The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.
AUSTRIA.
ABDICATION OF THE EMPEROR.

On the 2d of December the Emperor Ferdinand abdi-
cated the imperial throne of the Austrian empire, in fa-
vour of his nephew, the Archduke Francis Joseph, eldest
son of the Archduke Francis Charles.

On the night of the Emperor's abdication, Jellachich
and Windischgratz were summoned to 011mutz. A spe-
cial message was also sent to the Diet at Krenzier. The
news reached Vienna on the morning of the 3rd, and
spread rapidly.
Vienna is tranquil. The late Emperor left 011mutz for
Prague. He has issued a proclamation, giving as a reason
for his abdication, that more youthful powers were needed
to complete the grand work of reformation. The present
Emperor has also issued a proclamation, which embodies
the principal points of the late ministerial programme.
He is in his 18th year. His father is a younger brother
of the ex-Emperor, and the legitimate successor to the
throne, but resigned in his son's favour. The ex-Empe-
ror intends to reside at Prague. The news caused great
excitement in the Diet at Vienna.

PRUSSIA.
DISSOLUTION OF THE CHAMBER

Accounts from Berlin, of the sth instant, announce the
official dissolution of the constituent assembly on that
day, it being the firm conviction of the King and his mi-
nisters that the government of the country could not be
beneficially carried on by the then existing representatives
with any regard to the dignity of the crown. Another
decree grants a constitution to the Prussian States. Count
Brandenburg continues at the head of the cabinet, which,
however, has undergone some change.
The advices of the previous day represent Ihe city as
having resumed a state of order and tranquillity. The
disarming of the Burgher Guard had been most effectu-
ally carried out, without a single act of violence on the
part of General Wrangel. The troops had ceased to patrol
the streets, the families which fled upon the breaking out
of the insurrection were dally returning, and business had
begun to revive. The Chronicle says the Constitution
confirms all the liberties demanded by the people, and is
many points more democratic than that of Belgium.
The members of the left met on the night of the sth, to
protest.

ITALY.
THE FLIGHT OF THE POPE

The Pope has escaped from Rome and is now at Gaeta,
the guest of the King of Naples. According to the latest
accounts from Rome, the Pole did not leave his apart-
ments in the Quirinal Palace after the murder of Count
Rossi, and was actually treated by the government as a
state prisoner. All his own guards were removed, and he
was surrounded by nersons supposed to be favourable to
the new administration. His chief associates were the
foreign ambassadors; and one of these, Count Spohr,
the Bavarian Envoy, planned and effected the escape of
the Venerable Pontiff. The Pope left the Quirinal on
the evening of the 24th, disguised as a servant of Count
Spohr, and wearing the livery of the Bavarian legation.
Dressed in the character of a footman, he mounted the
box of the ambassador's carriage, seated himself by the
coachman, and thus absconded from the Quirinal Palace,
and was carried off to Gaeta. The Count had previously
obtained passports for Naples, whither the Pope accom-
panied him. not in his first disguise, but in that of the
Envoy's chaplain. No one in Rome recognised him, and
the illustrious fugitive arrived in Gaeta on the night of
the 25th, without experiencing the least danger. On his
arrival there he informed the King of Naples of his flight,
and apprised his Majesty that steamers had been placed
at his disposal by the governments of England and France,
so that he was ready to depart if his presence caused the
King the least inquietude. The answer was given by the
King in person, who, with his family and court, proceed-
ed to welcome the fugitive. Nine of the fugitive
Cardinals arrived in Naples at the same time, so that the
Pope was likely to be surrounded by most of his old
friends. When the flight of the Pope was known in
Rome, the people seemed to care little about it.
The Pope positively refusbd to go on board the French
steamer, or to proceed to France.