The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-07
PRUSSIA.
BERLIN, August II, ls47

EDITOR N. Y. Herald = "..... ..
In my last communication promised
you resume of the proceedings OF the
defunct Pruss ian Diet, and a sufficient time
having elapsed since then to form an unbi-
assed opinion ON the subject now take up
my pen to fulfil my promise. r..
That spirit Of opposition pervaded the
Assembly, or at least the Second Chamber,
was evident from the debates onthe address;
for although the utra-liberal or radical par
ty, were left in minority OF 1873, and the
intended protest changed INTO kind Of
humble petition and renonstrance,' enough
remained Of its original tenor to show that
the DEGREES of the Sd February, far from
being received as the spontaneous gift Of
gracious monarch, were only looked upon
as part payment of a debt not long since
due TO the nation. The loyalists asserted,
that the people had no rights but such as
were derived from the will OF the sover-
eisn; this was admitted, for no one ventured
to maintain what would at once have struck
an Amercan-that, tout au contraire, the
king had no rights but such as were deriv-
ed from the will of the people; but then
il was argued, that il exceeded even the
royal prerogative TO rescind those privileges
tina. had been already granted. This was
The principle, the second Chamber acted on
throughout; they refused TO accede to any
Of the measures proposed by government,
until their 6 vested rights" were solemnly
recognized freed from the shackies imposed
upon them by the late DEGREES. Untor.u-
natcly, after having pursued this course OF
action, for nearly three months-alter hav-
ing fought battle after battle against the
ministerial party, and disputed every inch OF
ground with truly German pertinacity-ai
throwing out all the government bills and
carrying all their own-the liberals gave
way at the eleventh hour, and by one I'M
lucky taur pas lost all the advantages they
had previously obtained. One OF the OBJ
noxious features of the new charter is the
standing committees, which are 10 carry on
the business of The Diet during theinlervals
between the sessions. Now as the duration
of these intervals depends entirely on the
will and pleasure OF the king, and may be
extended dd infnitum, the committees would
be of greater importance than the Diet itself;
and being composed Of a comparatively
small number of members, they would be
more open to government influence, and apt
to be moulded and fashioned in any way
most suitable to the ruling powers. For
this reason the standing committees were
slrenuousIy opposed by the liberal party,
who succeeded in getting up petition to
the king, requesting them to be dropped, as
renching upon the privileges OF the States
General The answer was unfavorable /;
the Chamber was required to proceed with
the election of committees; thiriy-one mem.
bers refused; the rest submitted, after a
feeble and unavaiIing protest; and satisfied
with this final triumph, Government dlssoI-
we'd the Diet.
II we consider the whole affair in the light
of constitutional experiment, it must be
admitted that the result has disappointed
The expectations Of all parties. The peo-
pie, after welcoming the first meeting Of
| their representatives with enthusiasm, saw
them depart with an indifference almost a
mounting to contempt. They bad not gone
far enough TO satisfy the liberals, and too
far to be approved of by the loyalis,s, They
uttered Gas prave'ords as you shall see ina
summmer's day." but when acts were re-
quired, they were weighed in the balance
and found wanting" Instead Of strengthen
ing the cause of freedom, they have dis
couraged it, and inspired the absolute Gov
ernments with fresh confidence. The cen
corship of the press has become stricleI
than ever, political espionage ffouTishes
, with renovated vgor, and the day appears
! to be far, distant, when the dreams Of
German patriotism shall be realized, ane
arbitrary sway make loom for new era o
liberty and independence.