The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-04
NO. 10.

u
a. military strength of her old rival, Prussia, the
.sv rights accorded to the people, the agitation
- the publc mind on politics, and the permanent
ovclns;on of her influence from the north Of Ger
nanv Hence the note sent last week from VII
a,,s N Berlin 1t demands the return Of Ger
,nanv 10 the forms Of 1915 claims that the treaties
nTtbat date are in full force and must be adhered
40 avs that Prussia has no right to call Paria-
,oept at Erfurt or constitute q Federal State
smaller than all Germany, expresses fears of pop
lar connections or difficulties among the Govern
ments in case the Parliament should be held and
declares that in snch an event. it win be her duty
10 interfere with force Of arms to preserve order.
This note has caused great sensation here
among the friends Of the ministry, although 1t is
only A repetition in stronger language OF the note
Of two months ago "
The Prussisn Minister of Foreign Affairs, Won
Sehleinitz has answered by refusing to return to
the forms established in 1915, showing that they
were modified in 1s4S by the consent OF All par
ties; but claims that under one OF the articles OF
the treaty of 1915, the right Is expressly granted
TO the State to form smaller coniederAucns w,.nln
bs larger one He says that the Parliament 80
far from being the cause of disorders, will be the
srmest barrier against them, and that Prussia
IN trow how to guard her rights-and concludes
", ofer;ng TO give up the Erfort Parliament pro-
I'll Austria viii propose some feasible Consti-
,n,ion for the whole of Germany.
In this exchange Of notes the Prussian minis
,.r has evidently the advantage, 1t being undeni-
sIa hat the old Diet did cede it's powers in ls4S
20 the National Assembly Many OF the minis
terial party fear war with Austria, ana her hc,e
SAYS very clearly that the hriur' parliament VIII
cause war.
fAustria ia the most-oPen enemy Of the Erfurt
rro;oct she il not so dangerous as the King OF
Prnssia. Before 1913, the King used to dream
Of one day swaying the absolute sceptre OF Ger
MANY Since that period, he finds this sceptre
out Of his reach. Why should he wish to limit
his mower in Prussia in order to get seeming
sovereignty over number of small States why
should he sink from the lofty position of an auto
crat. into a ceremony at the head OF weak con-
federation In his new position, he can gain no
power except by taking it from the princes under
him. How can he do this, and maintain his doc
trine that all kings and princes rule by the grace
of God and that il is sacrilege to touch them?
Who will protect him in his turn against the at
tacks of the democracy, if he abandons the bull
wark thrown about him by being thought to be
the Lords annointed2 No; the King is hostile to
the Erfurt Parliament All his personal friends,
the Stalls, Gerlochs, Won Wrangels, &c, are SO.
lie prefers being absolute in Prussia to being the
limited monarch Of Germany. But the revolu-
ton has long forced him to play a double game.
lie endures MS MINISTER'S out ne lOVed tneUl not
Mr. Won Rsdowitz. The Kings friend hiss been
called from Frankfort TO lake s,ae ArissS..r>y ok
the Erfurt Council of administration He is the
same who said, some months ago, that Prussia
would persevere 10 the Erfurt scheme until she
saw it necessary to retreat. Perhaps, in his new
position he will make it necessary Won Strotha,
a Germany man. has been obliged to resign the
ministry Of war, which has been given TO Nj.
Stockhausen, friend of the King, and bitter
opponent of the Erfurt scheme. Perhaps the
King will throw off the mask before long pos
sibly he may wear it to the end. He has worn
il so long that it is hard to get rid of it.
The Erfurt Parliament finds opponents also in
those Governments which now think themselves
strong enough to maintain themselves against the
people For instance, the elector of Hesse Cas-
sci has, in the last week, dismissed his ministry,
which favored the Erfurt scheme, and taken an
other which is hostile to it. The President of
the new one, Nj. Hassenlug, is a Prussisn,
friend of the King, but personal and political
enemy to the Manteuffel ministry. This change
Of cabinets has occasioned surprise to all Ger
many.
The Hanseatic towns Of Lubbock Hamburger,
and Bremen, have made special reservations in
joining the Erfugt scheme. They are to have the
liberty of retiring, provided Hanover or Saxony,
or Luxembourg or Holstein, should not accede.
Now, as the two first will certainly not do so, the
iIanseatic towns will be perfectly free to act as
they may think best.
The people, or at least the great majority of
them, have confidence in the Erfurt Parlia-
ment. They took no prt in the elections, and
say it will come to nothing good for them. In
this they are quite right
To sum up the whole, the Erfurt Parliament
has to contend with the open enmity Of Austria,
the only half concealed repugnance of the Prus-
sian King, the fears Of the weaker Governments,
the jealousies and prudence Of the Hanseatic
towns, and the Indifference of the people. may
add here that Frankfort has wholly refused to
enter the league What the result will he, may
be seen in few weeks. Either the Constitution
will be materially changed, as to suit the Prus-
sian King, or the whole project will he abandoned
and Germany will return to the old Diet and
miserable confederation of 1915.
The secret Of the hundreds of propositions and
constitutions, commercial congresses, tariff leagues,
&c, put forward by the German Governments,
may lie in the remark made to me yesterday by
an eminent French diplomatist. He answered
my request for an explanation of the ambiguous
conduct Of the Governments with the remark
I" Did you ever play trout, sir? Fine sport,
isn't it Well, that is thes the Governments
of Germany are now enjoying. They are playing
the people until it is too feeble to resistn
GREECE.
The news from Greece is the same as two
weeks ago Ga the 18th, the British admiral was
pursuing his coercve measures, but had not as
reported taken possession of the islands of Sapi-
enzl and Cervi The French Government has
already forwarded orders to its fleet to return to
Toulon. This does not look like an intention to
threaten Eugand, and may possibly be occasioned
by the state Of the Swiss question. Some ac-
counts say that the indignation Of the Greeks
bo h,,tt ho INC
OF the French Government endeavor to produce
the impression that the current Of opinion had
changed in favor of the English, and against the
Greek Government. The better opinion in rela-
to the mysterious causes Of this attack on Greece,
i' that il Is connected with the menacing state Of
affairs on the continent. How, otherwise, can we
explain the silence of the democratic press in re-
ILtlon to it?
acknowledgements.
The state Of the duchies continues the same.
Lord Pamerstou has sent note to Denmark,
threatening to withdraw altogether from the me-
diation unless negotiations for peace be actively
entered upon. An unmeaning correspondence
has been going on between Denmark and Prussia,
IN relation to an expression used in he late royal
address nj Copenhagen inhabitants OF FL
hing and other Baltic towns are petitioning the
King of Prussia either to put an end Immediately
to the war by treaty, or prosecute it with vgor
for that the continuance Of an unsettled state OF
things is running the Baltic towns in their com.
MERGE.
PRUSSIA.
On the 2lst of last month the Berlin Jury
brought in its verdict in the great case against
the forty-two members of the last years National
Assembly, indicted for refusing to pay the taxes
and encouraging the people to do so The Jury
had been properly selected by the police from the
richer burghers, supposed to be devoted to the
Government; the Government had prepared the
case IN manner corresponding to its import.
ance the King felt so sure of his game. that he
refused to amnesty the prisoners; and the reac-
ton lookel In short e. ax - =