The Washington union., 1857-05-23
DEPARTMENT. NEWS.
STATE DEPAHINKSr .

Erra fEt-oa-the MEa. The following Interesting a.
count Of this city has tecn received from intelligent
correspondent residing there
From the earliest times Frankfort has been closv
connected with the other FREE cities Of Germany Durpg
the ancient empire the cities formed together one cou
ration at the Imperial Diet and enjoyed one vote in lie
public affairs.
sup to the dissolution Of the German empire IN ibs
year 1904 there existed great number Of ue town,
which had preserved their sovereignty and independent
against the surrounding princes, depending only lie
empire, and enjoying various privileges granted 10 them
by the emperon. These disappeared, for the greater
part with the events Of the revolution OF those which
had survived the German empire the towns Of Hamburh
Brcnen and Lubbock incorporated with the Frend
empire whilst Frankfort became the seat of the Gran
Duchy Of the same created by Napoleon, and planad am
der the rule of the Prince PTmat Archbishop Of Raoa
The overthrow Of the French conqusror in 1873 restored
these towns TO their former independence and they wen
received sovereign members Of the confederation
'sThe towns Of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck ons
belonged to the Hans that celebrated league which was
formed in the 18th century. Its original object tl
protection and extension Of comnsrcc but It's power AID
influence increased in such that at length inu
ded eghty-fye towns; il equipped fleets and decan
war on neighboring States England and other power
concluded treaties with the Hansa, and were glad to en-
joy s friendship. This league however, dissolved
In $780, when the last OF its Diets held at Lubek
and from that time the three cities Of Hamburg Bremen
and Lnbeck remained alone the properly called Han
Towns These, with Frankfort-on-th Main form h
four free cities Of tho German Confederation.
These four free cities represented in the German
Diet by one minister and have together one common
voice Notwithstanding this joint representation each
Of the four cities hes It's particular representative
at the seat Of the Diet Hamburg Is represented by Mr.
Kirchenfrauer. Bremen by Burgomaster smidt LubecS
BY Senator Elder and Frankfort by DeHArnier senator
and eldest Burgcmaser The joint vote OF the four CITIES
Is alternately nEusted 10 each Of the towns for the Pc
nod Of year.
..The free cities likewise have IN common a supreme
court Of appeal for law cases, and Totch lpbstlofs
too sitting al LuIeck and the control over which Il al
tcrnatcy exercised by of the four cities Beside
that there exists between them snilitude of poliu
institutions Their form Of government Is that Of re
public the basis Of which cxcepting the short period
ls4S' sol has nevertheless always been rather more
an agistoEatical than of dernocTatical character Their
interests closely united they have the same political
friends and opponents
she commercial relations between Frankfort and the
three Hanse Towns very extended especially those with
Hamburg whose bankers entertain very large lmst
ness with the first banking Of this city Frank
fort IS the metropolis Of the interior general commeccd
Germany and the Frankfort Exchange is Of the chR
regulators or the German uoney and stock market This
IS true to sch degree that there can exist in Germany
no great enterprise speculation without it can find
aimittance TO the Frankfort market Those iontstod
hanks and cint stock EIcs fo other purposes such
for instance, those at Meiningen, Hamburg, Luxen
burg Weimer. &c-aI live, besansc tolerated by Frank
fort and would fall the moment Frankfort should show
symptoms Of distruzt
Bremen, Hamburg, and Lntec, by their manufac
tlres. trade, and navigation, spread all over the world
the two kst great ports If German emigration occupy
without tcatE prominent rank amongst the CONNER
cAl cities OF Germany, and eyen Of Europe But on the
other hand the political Importance of Frankfort is Of
much greater weight than that OF the other free cities
BY It's geographical situation ID has become the centre d
Germany By II is railroads 1t is placed at the
gates Of France Switzerland, Belgium. and Holland 1t
is the ranking hosee of all southern Germany Its ap
talists nouTish the SEnrnerciA manufacturing and in
dust-ial Interests of grrt extent Of country 1t has in
its vicinity the seats of several German States, Baden
WurtemtMrg, Hesse nzrnas4dg. Nassau HeSse Hamburg
Hesse ssseI- Waldcrk Hanover, the Grand Duchy and
Dnchs Of Sake &c Ii Is the seat Of the German Diet
and suck the political cenfre of Germany. Not only
the representatives Of all the Gczn governments are
united herr in centre, but all the great pow
ers az Europe ara Ee.rrscntcd hy syal ministers and
lately tleir cxaple has been initiated BY several States Of
secondary rank as Spain Swcsien Sardinia, Belgium, &C.
Some others Ike Portugal and sece are represented by
consuls general
This city has often lsen and will no doubt continue
to be- the place of meeting scientific and other gather
ings the transactions Of which of general interest
even foreign countries In lS45. for example, the So
cety Of German philolcists and the European society for
the reform Of the penensiary system met at Frankfort
IN 1852 il the seat 0f the peace congress in 1854
that Of the meeting of the German Protestant cergym
In the month If June there will he at Frankfort the
meeting of German teachers, and in September that Of
the international congress Of befcence meeting Of
1
year. but it has been adjourned All these mcctngs to
which the authorities well the citizens give liberal
encouragement and which afford the means to gather
information az even general public interest could not ap
propriaely be held in the Hanc Towns in any other
| city of Germany, 50 we'll as Frankfort.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
A,yoi,,aeat We understand that Samuel Peassn,
esq., has been appointed appraiser of the customs
at Phila ielphia, in place Of p Harry Hayes, esq.
waR pEPsKrNKsT.
General Orders, HEaparaRrrRs on nIE AMY
No.T New York May 20 1857.
In recent orders from the headquarters of department
the arragnment and consequent trial OF certain nname
soldiers before general courtnartia ordered or the
trial of such persons may be properly brought beo
it, is pronounced Egtyzl snot having been auhornS
by the department commander the charges not having
been forwarded from department headquarters, but pre-
| ferred ON the spot
1t is not deemed safe consistent with the interests
military discipline 10 allow this ruling to pass unqucS
toned into prevalent
The orders were in the usual FORM limited by any
accompanying Instructions Under such orders it ha
been the standing and general practice Of the sersc
against whom charges presented, through the udg
advocate by the highest authority the spot The Gus
tom seems as reasonable convenient and can only
questioned by negative inference from the silence OF W
law Ii invades rights but protects the right OF spe
trial 1t raves expense, emp,ies the guarhouss, al
makes punishment efcctive by prcmptpes-
Should the authority institu,ing courtmarta disre
gard these considerations and limit the court to the tina