The Portland daily press., 1865-08-21
PRUSSIA.

The aspect OF inc Poiticeu shy LII rrussla
grows lowering. The threatening cloud isaal-
ready a good deal bigger than mans hand,
and unless present indications are falsied by
the result there must be serious trouble there
before long. The King and his Prime Minis
I ter, Won Bismark, seem resolved to crush out
with an iron hand all resistance to their des-
potic will Newspapers have been seized, and
their editors fined and imprisoned, for using
the mildest and most respectful language IN
,nnosition to the Government. Municipal
officers. constitutionally elected, have been de-
nriyed of their seats, simply because they dis
approved of the course Of, government. Dep
uties cannot be punished for anything they
may say in the Chambers but they have been
warned and seized for the most moderate ut
terance outside. One of the most able champ
ions Of the people, NJ. Jacoby, the member
} for Berlin, has recently been convicted of high
treason and sentenced to six months imprison-
ment for some remarks addressed to his con-
stituents. We have already laid before our
readers an account of the rupture between the
King and the Chamber of Deputies, when the
latter refusing to vote as the Government
wished was angrily dissolved The people
took up the quarrel for their representatives
They sustained and applauded the action Of
those Deputies who held out for popular rights,
and arranged banquets in their honor. The
military broke up the banquets, and al, Dentz,
near Cologne, drove the people out of their
nall with the bayonet. The guests. in large
numbers, proceeded by railroad to the neigh
boring town of Oberlahnstein, in Nassau, eE-
erywhere in their progress cheered by excited
crowds of people, and there again essayed to
hold their festival. Again they were INTERRUPT
ted by a military visitation, dispersed, and
several arrests made On their return to Co.
logne, the abused banqueters were received
with great demonstrations Of popular sympa-
thy and indignation, though no resistance was
made, and no outbreak of lawlessness took
place. This peaceable acquiescence the peo-
pie seems to be regarded as a triumph Of the
despotic Government and the fear is express
sed in some quarters that the latter may sue
coed in trampling out all sparks of popular
liberty. But in the meantime, 8disregarding
an edict which forbids public assemblages Of
the people, the officers of the General Asso-
citation Of Working men in Germany. have
issued a stirring cad to their delegates through
out the country to hold work ingmen's meet
ings in support of the party Of progress, and
of the rights of union, and pledging the Cen
tire sympathies and active cooperation of the
working classess to the advocates of freedom.
"Working menn concludes the appeal,
"Noy is the time to show energy and, by
mass meetings, to uphold right fndispensa-
BILE, together with unshackled liberty in speech
and writing, to the achievement of all further
freedom. May the working class which con-
stitutes the immense majority of the iiihab-
Itants of the State, in this case cast its infu-
snce into the scale and demonstrate its fitness
Tor free institutions" afs95 ia .sosselgsesa
Undoubtedly attempts win be made to sup
press these demonstrations also, and perhaps
with success; but the spirit which is alive in
Prussia cannot permanently be kept down.
The moderation and self-control thus far eyinc-
ed by the people, and which seem to indicate
an easy triumph for the despotic government,
are in reality among the most encouraging
signs for the future Of the people All things
come round in time to those who know how
to wait, and every such triumph of the King
and his Minister is defeat in disguise They
must ultimately reach the point beyond which
endurance cannot go; and then will come a
crash. The king, selfwilled, obstinate and ty-
rannical as Charles the First of England, seems
to have learned nothing by the teachings of
history. His people, on the contrary, evident
ly have learned to mingle prudence and mod
Grafton with their resolute love of liberty, and
they have thereby gained the ''inside track
| in therace for power. If they are wise enough
to keep 1t, their triumph is sure. saa9es'.io