The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-22
Foreign.
GCorrespondence of the Boston Advertiser


PRUSSIAN POLITICS. 49,
In Prussia the most noteworthy poht,cal
event appears to be the revival, to certain
extent, Of the old conflict between the govern
ment and the Lower House OF the Landtag or
Parliament Though much reduced in numer-
zeal strength at the last elections in conse-
onence Of the reaction in favor of the GOVERN
ment, brought about by the unexpected results
of the war, the liberal party has shown nv its
course in the Lower House, in the mast few
weeks, that it has fully recovered from the dis
courageinent OF last summer, and is determin-
ed TO cheek, as OF DID, the traditional inclina-
tons OF the Kings government to make arbi-
tary demands upon the national legislature
and 70 exercise arbitrary powers. On four sew
eral occasions has the opposition of the liberal
IN empers succeeded in defeating the govern
ment during the consideration of the annual
appropriation bills, which has constituted so
TAR the main business of the present session OF
the Berlin Parliament. First, they brought
about the refusal OF an improper demand for
an increase of the salaries OF the higher grades
OF civil officers. Their argument, that the
lower classes of officials, whose pay is wretch
eddy low in Prussia, should receive the Dene,
fit of Legislative iberality, prevailed by small
majority. Next, they made the government
yield its position relative to the Dill appropri-
ating one million and half of Prussian thai
ers Isl, 100000 for pecuniary donations to the
public servants who had most distinguished
themselves in the late war. The government
wanted the House simply to vote the money,
But the liberals insisted on inserting the names
of the intended recipients of the peoples mo-
new in the bill, and carried their point after
protractea resistance on the part of the GOV
eminent. Their third success the
liberals achieved in having by their efforts an
appropriation of 5000 thalers for the secret
police fund stricken out of the budget of the
Minister OF the Interia. The most
important liberal triumph consisted in carry
ing resolution by majority OF fourteen, de-
claring expressly that, though the House
would vote, in view OF the political situation,
the appropriations asked for by the War De-
partment, this action was not intended to i'm
ply an indirect appreciation of the acts of the
King and ministry in connection with the re-
organization OF the army, carried out since
1860, in violation of the Constitution and the
laws OF the land. The reorganization of the
army, it will be remembered, was inaugurated
and accomplished by King William and the
| Bismarck ministry without tue sanction Of
Parliament, by fragrant usurpation OF power
1t formed the main point at issue in the five
| years struggle between the government ano
Parliament, in the course of which the former
again and again dissolved the latter for steady
refusal of constantly increasing opposition ma
jorities to vote the additional appropriations
| required by the War Department under the re
organization, the last dissolution taking place
as late as last February. By the passage o
the resolution, the liberals formally annOunc
| ed to the government that its late victories
have neither wiped out its past record of out
rageous, persistent wrong to the popular
branch of the national legislature, nor render
| ed them disposed to follow its dictation blndh
fcation in which an unconditional voting 0
appropriations that they had SO consistently re
fused in the past would have inevitably involv
ed them. ,-l.f l15s sfSrug 20