New-York tribune., 1868-04-30
THE GERMAN ZOLLTEREIN PARLIAMENT

THE GERMAN Z0LLTEREIN PARLIAMENT
The Parliament which was opened at Berlin
by the King of Prussia on Monday was not,
rs a dispatch to the Associated Press misled
the morning papers OF this city generally to
call it, the North German Parliament, but, as
was stated in THE TRIBUNE, the Parliament OF
the German Zollvcrein, or Customs Union.
This union embraces. beside the NOrth-Gcuman
Confederation, the four States of South Germany,
namely, the Kingdoms of Bavaria and Wurtem-
berg, and the Grand Duchies of Baden and
HeSse- Darmstadt, or the whole of the Old Ger
man Confederacy, with the exception OF the
German provinces of Austria the Grand Duchy
of Luxemburg, and the little prncipality OF
LicLtenstein AS an assembly, representing
nearly the whole of the German nations, it will
excite considerable interest, and the hearing OF
its proceedings upon the progress OF German
unity will be closely watched.
The Zollvercn Parliament consists OF the
members of the North-German Parliament and
the representatives of the four South German
States, specially elected according to the cleo
toral law of Northern Germany, namely, by
direct and universal suffrage, at the rate of one
deputy for every one hundred thousand
80 Deputies against 300 belonging to Northern
Germany. The first election in the South Ger
man States, which took place in February and
March, showed that rs yet the friends of the
immediate entrance of South Germany into the
North German Confederation are in a minority.
Three parties coaesced against 1.-THE Govern
ment party in Bavaria, Wurtcmbcrg and Hcsse-
DarmStadt and the Catholic and Democratic
parties in all the -four States The combination
proved more formidable than had been expected.
The Union party suffered a severe defeat III
Bavaria and Wurtemberg-in the latter country
not a single one of its candidates being elected.
In Baden, where an overwhelming majority of
the population was supposed TO agree with the
Government in desiring admission to the North
German Confederation, the aggregate vote
showed only slight majority in favor of the
Union candidates, and the Representatives are
about equally divided. Altogether. about 20 ont
10 Deputies, and about one-third of all the
voters, favor the union of the Southern States
with Northern Germany. The majority of the
Southern Deputies will unite with the Radical
Left, the Poles, Danes, and adhercnts of the
expelled princes in the Northern Parliament in
opposition to the German policy of the Peus-
sian Government
The opposition of the South German deputies
to the Prussian policy will, however, not arrest
the progress of the consolidation of Germany.
With the exception of about dozen Poles and
Danes, all the members of the Iollverein Par
liament-North Germans and South Germans,
Conservatives and Radicals, Pr0testants and
Cathocs-are in favor of a united Germany and
of common Parliament. They merely differ
unity The Prussian Government does not APP
pear To he at all distressed at the unwilling
ness of the South Germans To enter ut once
the new Confedeation the military and com
mcrcial unity of all the States, which has been
established is in its opinion, for the present,
n satisfactory expression of the national unity.
Consequently the Kings opening speech was
of the most cOnciliatory character, and the Par
Lament complimented the Southern delegation
10y eecting the Prime Minister of Bavaria
Prince Hohenlohe, its first NiceP President.
This spirit of mutual forbearance cannot fail
to bear fruit. The military and commercial
unity of the nation is likely to he strength
ened, and to be generally accepted as the
first step toward the establishment of the
German Empire of the future Different views
will still be expressed as to the best way OF
completing the work of union; but the unau-
imous desire for Il steady progress of the union
will greatly aid in removing all obstacles.