New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-12-02
THE STATE OF EUROPE,


will end one announcing that on the 18th inst the
FeAersl Diet of the German Princes at Frankfort
had refrrs the affair Of the Constitution of Hesse-
Cassel 10 q Committee, and that Prussis and
OldeDburg have voted for the establishment OF the
Constitution Of 1881. Though this dispatch IS not
likely 10 attract the attention Of The Englsh pa
pers entirely ignorant as they are OF German al
fairs, it is, in many respects, Of great Importance
To show this, We must take look backward
When. in 1914, the worthless Elector of Iesse was
not only restored 10 bis dominons, but rewarded by
The Congress Of Vienna for his obstnacy with seye-
raj smaller counties adjoining bis former possessions
all the old institutions Of those territories revived
the different portions of the principality had differ
emf constitutions and some of the representiye
assemblies had the right of voting and denying the
faxes The ElectOr William III. tried, therefore, IN
1S2I TO abolish the old institutions by decree OF
organization and to establish his own sovereign
viii. but the Courts Of justice maintained the OLD
rights of the population: the Eector could not sue
ceed, and there were plenty OF protests, ana law
suts and discomfort in the country. The rey0u-
ton Of 1880 frightened at last the Prince out Of his
wits; the old "estates Of the different provinces
were called together, and on January D, 1851, o
new Constitution was established by them and ac-
cepted by the Elector, who at that time sOlemnly
declared his heartfelt wish that this Constitution
should for centuries remain the monument OF the
sympathy between the Prince and peO-
(" pe Of Heese." SO sOon, however, as the
tide Of reaction set in again in 1884, there arose
chickering's between the Ministry and Chambers, and
the Constitution was practically perverted and
made useless by Government intrgues. Hesse
had VIGOROUSLY the worst administration ID Ger
many up TO l94S, when again the ElectOr was
frightened by the revolution, and in lS49 agreed to
g fbo ifttfin
the franchise. BY the new electoral law the oppo
sition got a majority, but when the revolution IN
Hungary was crushed BY Russian intervention the
Elector dismissed his liberal Ministry appointed
the notorious Hassenphug bis Prime Minister in
February, 1850, and thus put himself into open OPP
position with his Chambers Extraordinary taxes
were demanded by the Minister, and refused by the
Chambers; the conflict became every day more
violent, the majority Of the members of the Diet
insisted upon the removal of the obnoxious Minis
ter and as their wishes were not regarded, re-
fused 10 vote the taxes. The Chambers were there
upon dissolved and the taxes leved but as the nhab
itants offered passive resistance to the illegal pro-
ceedings Of the tax-gatherers, the country was de-
cIared TO be in state of war, and Austrian and
BayariaD troops marched in to uphold the authOri-
ty of the ElectOr Prussia seemed 10 take the
side Of the Hessan people, but only for a moments
the crazy King sent his Minister Manteufe, to
Omutz Goth Nov, 1850, and submitted to the
dictation of Prince Schwarzenberg leaving the
Hesgien affairs as well as those of Schleswig- HOl
stein to the decision Of the Austrian Cabinet After
some entirely German proceedings, commissions,
reports, provisional decrees and organizations not
only the reform Of le49 but ali the Constitution of
1881 was declared illegal and abolished, and a new
Constitution introduced on the 18th of April, 1852.
The country remained for several years under mar
tial law, but the population remained faithful TO the
principles OF liberty, protested, petitioned, and az
ter seven years struggles once more brought the
affair before the Diet of Frankfort, insisting upon
the right to retain the Constitution Of 1881. Aus
tria, Of course, maintains the ordinances of 1852,
and the absolute authority of the Prince, but Prus-
sia, as we see by the telegraphc dispatch, holder
than in 1850 raises her voice behalf of the rights
Of the people. The fact that she is seconded by
OldenbuTg the yassal of Russia, throws some light
upon the recent interview between the Gar and
Prince Regent at BreslAu. Their alliance cannot
be friendly to Austria since the Hessian affair is
now all over Germany taken for the trial of strength
between Austria and Prussia; il decides the pre-
ponderance either of Prussia and CODstltutiOnasn,
or of Austria and Despotsm. AS to the final de-
csion, it looms still in the future, since the forms
of the Frankfort Diet are cumbersome that il is
scarcely possible to zee this old pending political
suit finally set at rest within year. unless Prussia
should like to precipate il in order to establish her
leadership in Germany. The Austrian papers
speak already Of this question as of one involving
not only the highest interests but ali the future of
Germanyi but the foreign press uuaccustomed to
German sluggishness, scarcely notices this import
ant phase Of the fatherland.
The Italian question progresses more rapidly
and more favOrably. The four provinces
steadily continue their work of amalgamation;
their army Is organized upon the Sandman
model the old money Of the Archdukes is
called in, and exchanged for the new cur
rency coined according to the French system,
which was introduced long ago in Sardinia, and
marked by the head of Victor Emanuel as King
elect of Central Italy. The last step for the
plete fusion Of Tuscany and the other provinces,
designated by the common name of Kmha, re-
manned to be taken; Regency was appointed by
the King Victor Emanuel. Many were the diplomat
edhcutes raised against such step, which cannot
fail to preciptate matters and to PREJUDICE the action
Of the Congress in an ant-Ausrian spirit According
b. the Prince Of Carguan elected by the Constituent
Assemblies Of the four provinces did not accept the
Regency offered to HIM, but in the Of The kiHg,
he designated the Cheyalier Buoneompagne as Re-
gent Of Central Italy, who at once accepted the
mission, and set ont TO assume the government.
Victor Emanuel thus, for the first time acted as
real sovereign, since BuOncompagnes Regency
owes its origin Dot to popular election, but strictly
20 delegation from the King who toward Napoleon
aud Francis Joseph has the plausible answer that,
had be acted otherwise, either Cayoar or Garibald
would have been elected and that the Regency of
either Of the two would have been aggressive-a
signal for revolutionary outbreaks in Umbria aud
the Marches.