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over which the Prince Chancellor of State presided. On this occasion the Prince delivered a long speech, in which he described the manner in which the basis of the constitutional labours should commence. He laid down the proposition, that the constitution ought to unfold itself as it were in a historical manner out of the state of society; that therefore a correct knowledge of existing institutions was was necessary; and that what was now in existence ought first to be taken into consideration. He accordingly proposed that commisioners should be sent into the different provinees, in order to obtain information on the spot respecting the ancient constitutions; and also to

converse with and collect the opinions of men of learning in the provinces on the subject. These commissioners are to be chosen from the body of the Constitutional Committee, and to receive orders to complete their inquiry by the next meeting of the Council of State, which is to take place in Autumn, in order that their labours may in that meeting be made the subject of deliberation. This proposal was generally ap proved; and the minister of state, Von Altenstein, Von Boyme, and Von Klewitz, are nominated to this commission, and have set out for the provinces. Thus (says the paper) one step more is taken towards the forming of a constitution for Prussia.

CHAP

CHAPTER XIII.

Stutgard.-Sitting of the States.-Their Dissolution.-The King takes upon himself the Regulation of the Finances.-Duchy of Saxe-Weimar : Its admission to the Germanic Confederation.-Session of the StatesGeneral of the United Provinces.-King's Speech.-Dutch Tea-Trade.Piedmontese Gazette.-Constantinople.

STUTGARD.

terpoise are, as you desire, excluded from the deliberations or

N the first sitting of the states, the votes of your assembly, it is

I an address

to his Majesty, to which he re-
turned an answer on the 16th of
March, assuring them that he
would not permit the members of
his Privy Council to be present at
any discussion in which it should
be proposed by the States to pre-
fer complaints to the throne
against them. The States, pro-
ceeding in the commenced delibe-
rations on the constitution, voted
an address to the king for his
gracious assurances.
At the same
time they specify the ameli-
oration of divers laws since the
accession of his Majesty, express-
ing the greatest confidence in his
wisdom and good intentions, and
anticipating the brightest pros-
pects of national happiness and
improvement from his reign.

On the same day the king caused to be read the answer of the Privy Council addressed, by his order, to the States. "Nothing (said the council) can be more pernicious to an assembly composed of different elements, than the spirit of faction, when it is not perpetually qualified by a sufficient counterpoise. If those whom the laws appoint to form that coun

faction will not bring forward their strongest objections to the views of government in the presence of the privy counsellors, but in secret sittings; and that in these, resolutions will be adopted without allowing an opportunity of hearing or weighing the reasons which government might state against them."

In the further proceedings of the States, differences arose between that body and the king; and on the 28th and 29th of May, in consequence of the decided part which his Majesty had taken in the late discussions relative to the hereditary duchy, a set of rioters, composed, it is said, of the lowest class of people, attacked the house of the minister Wangenheim, where they practised several outrages. They were, however, soon reduced to order with the assistance of the usual patrols. A proclamation was in consequence issued against all seditious assemblies.

The king, on the fourth of June, finding himself unable to control the majority of the States, dissolved that body, and commanded

manded all those members who were not domiciliated at Stutgard, to repair to their respective habi

tations.

On the following day he published an additional rescript, addressed to all the subjects of his kingdom.

"We William," &c. "Dear and faithful subjects! The address of the Assembly of the States of the 4th of June, according to which the majority has rejected in an inexplicable manner the definitive offers which we made, in our rescript of the 26th of May and its supplement, to conclude a constitutional compact, has brought the negotiation to such a point, that we must renounce all hope of attaining our object by means of a convention with this Assembly.

"However painful it be to our paternal heart to see the failure of all our efforts for the establishment of a constitution suited to all the different relations, and which might have consolidated tranquillity and order, and cause general satisfaction, our duties in the quality of sovereign, and our relation with other states, do not permit us to make to the demands of the States further sacrifices, which would cause the throne to lose its dignity, the government its force, and the people the independence of their representatives.

"In consequence, we have found ourselves under the necessity of dissolving our assembly, the operations of which could no longer make us hope for a happy issue.

"The exposé which we shall Jay before our people, of the man

ner in which the work of the constitution has been hitherto treated, will convince every impartial person, that we have done, to effect so desirable an union, every thing that is compatible with the rights of our crown, and the principles of a good administration of the state; and that the project of the constitution, annexed to the rescript of the 26th of May, contains every thing that could be done to confirm the individual and political freedom of the people of Wurtemberg.

"We may confidently hope, that our cotemporaries and posterity will do justice to our way of acting, and that they will, with us, recognize as real and prudent friends to their country, the 42 members who have distinguished themselves by their proper and honourable conduct on this important occasion.

"But to do still all that depends upon us, that our faithful people may suffer as little as possible from the perverse conduct of their representatives, we add to what we said in our rescript of the 26th of May, the declaration, that if the majority of our people signifies in the assemblies of the bailliages, or by the organ of their magistrates, that they accept the project of the constitution, under the restrictions contained in the said rescript, we shall, on our side, consider the constitutional compact as concluded, and shall put it in force.

"We also leave to the members who have virile votes, who have not personally voted against the acceptance of the constitution in the assembly of the States now dissolyed, the liberty of acceding

to

to it. We repeat at the same time the assurance that we will let our people enjoy from this moment all the benefits of the project of the constitution, in every thing that does not relate to a representation of the states.

"On the other hand, we expect, with full confidence, that the subjects of our united kingdom will not suffer themselves to be shaken in the observance of their duties as subjects and citizens, but that they will persevere the more in their fidelity and obedience, as all opposition in every act tending to disturb public order and tranquillity will be punished with all the rigour of the laws.

"Given at Stutgard, in his Majesty's Privy Council, June 5, 1817. By his Majesty's command."

The ministry of the interior, by order of his Majesty, published a proclamation on the 6th, containing a recital of all that happened at the late diet of Wurtemberg.

The sudden dissolution of the assembly of states having put an end to his Majesty's hopes of being able to effect the introduction of the representative system, he found it necessary to take upon himself the regulation of the finances for the years 1817 and 1818. Accordingly, on the 4th of September, he published a report addressed to his Majesty by the finance minister, in which the sum of 2,400,000 florins, with the adďition of one tenth to make good the expense of the meeting of the states, was charged upon the nation. The king at the same time orders all public officers to keep a watchful eye upon such as may endeavour to persuade their fellow-burghers to resist the law, on

the pretext of its not being consented to by the states; and threatens all the severity of the law against the disturbers of the public peace.

SAXE WEIMAR.

This Duchy appears to have taken the lead of the other German states, with respect to the true principles of a free constitution. Its diet had just decided, in the month of March, that the estates of the nobles, and those of the order of knighthood, were henceforward to be liable to all the public burdens borne by the rest of the people; but at the same time it enacted, that the actual proprietors should be indemnified for the loss of the immunity from contribution which they formerly enjoyed, and upon the faith of the continuance of which they bought and held their estates.

It has been generally observed, that the greatest harmony and good feeling reigns in the assembly of representatives of this Duchy. The order of the peasantry sent deputies who defended their interests with moderation, but with firmness. The attacks made upon the immunity of the estates of the noblesse excited at first some animated debates, but the representatives of the noblesse yielded as soon as an indemnity was proposed.

A proposition made by the Duke of Saxe-Weimar to the grand diet sitting at Frankfort, that the constitution of his duchy should be placed under the guarantee of the Germanic Confederation, was formally confirmed by a vote defivered by Austria, and after certain explanations, was concurred

in by Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Hanover, Wurtemberg, Baden, Hesse, and Denmark.

STATES GENERAL.

On October the 20th the annual session of the States General was opened at the Hague with the usual solemnities. His Majesty delivered a speech from the throne, of which the following is the sub

stance.

His Majesty began with noticing the happy event of the birth of a son to the Prince of Orange, adding, that his education would be so directed, as to inspire him from his earliest childhood with a sense of his duties, and with the most ardent zeal for the freedom and wellfare of his countrymen.

The general peace, said his Majesty, has been undisturbed; and every day proves that the governments, as well as the people, are unanimous in the desire of maintaining it. On my side I have neglected nothing that can tend to ensure to this kingdom and its inhabitants the goodwill of foreign powers.

His Majesty then noticed at length the difficulties caused by the unfavourable season, but which the rich harvest of the year would put an end to. The distresses, he said, had been relieved partly by finding them work, and partly by affording them assistance. The local authorities had done their utmost; and private charity, the fairest trait in the national character, had kept pace with the increasing distress. His Majesty observed that some effectual regulations relative to the poor are necessary, and he hoped

to see the basis of them laid in this session. Some measures will be proposed that experience has shown to be useful to industry. Nothing has been more injurious to this effect than the dearness of provisions, which has checked the consumption of manufactured goods among the most numerous classes of people. The government itself has felt the influence of this state of things, by the great increase of its expenses, and the diminution of its receipts. Besides this, a great deficit has been caused by the not levying a tax upon inherited property, or a legacy tax.

The law respecting the militia has been put in execution for the first time, and has answered every expectation. Agriculture is flourishing. The fisheries, the colonial trade, and all branches connected with them, have improved; and the freedom of the corn trade by sea, while it secured the kingdom from scarcity at home, and kept the prices of bread in the country lower than among its neighbours, has confined to the ports of the Netherlands the privilege of being the granaries of all Europe.

His Majesty then notices the great expense caused by the fortification of the southern frontier. A great many public works, such as harbours and the like, have been begun and continued, and even completed. In some provinces great roads have been made, which the most enlightened inhabitants have for years designed in vain.

His Majesty speaks with satisfaction of the joy which has been displayed

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