Page images
PDF
EPUB

ANNEXE C. IN THE PRECEDING DESPATCH.

THE NEW LAW OR DECREE RELATIVE TO THE ADMISSION OF STRANGERS INTO CRACOW OUGHT TO COMPRIZE THE FOLLOWING POINTS.

1. That no permission shall be given to foreign subjects to visit the territory of Cracow without being furnished with a regular passport.

2. That, in addition, no stranger should be permitted to remain who should be unprovided with regular papers. The subjects of the three protecting Courts would in this case be sent back to the countries to which they belong, and the other strangers in the direction whence they came.

3. That there should be pronounced, in the event of such law not existing, the punishment applicable to falsifying passports, certificates, &c., &c., to which he who should produce falsified passports should be subjected in the state of Cracow: after which the guilty party, if he be a subject of the protecting powers, should be placed at the disposal of his government, and be sent out of the territory of Cracow, if he belongs to another country.

4. That the punishment for those who should receive individuals not furnished with regular passports, or who should neglect to denounce them to the police, should be increased. The protecting

cow.

Courts do not, however, mean to comprize in the obligation to produce the passports inhabitants of the frontier when they are known, and do not stop more than three days in the territory of CraNor do they mean to give to this law a retrospective effect, relative to the persons who should previously have settled in Cracow and work in their trades, on condition, however, that a term should be fixed for these persons to conform to the regulation. Finally, the protecting Courts mean to lend every facility compatible with their police regulations, as well to receive the individuals who should be sent away from the territory of Cracow, as to furnish passports or certificates to those of their subjects who might wish to enter for valid reasons into the state of CraCOW. One cannot admit that a law such as that proposed, which is founded on the simplest rules of a good administration of police, can be contrary to Article 8 of the Constitution for the state of Cracow; since, most certainly, one would neither be inclined, nor have the power, to impose on the government of Cracow an obligation to receive and tolerate criminals, evil-disposed people, and vagabonds who might take refuge in their territory whenever they should not be claimed.

THE GERMAN DIET.

[The following Memoir on the composition of the Diet of Frankfort has been transmitted to us by a ci-devant Member of the Diplomatic Body.]

The Congress of Vienna, in its arrangements relative to the affairs of Germany, had as little responded to the wishes of Austria as to the hopes of Prussia. They had not agreed upon the question of knowing whether they should divide the supremacy in Germany between them, or whether for the sake of form they should place themselves on a level with the other members of the confederation. In fact, the two parties thought themselves obliged to have recourse to the expedient of all political philosophers, who do not know how to extricate themselves from a difficulty - they

thought it necessary to wait.

This policy may

have its inconveniences, but it is inviting to most men, and they never know how to act otherwise on occasions when decision and prompt execution appear difficult.

The first years after the Diet had been consti

tuted elapsed without affording this assembly the opportunity of displaying any great activity. They did not as yet know how to use the excellent opportunity offered to them by the Amphictyons of Frankfort. They concerned themselves but little with the individuals composing the Diet, and seemed to care but little whether this or that person represented Austria, Prussia, or any other state. Thus it happened that an opposition to the views of Austria and Prussia developed itself in the councils of the Diet; an opposition the more vexatious, as it was founded on a liberal basis. The most distinguished member of this opposition was the Minister of Wirtemberg, the Baron de Wangenheim, who appeared more particularly calculated to represent a Prince who had the juvenile caprice of choosing to be liberal, and choosing, in concert with other constitutional states of southern Germany, to form an opposition against Austria and Prussia. Count Buol-Schauenstein, at that time Minister of Austria at the Diet, appeared in his simplicity and in the confidence with which he was inspired by the superiority of the power by whom he was commissioned, not to perceive the real nature of this opposition in the Diet. The

Prussian Minister, Count de Goltz, had given it some attention, but he thought it too insignificant to attach to it any importance in his communications to his Court. Nevertheless, the rôle which the King of Wirtemberg intended to play could not remain a mystery to the Cabinets of Austria or of Prussia.

Austria had placed in the military commission of the Diet General Langenau, Member and President of the Commission. Endowed with a more than ordinary talent for judging and directing secret intrigues, he possessed the confidence of Prince Metternich, who employed him in all affairs relating to Germany. An attentive observer, he had perceived the peculiar position which the Diet had taken in 1822 and 1823, without any fixed project, or without being aware of what it was doing. He had warned Prince Metternich of it, adding his own suggestions respecting the official functionaries at Frankfort.

At this same epoch (1822) Baron de Berstett, formerly Minister at the Diet, was Minister of State in the Grand Duchy of Baden. He had on various former occasions shown his aptitude in business, and his penetration in judging the cha

VOL. IV.-NO. XXVIII.

I

« PreviousContinue »