The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-28
TWO CENTS.

l
mixed Regency, and his Royal Hghness the Prince
of Prussia for all practical purposes will be ruler OF
Prussia. The present situation of the Prince has
been painful one, nasmuch as he was merely the
wi-less instrument of government which did not
represent his views and Of power in the exercise
of which he had voice control. The States, az
represented in the Chamber; the people, as far as
they could be heard through the press, and the
Prince himself heartily tired of this anomalous
condition of public affairs The application of the
5Gth article of the constitution however, which
gives TO the States the power TO declare whether the
case provided for therein--the incapacity of the
King 10 carry on the goyernment-has occurred, was
with difficulty consented to by both partes-those
who desired mixed Regency and those who In
common with the immense majority OF the people,
wished the Prince of Prussia 10 assume the govern
ment. The question with both parties, whether
the power oil Parliament 10 decide whether the King
is capable or incapsS.e to carry on the government
may not virtually place the Crown at the disposition
OF tue majority though they may not have the power
TO change the law OF succession? IL is this delicate
question which, as we would say in the United States
'superindnced" the present MINISTERS of the crown
aud those whose views they are supposed to repre-
sent TO let the King himself settle the matter in or
der to give the States about to be assembled in Ber
lin other control over it than that of sanctionng
the royal will. BY this means, too, the Prince Of
Prussia succeeds to the regency without any formal
expression of the popular will, and without as
suniing even any implied obligation toward his
and camorous friends. Notwithstanding all this,
there exists general belief that the Prince of Prus-
sia viii act in liberal sense aud that not only the
foreign policy of Prussia but also her domestic
will undergo considerable modification. 1t is also
believed that he will either partially or entirely
change the present ministry, and Count Arnim is al
ready indicated as the person most likely to succeed
Baron MantenheL here beg to refer you to what
predicted two months ago in my letters to the
Union, Those persons however, who expect rad
cal change, such as an extension of the franchise,
additional privileges conferred the Prussian Par
Lament, and popular development of the munich
pal power OF the towns, will in all probability, be
disappointed. The Prince Of Prussia is only two
years younger than the King, his brother and their
education and early predictions We're the same.
The Prince of Prussia is thorough soldier and all
soldiers are more OF less prone to exercise absolute
authority. The Prince, however, is man of char
acter and will, and the accamation with which he is
received by the people may develop those qualities,
for the exhibition and exercise Of which he has had
heretoiorenecr the opportunity nor the disposition
The recent visit OF the Prince Napoleon to War
saw has been accompanied by circumstances of a
novel character Wherever the Prince showed himself
i'll public, he was received with cheers and the cries
of ptUeP Emperor! ViUe Prince Napoleon! The old
Polish sympathes for France seemed for moment to
be revived, and the nobility were quito as willing to
give vent to their feelings the mass of the people
AS it happened, the Prince had but few opportrni-
ties to receive these manifestations of the old SQUIRE
ans of Poland /; but they were marked, and may
induce more caution in the Russian government of
Poland than might otherwise have been used Count
Potocki and Prince Lubinski, two historical names
of Poland, received grand crosses of the Legion Of
Honor A.number of Russian orders were distribu-
ted among the officers in the suite of Prince Napo-
leon.
An interesting little episode, and counterpart to
the right OF search as lately attempted to be
cised by British cruisers, is that of Portuguese
man-ofwar capturing the French ship George
Charles, with full cargo Of Stree emigrant ne
groes, and conducting the vessel first, to the coast
of Mozambique, and thence to Lisbon. The Portu-
guese admiralty court has assumed jurisdiction over
the case but the Emperor of the French has just
despatched two line-of-bat ships the Donauworh
and the Austerlitz, under command of Admiral La
vaud TO Tagus not only peremptorily to demand the
surrender OF the ship George Charles but to ask for
damages done to the owners, captain, and crew.
Considering the almost absolute dependence of Por
tugal on England ever since the Methuen treaty of
l2, the zeal which the cruisers OF that power have
lately displayed in the chase Of real presumptive
savers is somewhat remarkable. Is this, too part
of the secret instruction giyenby Lord Pamerslon
Ii SO, the proceedings Of the French government in
regard to u power which must be considered one
OF the parents of the slave trade will exhibit to the
world that the philanthropics sentiments which
prompt even Portugal with newborn zeal for Afri-
can humanity s very apt to lead to serious compli-
cations, unless prudently and seasonably abandoned
There il but oie legitimate way of abolishiDg the
slave trade, and that is by the annexation Of Cuba
to the United States. England begins to understand
this, and France is willing TO be convinced Portn-
gal will surrender the George Charles. +. J. g..
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