Star.
London, England, 1821-03-23 00:00:00

STOCKHOLM, MARCH 2.

The following is the remarkable proposition which
the King has addressed to the Norwegian Diet, in re-
spect to the Nobility
" The Diet assembled in 1816, laid• befbre his Ma-
jesty for his approbation, a Resolution which tended
to fix the rights of the Nobility in Norway.
44 I lowever inclined the King was in favour of the
principles on which the Constitution of the Kingdom
is founded, as well in the whole as in the twenty-
' third paragraph, yet his Majesty thought that it
seemed doubtful if the dispositions in this Resolution
were conformable to the 97th paragraph of the Con-
stitution, and whether the welfare of the kingdom
required the sudden overthrow of an institution.
which, according to the annals of the North, goes
back to tie remotest ages, because the Norwegian
Nation was from its origin warlike. His Majesty,
therefore, judged it advisable not to confirm. this
disposition.
4. As the second Ordinary Diet of ISI9 made a
Decree which was exactly similar to the first, his
Majesty, led by the same motives, again refused it
his sanction. As his Majesty is convinced that the
welfare of the State cannot be effected except when
the kingdom and the Representatives endeavour re-
ciprocally to meet each other in their wishes, his
Majesty signifies to the Diet that he is disposed to
take this matter into consideration, if a new proposal
he laid before him which shall only go to abolish the
feudal rights which the Nolility possess and exercise
with respect to their property. At the same time, his
Majesty calls the attention of the Diet to the indem-
nifications which will be required to make good the
loss incurred by this measure. As this affair will
probably be a subject of discussion in the present
Dict, his Majesty considers it his duty to invite the
Assembly to reflect on the following:

44 At the time when the Constitution was drawn
up, it was thought advisable not to make any altera-
tion in the rights of the Norwegian Nobility, and of
' the fundamental law, and no mote was done than to
determine that no new privileges should be granted ;
and it was deferred to a future opportunity to exa-
mine the question, whether a total abolition of the
Nobility was useful? and supposing that it were use-
ful, must not great caution be shewn in the choice
of the moment for changing a civil institution which
has existed from time immemorial, in Norway as well
as in the rest of Europe? Do not prudence and
policy demand that regard should be had, not only
to the people among whom the reform is to take
place, but also to those with which it is connected ?
" But . the present moment appears to be not at all
favourable to the matter. The ferment of people's
minds in Europe, and the attention which the Powers
pay to all political innovations, give ground to ex-
pect that so decisive a step as is proposed, with re-
spect to the Nobility of this kingdom, would excite
great sensation in other States. The unfavourable
impression for Norway itself, which might be made
upon Governments with which it is politically con-
nected, is the more to be apprehended, as such mea-
sures as the proposal of the Diet includes, will always
appear unjust to the families who would be thereby
stripped of rights which are guaranteed by the law.

Norway is, by the Constitution, a free and inde-
pendent Kingdom, but it exists, like the most power-
ful States, as it were with other States. Its course
must be in harmony with the course which they fol-
low, or must at least not clash with them. The opi-
nions which other nations conceive of our laws, our
policy, our wisdom, cannot be indifferent to the Nor-
wegian people. The light which experience and re-
flection continue to throw on all important subjects,
especially politics, will afford us means to take, at a
future time, a resolution on this subject, which shall
be more secure and more maturely weighed than
present circumstances allow.
4, His Majesty therefore believe: that political rea-.
sons of great importance to the maintenance of the
good understanding which prevails between us and
foreign Powers, require that the Diet should not take
up this subject _during this Seision, and his Majesty!
therefore proposes that it be deferred. But much as
the King wishes that the Piet may not agitate the'
question of the abolition of the Nobility, his Majesty
can have no objection to the Diet's taking into con
sideration the abolition of all feudal rights which are
contrary to the constitutional principles of our 50,i41,

compact. At the tame time, the king pr.p„e,
the Diet to grant to the possessors of fiefs an in,
pity equal to the loss which will accrue to them, 3:11,
the real benefit of which will be reaped by the Stag;

FIRST BULLETIN OF THE NEAPOLITAN
ARMY.
The Derbi liret-ctiro of Wednesday, received 4,
town this morning, states that a Centleman
favoured it g, with the following extract of a letter
from his son, a fellow-townsman, now at Naples, and
also with the Bulletin of the first battle gained by
the Neapolitans over the Austrians at Abtuzzo."
The affair referred to in the Bulletin does not ai.l
pear to be that of Rieti, about which there have been
so many contradictory reports, but one of a much
earlier date, even as far back as the 27th of February:
From the date being so remote, we are inclined to
entertain strong doubts of the authenticity of till'
Bulletin ; but it is at the same time but just to ob-
serve, that the private letter containing it, is of as
old date as any accounts which we have received
direct from Naples, being of the $d instant:
" NAPLES, MAITII 3, 1821.
" On the 25th of February, the telegraph signified
to us that an Austrian column, composed ot 1,21 p
foot, atui 700 horse, was, on the 25th, ten miles di,.
tans from the frontiers of our Kingdom, on the side
of AbruzzO; that an attack was expected, and that
General Peps said, addressing himself to the Na.
tional Parliament, that he hoped to give them cause
to keep a joyful Lent.

" Since that time, the immortal General PEpti
with the .whole second co:ps of our constitutioall
army stationed at Ahru7zo, has ventured to measure
his strength with the hostile irptadrons of the Au%
than slaves. This is clearly sbewn by the subjoined
letter, bearing his signattne:

44 I Write from the bead-quartt•rs in Aquila, February F7th,
from the N'eapolitan camp of Vittoria. In the battle of yester-
day, the 26th inst. all the troops of Fermi, and the third regi-
ment of light troops, with a company of marksmen (berraglieri),
and the cavalry, defeated the Austrians with great lost, and took
five pieces of artillery, with all thtir
WILLIAM PEPE
From the Head-quarters in Aquila, fhb. 27, 1821."•

REPORTED DEFEAT OF THE NEAPOLITANS

ON TITS SEVENTH OF MARCIL

Since inserting the preceding we have received the
following Copy of a Notice, posted on the Exchange
at Paris in the afternoon of Wednesday Lat, by order,
it is pretended, of M. Roy, the Minister of Finance:

" There has been on the 7th instant an engage-
ment between the Austrians and the Neapolitans.
The latter had advanced on Rieti, which was occu-
pied by the Austrians. They were repulsed with
considerable loss. The Austrian Army has entered
the Abruzzi ; many prisoners hare Mien into their
hands, and the greatest disorder appears to reign in
the Neapolitan Army. 7