New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-26
FILTERS OF AN EXILE, No. V.
,,..a f,crman Tragic omedy-lussian Power
wv and Russian Schemes.

fha
Az ~ CoNsrANTINoPLE, Saturday, Oct.5.
Tho recent history of Germany is soon told. The
.;aher classes there are enemies to reform and
revolutions, out of their selfish attachment to
- ,,r;vileges the lower are Indifferent, being
tolerably happy, having clothes, food, work and
mace. OF political rights they know but very
,;t.,e and therefore care less. The revolution
.-;n;nated wholly in the middle class, which is
verv numerous, including as it does the students
.nd professors of the Universities, the lawyers,
DOCTORS. theciergy and all those who are reckoned
.r.., If science These wanted to establish q sort
sc plo+onie Government, and wished meanwhile
~ rastore or rather TO lay down the foundation of
,,,hot never existed but in their own heated
brains; viz. the Unity OF the German natlons.
So much did they talk and write, and such
ras the uproar they succeeded IN raising about
It that for some time the thing looked serious In
5eed. The King of Prussia, who had been edu-
Gated by some of those very professors, and had
some Of them in his council lent at first not I'M
willing ear to tbeirsuggesions, and hoped to build
nnon their foundation, the edltice Of his own
greatness. The University men were not Repub-
licans, and if they meant to melt the many petty
GERMAN
one-thev intended also to give to it monarch
ical constitution The King of Prussia, the Nae
cenas of so many philosophers and theologians
had the best chance of being elected Emperor Of
Germany provided he keep faithfully to his old
associations and inclinations. Such was his posi-
ton when he first bestowed Constitution on his
subjects, and lent his aid to the execution of the
fayorite scheme of the University men; that is to
say, the convocation of National Assembly at
Frankfort, for the express purpose of forwarding
the Constitution of the National Unity.
The Austrian Emperor would certainly have OPP
posed these schemes with all his might, but being
at that time greatly endangered and weakened
hy the Italian and the Hungarian war, by the
Fiennese revolution, and the everlasting seeds OF
discomfort in the Slavonc provinces of the Empire
he thought it more prudent to temporize with
the Frankfort Parliament and tried to coun-
serbalanoe the Prussian influence by means of the
Bohemian students and professors. who were his
subjects and whose opinion weighed heavily on
the slayonic side Of the Parliament
Thus it was that the Frankfort Assembly seem
ed for while to be really invested with an unde-
8isble authority, and that its members were al
lowed to think their DEGREES would be obey
ed by Kings, Emperors, and nations. But their
authority was not put to the test, since those
learned politicians and Legislators never able
to agree in earnest to write down any of their
unopposabe DEGREES. Each of the German sove-
reigns set to work to reduce corrupt intimidate
or stun the learned professors, and succeeded
marvellously in the attempt. Some voted for
King Frederic, others for Emperor Ferdinand,
Others for the King Of Bavaria others would have
neither Of them, but sort OF royal cbdpttre com
posed of the lesser Princes None of them was
wild nor bold enough to think ofat dispossess
ing any of the reignng sovereigns of their actual
sovereignties; but they intended to create title
and sovereignty superior to all, which should
be the supreme sovereignty of the German
nations But what relation should this bear TO-
wards the existing Princes? Should it be nothing
but vain title Or it implied real superiority
how should it be enforced
These were difficult questions to answer. Long
and eloquent speeches were made on the subject
but really to no purpose; and l think the learned
deputies were any thing but sorry, when the Ger
man soveregns, having settled their most intrl
cate accounts, and asserted their own power ovel
sheir revolted subjects, thought the time come tc
put their masks aside and bid the assembled pro
fessors go back to their schools and forbeer hence
forward meddling with matters much too elevated
for their capacities and stations in life. True 1t Is
the learned members of Frankfort retorted and
protested against such hard treatment; but they
were fallen 30 low in the public estimate, that
their clamorous retort failed to awake the least
sympathy; nor had they much cause to lament it.
since they did not themselves know what to dc
with their authority.
In this manner the Frankfort Parliament was
dissolved, without having accomplished the least
Of the portentous feats it had announced, and
with it vanished, in great measure, the restrain.
ing influence which the German Universities had
long possessed over the ruling powers. These men
and these scientific bodies in whom such dear
hopes had been founded had descended to the
field of action from the clouds where they appear
ed and spoke god.like. But they turned out to be
unfit for the pillow or the AK and in short, for every
kind of work From that time to this day no
thing has been heard Of the Universities, Severa
OF them have been shut others subjected to re
straining and humiliating rules; but none have
Offered. theslaast resistance, not even in words
They have been curbed down by their worst enc
my, fUiemselyes, and by the inward, demoralizing
feeling 81 ,lheir own incapacity. Freed from the
restrainsof che German Universities, the German
Sovereigns have blotted out torn to pieces the
Constitutions they had bestowed on their sub
jects, and established their authority upon the
most absolute grounds.
But the most gigantic power in the Old World
is the one that holds sway over the northern parts
of Europe and Asia When you live in Europe,
and see the over mastering influence of the Car
diplomacy over the internal movements OF France
England, Germany and Italy, the powerful grasp
from which neither the heroic Poles nor the Dan
ubian nations could succeed in disengagng them