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ture has been communicated from Berlin; we only learn, that the new constitution remained unsettled at the end of the year, but that a promise has been given by his Majesty, that it shall make its appearance early in the ensuing

year.

A remarkable example of that spirit of sound sense and plain dealing, which is probably now making a steady progress through Germany, appeared in March, in a memorial presented to the assembled States of the Electorate of Hesse, from the districts on the river Diemel, and signed by a hundred of their chief magistrates. Its translation runs thus :

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"As our gracious Sovereign has again called the States together, to deliberate on the distresses of the country, and, if possible, to relieve them, we take the liberty urgently to lay before our Deputies chosen for the sent Assembly, the following desire:-The taxes which we have to pay are intolerably heavy. The French times were bad; but the present, if all the money paid is reckoned together, are still worse; and were it not for our own dear Elector, who is a Hessian as well as ourselves, the country would not have been silent so long: for the money is demanded without intermission, and yet there is no trade, no business ; and when the money is once out of our hands, it never comes back any more. We know that we are bound to give what is necessary for the support of the State, and we will do it with pleasure as long as it is possible; but the misfortune is, that we do not know how much the country pro

perly requires. However, as our most gracious Prince has called his States together, to consult with them on the economy (the German word means the housekeeping) of the country, it is to he hoped, that every body will learn what is necessary, and what is too much. We hoped that this would be done last year; but as it was not, and as our burthens have since become still greater, we beg our Deputies, 1st, To ascertain what part of the large outstanding sums of money, which they say the country of Hesse demands, belongs to the country, and what part of the public property which we already have, belongs to the country, and what to the Prince. When this is ascertained, we beg them to examine, 2d, Whither (that is, into what coffers) the large sums of money flow, which we have to pay annually, and for what purposes it is employed. And then, 3dly, To seek for ways and means by which the existing taxes may be diminished, and placed on a more moderate footing. And that this mild, reasonable rate of taxation may not be altered arbitrarily, we beg our deputies, 4thly, To provide that an established constitution may be given to the country, so that, without the consent of the States, nothing may be demanded or imposed, because it is just and reasonable, that he who is to give, be asked how much he can give. These are our wishes, our necessary desire. We should not have spoken, if it had been to be borne; but it is too bad, and it grieves us that our good Prince loses the love of the people in the country, be

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cause he does not forbid evil counsellors to approach him; therefore we beg our deputies to speak the truth openly, and not to dissemble for we Hessians mean it honestly both with our Prince and our country, and wish that the ancient order in the country, and the ancient love to the Prince, may return. Then we shall all be helped!"

The differences between the King and the States of Wurtemberg, which occupied a considerable place in the political transactions of Germany in the last year, were renewed early in the present, with unabated contention. In April was published a rescript of the King's ministry to the Assembly of the States, on an address of the latter in January, relative to the tax-executions (as they are named) issued with his Majesty's approbation. It consists of detailed reasonings concerning the obligations of paying the taxes imposed, in which a statement is given of the reductions made in the expences of the state, a large proportion of which is in the military establishment. The paper concludes with an admonition, that as long as the present provisional state of things continues, the assembly can only be regarded as a body convoked to deliberate upon a constitution, and that it has no claim to co-operate as states of the kingdom, which can only be conferred by a future constitu

tion.

On April 20th there was published at Stuttgard, a royal monition, which is an important document respecting the liberties of Germany. The King, it is

affirmed, has received clear proofs, that several of the Princes and Counts, formerly states of the empire, and now his subjects, have not only entered into an union among themselves, and with other formerly immediate states of the empire, but have applied to foreign courts, and attempted to procure their interference in determining their political relations to the state; they are therefore reminded that such conduct can be regarded in no other light than as a crime against the state, to be punished with the utmost severity of the law; and besides the legal proceedings to which they will expose themselves by future criminality, they are threatened with the immediate sequestration of all estates belonging to them in his Majesty's dominions. This notification appears to have been sent individually by the minister of the home department to the persons concerned.

The States of Wurtemberg, persisting in their resolution of regarding themselves as partakers of the national authority, presented to the King, on June 12th, a protest against the levying of taxes by the Crown, without the joint consent of the St tes. This measure produced on the part of the King a rescript, in which he declared, that he should be justified in dissolving an assembly which indulged itself in language contrary to all principles of order; but that not to disappoint the expectations of his people respecting a constiution, he refrains from taking such a step. He however positively assures the states, that he will in future at

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tend to no representation which shall not relate to the business of the constitution.

The small effect produced by this declaration, appeared by three addresses successively presented to the King, one of which was a remonstrance against an extraordinary levy of 900 men, ordered without any plausible reason, and of which no official notice had been given to the States.

This dissention between prince and people was continued without the prospect of an amicable termination, when it was concluded by the death of the King of Wurtemberg on the 30th of October. This Sovereign was born in 1754, and married for his first wife, a Princess of Wolfenbuttle, by whom he has left three children. His second wife was a daughter of the king of England, who had no issue. He was raised to the regal dignity by Buonaparte in the beginning of 1806, which honour he purchased by large contingents for his patron's expeditions, and by the marriage of his daughter to Jerome Buonaparte, and of his eldest son to a princess of Bavaria, which last nuptials however were not consummated. His disorder is said to have been an apoplectic seizure, resulting from a very gross habit of body. In character he was impetuous and arbitrary; but a lover of justice, and versed in several branches of knowledge. His successor, now of the age of 35, greatly distinguished himself in the two last campaigns against the French, and has been generally regarded as liberal in his political sentiments. He has married the

Duchess of Oldenburg, sister to the Emperor Alexander.

Shortly after his accession, his Majesty received an address from the assembly of the States, expressed in terms of profound respect and attachment. Alluding to the expectation entertained by his subjects of future happiness under his sceptre, they say, "To your Majesty the country owes the first step towards a return to its rights, namely, the recognition of the fundamental laws of the country, which his late Majesty, according to his own declaration, made after having previously consulted with your Majesty." In his answer the King speaks of his conviction, that the object on which his people and himself place their highest happiness, can only be obtained by a representative constitution, adapted to all their various relations. The States were prorogued to the following January.

The first accounts of the new reign relate to reign relate to the system of reform in the expenditure, which the King is bringing to effect in every part of the administration. The reductions in the army comprize those corps which are particularly devoted to the purposes of regal state, the Royal Horseguards, and the Hulan bodyguards. A number of saddle and carriage horses in the King's stables were also brought to sale; and all the employments at court were newly organized, with great savings. Another indication of a favourable change in the sovereign authority was given by the liberation of state prisoners confined in the castle of Asperg. It may be hoped, that the succeed

ing year will afford in Wurtemberg the example of a king and people co-operating with harmony in establishing a form of government equally conducive to the maintenance of private liberty and public security.

The court of Vienna was thrown into mourning in April by the death, at Verona, of the second wife of the Emperor Francis, after a lingering illness. She was born at Milan, and was the daughter of the late Archduke Ferdinand, and the Archduchess Beatrice of Este. She bore a high character for the performance of her public and private duties.

The finances of Austria having long been in a very embarrassed state, there were issued at Vienna in the beginning of June, four imperial patents, by which a new system for supporting the public credit was established. By the first of these enactments it is declared, that in future no paper money having a forced value and circulation shall be created, nor shall any increase take place in the amount of what is already in circulation; and if extraordinary circumstances should require expenses beyond the ordinary resources of the State, measures should be taken to cover them by new expedients, without having recourse to forced paper money. The second related to the erection of a national bank, which was the principal engine for converting the existing paper money into a security of a different kind. By the third, certain revenues of the State are indicated, which are to be paid exclusively in bank notes, or, for smaller sums, in what is termed convention money;

and the fourth provides for maintaining the value of the small copper coin received as convention money.

The idea of the Austrian finances afforded by this scheme, is by no means encouraging; and before the end of the year, government found it necessary to publish, that it was impossible, in the present distressing circumstances of the State, to repeal, for 1817, the imposts which were laid in the preceding year.

It was not long before the Emperor made a proposal for supplying the vacancy in the imperial bed from the royal family of Bavaria, which was accepted, and the Princess (the same who had before been contracted to a Prince of Wurtemberg) was conducted to Vienna in November. At the request of the bride, it is said, the festivities ordered on occasion of the nuptials, were countermanded in consequence of the distresses of the people. This new alliance may contribute to strengthen the amity between two sovereign houses which have been habitually hostile to each other.

At the opening of the Germanic Diet at Frankfort in this year, a speech was delivered by the Austrian minister as its president, which contains matter worthy of observation. After dwelling some time upon a general character of the German nation, and a historical sketch of its principal political epochs from the time of Rodolph of Hapsburg, to the recovery of its independence in the year 1815, and its new union in the league constituting the Diet of Frankfort, he said, Germany is not destined

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to form one dom nant power; but as little is it wished, that its union should be a mere political league of defence. Germany is summoned to form a league of states, securing the nationality of the whole. It will be our duty to hold sacred this twofold object; respect for the various races of people, and various governments of Germany, and equal respect for the great uniting league which excites and supports our nationality." The president, in conclusion, took notice of the relation to the Diet, of that court, the head of which once wore the imperial crown. It is solemnly declared, (he said) by the express order of the Emperor, my master, that his Majesty considers himself as in all respects an equal member of the league; that he recognizes in the conferred presidency of the Diet no real political privilege, but merely respects in it the honourable distinction of being a conductor of its transactions.' Such is the principle of equality fundamental to the new Ge manic Diet. What will be its real influence on the internal affairs of the nation, time must prove.

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An appeal to its authority on one important occasion has been made public, by an application to the Diet from the envoy of Saxe Weimar, submitting to it the new constitution of that state, and demanding for it the guaranty of the Germanic confederation. This Occurrence was rendered interesting in Germany, as being calculated to sound the disposition of the several powers with respect to representative forms of government. The envoy stated in a memoir, that the object of

the proposed guaranty was to secure to the different branches of the constitution the peaceable enjoyment of their stipulated rights; and he concluded with proposing, that the Weimar constitutional act should be deposited in the archives of the Diet. The envoys of Austria and Prussia complimented the Duke of Saxe Weimar on this proof of his patriotic sentiments; but said, that they must apply for instructions to their respective courts.

The Netherland envoy for the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg held a different opinion. He said, the event was satisfactory, as serving for an examp'e of the establishment of such a constitution, without angry discussions or metaphysical parade, and on the simple principle of suum cuique; and he wished it might prove an additional motive with other princes and states to perform a similar duty. Though he might see with pleasure a great state exercise long deliberation on such a topic, he could wish that states of less extent should act with more celerity. He concluded a speech of some length with proposing a vote of thanks to the Duke of Saxe Weimar, and a resolution assuring his states and country of the guaranty of the German federation.

The conclusion was, that the Diet resolved, that the fundamental law of the constitution of Weimar should be deposited in its archives; but that before deciding on the question of guaranty, they must wait for the votes of Brunswick and Nassau.

The Diet paid a due respect to their national language by an

unanimous

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