less difficult.
You will consider also of the changes in the admi-
nistration of justice, which the present times make
necessary or advisable, and will deliberate on useful
Institutions for the good of the country. 7i) he contiamed.

We have received Paris Papers of Thursday last,
from which we have subjoined some estracts. On
the business of the Congress the Gcrinan and French
Papers stand directly opposed in their statements.—
According to the former, every point of importance.
has been agreed upon, and the result was to be made
public on the 16th instant, and the Monarchs of
Russia and Prussia to take their dzparture on the 17th.
But according to the French Journals, no one point
can be considered as yet finally settled, and the view.
and interests of the different parties stand so eirectly
,opposed to each other, as to hold out but little hope
of x speedy a•ljuAment.
It is probable that the truth lies between these ex-
tremes. In the nature of things, where so many in-
terests are to be consulted, many difficulties must pre-
sent themselves : nor can it be denied that the leading
Powers have numerous temptations to warp them from
the line of justice and true policy. But it is not to
be believed that they can have already forgot the
lessons which they were taught by a long train of mi-
series inflicted on the family of Europe, and which
led them to join for the general deliverance and
future protection. The very licence allowed to the
press of the Continent to discuss the claims and
pretensions of the various parties, is with us held
to be a strong evidence that the great work is pursued
with ardour and solicitude not to be disturbed by little
angry passions.

From Ghent we have nothing but vague and
contradictory statements, similar to all that have, for'
some time, been received from that Tenter. On Sa-
turday morning, as we staied in our last, all was
gloom on the part of the Peace speculatnrs. In the
afternoon, however, they contrived to h.tvc it be-
lieved that a bye-boat had arrived from /it:eland with
news that the differences between this country and
America had been brought to an amicable concl.u.
sion. Some people were deceived by the confidence
with which this was statlcl, and, in consequence, spe-
culations in produce took place to some extent, and a
little was done in Peace Policies. Thirty Pounds
were given to receive one hundred, it Peace should
not be signed by the Ist of January, and fifty to re-
ceive one hundred, if not signed on or before the 15th
cif January.
That people should be duped in this manner, after
they have been put in possession of Mr. NloNaoes
letter to Congress, is very surprising. We have been
thus plainly told by the American Government, that
it will perish rather than concede a single point in
dispute. Is not this, in other words, teliing us that
our Commissioners are not called upon to negociale the
terms of peace, but to accept such terms as America
may condescend to dictate to England ?
To such a public document, and an American
Conscription, this country can offer. no remonstrance.
Ministers have no choice left them but to pursue the
course they have adopted with manly energy.

It is not to be credited that the American Com-
missioners will succeed in one object which MADISON
has had the weakness to avow. One :sins of his
agents is to " keep the British Coran.ii.sioners in con-
versation, that they may take advantage of any thing
that drops from them." Do these noodles think that
they alone can benefit by conversation ?—After such
an avowal, however, we rather suspect that these
political conger:azimut are drawing to a close. When
it is publicly avowed that, on one side, it is all a farce,
it is very probable that the other will soon drop the
curtain.

Since writing the foregoing paragraphs our messen-
ger has arrived from Change, and has brought us a
statement which we confess surprises us, and almost
persuades us to believe that there must be some truth
in the pacific rumours from Ghent. Of the truth of
the subjoined ,report we can say nothing, but its ef-
fects we state as being minutely correct.
The report is that undoubted intelligence has been
received of the signing of a Treaty of Peace between
this country and America.
In consequence, though this be a holiday at the
Stock Exchange, many and extensive bargains were
done in the Funds. Consols opened at 66t and sod.
denly rose to 671. Omnium opened at 2 discount,
and when our messenger left the Change, was at 1,1
discontit ; Reduced comthenced at 6.5 i and had risen
614.
The business done has been immense, and policies
have been opened at LLOYD'S giving 50 guineas to
receive 100, if Peace be signed before the lath dia.

' I. , '• • - I. • r
nuaty. This, though it gives itrong proof of the
conviotiiin that Peace is at hand, stands opposed to
the first rumour of the morning, which stazed the
Treaty to have been already signed, and named last
Saturday, the 24th inst. as the day on which it re-
ceived signature.
EX FRAUTS FROM THE FRENCH PAPEts.
PARIS, DECEMBER Si;

M. de la Fare, Bishop of Nancy, is appointed first
Almoner to Madame the Duchess of Angoul.tme.

The Chamber of Peers yesterday voted the adop-
tion of the supplementary law of the budget of 1815,
as well as that relative to the debts contracted by the
King in foreign countries.
To-dry there was no meeting of the Chamber of
Deputies. We have already stated that the two
Chambers would adjourn on the 30th instant. They
will not meet again until the Ist of March.

DECEMBER 22.
The Process commenced by the ci-devant K;ng of
Holland against Madame the Ditches: of St. Leu, his
wife, has been prematurely brought before the public.
The Gazette tie France, which pretends to be always
better informed than other Journals, speaks of this
affair as if the pleadings were about to commence.—
It dictate:, beforehand to the Judges and to the pithlic
'the opinion which they nugtit to entertain respecting
Madame St. Len•—they chew that the tribunals can
du nothing but pronounce for the husband against
the wife, and by insinuations they trust that all r.-
conciliation between the parties is at an end. But ao
person will he the dupe of this trick.

In consequence of the reports circulated that this
cause was about to come before the public, ue have
endeavoured to collect some antleltic details, which
we now present to our re id. rs.
The ce-devant King of Holland, who is at present
at Rome, but who does not .seem to be definitively
settled there, is desirous that the property he pos-
sesses in France should be instantly sold, and that
his children, who are now here with their mother,
should be sent to him. Madame the Duchess (al-
though possessing in right c f her marriage a claim to
a community of goods) does not object to the first
past of her husband's claims ; but she resists the se
cc‘nd, on the ground that the education of the chil-
dren would not only suffer greatly by their removal,
but they would also lose the privileges of French

citizens.

It is quite natural in the father to wish to have hib
children near him, but it is also natural that the
mother should not agree to a proposition which not
only separates them from her, bat also deprives them
of a fired and certain domicile for their future life,
with all its advantages. We see no reason for ac.
ming either party of improper motives, and let us
hope, therefore, that by a speedy reconciliation all
largettti will be terminated, and that both will unite

co promote the true interests of the minors.

VIENNA, DECENIIIER 11.

Some persons pretend that the negociaticins of the
Congress are perhaps less farther advanced now than
at the first meeting of the Allied Sovereigns, because
the difficulties are more known, and every day new
ones arise. Saxony; Poland, Italy, are the great ob-
jects which occupy men's minds, and a plan is no
sooner proposed than it is attacked and overturned,
without being able to meet with any other which
agrees better with the various parties whose interests
cross each other, and are alternately destroyed.
—A general cry is raised. against the occupation of
Saxony by Prussia ; the Saxons have manifested their
attachment to their King, and their antipathy against
every kind of union ; but the re-establishment of
Saxony renders the affairs of Poland much more dif-
ficult to arrange ; for in this case Prussia reclaims all
the Polish provinces which she would have ceded in
favour of Saxony, and Russia wishes to have the
whole of Poland. The plan according to which the
King of Saxony should give the right bank of the
Elbe, does not present a sufficient indemnity to rms.
sia, and Saxony will be too much diminished, so that
this plan, like ail the former, falls to the ground.
All Italy is in state of reclamation. Several
Powers have taken a warm interest in behalf of the

King of Sicily, and demand expressly that the King-
dom of Naples shall be restored to King Ferdinand,
as the lawful and legitimate Sovereign.
The Pope complains bitterly of the domains of the
Church being kept back from him. The Cities of
Genoa and Ve►:ice are discontented, and we expect
the King of Sardinia here to make complaints also.
The Powers who occupy themselves respecting the
affairs of Germany are not agreed among themselves,
and the Swiss furnish ample materials for animated
discussions. How, in the midst of this conflict of
rights, interests, and contradictory reclamations, can
matters be adjusted ?
The news of the day, therefore, is, that the affairs
of Germany are suspended, on account of the too
great diversity of the opinions of the Members of the
Commission.
It is 'said that Prince Wrede has given in a Note,
in which be complains loudly that his Court has
been treated with contempt, which is the reason for
his not taking part in the discussions. The Wur-
temburgh Minister is said to have held the same lan-
guage.

Lieutenant-General DIME( is to sit in the Court
on Sir JOUR MURRAY, in Sir DAVID BAIRD'S place,
the latter being prevented from leaving his seat in
Perthshire by indisposition, the result of the severe
wounds received in the service of hiscoaa up. .

n T •-•••••••." 1. .1.. • rl,,ti ••••
.STALOFFICE, THREE O'CLOCK.

A private Letter received tidy morning front
Ghent, states, that the American Secretary of Lega
tion at Mient hal inf"rmed the writer that Peace
was actgally signed, and would be made known in a
very few days.
At this moment (three o'clock) eighty guineas are
given upon 'Change to receive 100 guineas in the event
of the signing of Peace on the 15th January.
go official or other communication, however, has
been made on the above subject, at the Mansion
House, or at Lloyd'i.—Consols 67f.