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    May 19, I860.j The Leader and Saturday A...

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    Hanover, May 14th, 1860. I N the Hanover...

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    Foreign Correspondence. • (Speciai/.) Tu...

    merchandise . They contented themselves with conveying ; a single prize to Pisa , laden with rich spoils . With the produce of this booty they began , in the middle of the eleventh centurv to raise their beautiful cathedral / which still attracts so much' admirationi It is declared that Galileo ' s discoveries * , with r egard to the oscillations of the pendulum were due to the lamps suspended from the dome of this cathedral . The famous Leaning Tower also afforded him the opportunity of making many of his observations and calculations . From about the sixteenth century Pisa has graduallv sunk in importance and activity , and has been as lifeless and apathetic in appearance as almost any of the minor cities of . Italy / It was , therefore , emphatically a bright day for this town when " its new King entered its gates . Recently led to indulge in the hope of seeing itself restored to something of its former importance as a place of learning by the educational and professorial arrangements made by Baron Ricasoli , it was well disposed to greet Victor Emmanuel with affectionate enthusiasm . The slight check given to its display of loyalty by the timorous deference of the Archbishop to Roman orders , only served as a foil to the almost universal respect manifested by the cleryy towards the King throughout his , memorable journey .

    May 19, I860.J The Leader And Saturday A...

    May 19 , I 860 . j The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 479

    Hanover, May 14th, 1860. I N The Hanover...

    Hanover , May 14 th , 1860 . I N the Hanoverian Lower House , on the 8 th inst ., M . von Bennigsen s : rid he had a declaration to present in that Chamber , where a German Minister had been so bold as to utter the words quoted . This declination had been drawn up by a number of German men assembled at Heidelberg , and \ vas _ as fol-] ows •— - " M . vox Bouuies , Minister of the Interior , of Hanovor , has lately declared , in the Parliament of his country , ' thafc any attempt to establish a Central Government , having the" sole management of the military and diplomatic affairs of all Germany , would lead to a league among the petty princes , and might even force them to form alliances with foreign powers , Who would be but too glad to have a voice in the internal affairs of Germany . Jo this avowal of a German Minister , an avowal which has excited universal indignation , we oppose this declaration : — The people of Germany ¦ are'determined ¦¦¦ never , to permit an inch of German ground to fall under fbreigir domination . The dangerous net which a foreign power is weaving around us ,,, grows day by day closer and more menacinir to our existence ; the conviction that a Central Governin cut , unit eel military and diplomatic forces , are the only means to rosisfc-succe ^ sfiiily this imminent peril—this conviction is becoming more general and - -profound-. .. ' The German people . will' hail the transmission of the supreme direction of . affairs to that German Government which , in the presence of these dangers ,- shall enter the lists with manly resolution to defend the honour , the liberty , and the interests of ' the country abroad . But the German Government which shall so igr . ominioiialy forget its duty as to seek the , aid of foreign powers in questions of internal development , or shall , demand assistance from inimical powers to escape the sacrifices j which may be demanded of if to withstand the common enemy , will succumb to the judgment of the entire nation , and meet with , the Ati . ' -i « liiMi . fvaitora" deserve . '" The declaration w ; ts signed by Bexxigskn himself , Von GageknyWelcker , VA ^ fin « nv 7-Bk vrER Strkit , Gervjnus , and other leading politicians . To ' this declaration M . von Borrtes replied : — " I regret that my words have been misunderstood intentionally , or unintentionally perhaps . People have gone so far as to attribute to the Hanoverian Government a design of seeking foreign alliances . It will , suffice to recall the past history of Hanover to convince them that this Government cbuld never ' for one moment entertain such a project , j My words bore reference to no Government in particular ; I wished | merclv to po nt out in a general manner that the tendencies of the socalled National Association , if they could come to any result , would produce precisely the contrary of what tho Association desired to effect , —that they would bring misery upon Germany , would lead to civil wars and foreign intervention . I should have thought myscU secure against a falso interpretation of my words on the part ot M . von Bunnigsen , who on a former occasion blamed the Hanoverian Government for attaching itself too closely to the pri ciples of the Germanic Confederation . This Government has never dreamt of any alliance with foreign powers , and least of nil with that foreign power to which it would seem allusion has been made ( France ) . No one can doubt that when all shall be undermined , the Diet overthrown , violence opposed to violence , civil war and foreign intervention will be tho inevitable consequence . But J should like to know by what authority the gentlemen assembled at Heidelberg pretend to speak in tho linino of tho whole German people . Their declaration contains , however , one good thought , which is that not an inch of German territory shall over be coded to a foreign power . With this I cordially agree , and firmly behove that nil German Governments are of one accord upon that point ' On the following 1 dny Von Borrie 8 and his supporters formally protested against the presentation of the Heidelberg addresses , when von Benntgsbn declared that he took tho entire responsibility upon himself . ... ' ,,. TJho Hanoverian minister has not improved his position in public estimation by his reply . To tho exasperation is now added nttor contempt ; for ifc appears lie has not even the courage to maintain his own words against tho sound of tho publio voice . What would becomo of him and his like in another 1818 P It has been asserted by tho supporters of tho present Government that tho reigning Sovereign of England would not toiornto tho annexation of Hanover , mid . tho dc facto ruin ofits dvnasly , with which Her Majestt is so

    closely connected ; and some persons imagine that the timid and inexplicable policy of Prussia as regards this country is owing to a fear of displeasing the English court . These opinions may be very erroneous , and perhaps absurd , but there is hardly any other vvayjof accounting , for the resolute opposition ' to Prussia , and disregard of the desires of the great mass of the people of Hanover . The King and his ministers are so detested , that it is surprising how an outbreak is prevented . ' . The Second Chamber , like the First , has refused the credit demanded by the Government for the purpose of fortifying the Hanoverian coast , but , at the same time , proclaims its readiness to accede to any measures that may be taken in conjunction with the other maritime States . The settlement of the Elbe toll has again been postponed for three months . I have just remarked that some parties here entertain the idea that England would interfere to prevent any change in the present constitution of the German States , and the following extract from an article in the Hanoverian Landes Zeitungbears me out . " "We need not , " says this journal , with reference to M . vow Borries ' speech , " look solely to France if the lesser and middle States should require the assistance of foreign powers against the attempt to dissolve the Confederation , and encroach upon the rights of their dynasties . England and Russia are also guarantees of the Germanic Confederation . Their dynasties are connected with the princely houses of Germany , and have claims upon the hereditary succession : it will not be indifferent to them if these Sovereign rights are destroyed or curtailed . They will be entitled to havea voice , not only from their position as European Powers , but also in consideration of their family claims . The " Staatsanzeiger" declaims against the National Association and , the desired union under a Prussian " Hegemony" and gives the assurance that , although a new Rhine bund is not . thought'of , yet , should-Prussia persevere in her present aggressive policy , an alliance which is now being negotiated will undoubtedly be formed j between the three kingdoms of Bavaria , Saxony , and Wurtemburg , j the Electorate of Hess ' ia , the Grand Duchy of Baden and Nassau . j These States together can bring from two to three hundred thoui sand men into the field , and will be found powerful enough to \ defend themselves against any serious attempt adverse to their I sovereignty . If Prussia would have peace in Germany , she must | cease to demand a _ price for it which the middle States iieifcherj ; an i nor witl-pav . 'V _ i Ifc would appear that the late delates * in the Prussian Parliament . i have roused the Princes of the middle States to action . They have reason , to trust to their , little capital towns and the peasantry , who , j although mostly able to-read ,. are without political knowledge or the I means of obtaining it , and political traditions they have none . The i liberals are now-being met at every point , and it is doubtful whether ! the National Association , whose task professedly is the political ! education of the people , will be able to maintain itself against the violent measures adopted with regard to it by the Princes , more particularly by the Government of Hanover . In the Second Chamber of Hesse Darmstadt on the 11 Ih . inst ., the Member for Aluyence , Mr . Sxrikglek , moved this declaration or resolution .- " That the Hessian Chamber considers any attempt on H-hVp ^ rfrofHnrii ^ i ^ - ^^ alliances as a shame-. ful act of treachery towards the country of Germany , and that any German Ministry-that should lend themselves to any such attempt would deserve the contempt of the nation . " This motion was , however , after n long debate , rejected . This serves as a -proof that M . von BoitiUKS is not without his supporters and admirers in other parts of the country . In Mecklenburg , too—but this might be expected , for Mecklenburg is the hotbed of feudalism in Germanytiie Hanoverian Minister is loudly apphmded . The Nord-dcntscJie ' correspondent put the question to the Prussian or liberal party , If Prussia pursues a policy which must apparently lead to the dissolution of the Germanic Confederation , can the Princes , who think their interests thereby endangered , bo blamed if they form separate ' alliances and retaliate upon that power ( Prussia ) , which for her own aggrandisement bus nought to destroy them ? Or even can it be iustlv regarded as treason on their parts , if , when the ' confederation , is-broken * up , they should seek to strengthen themselves by foreign alliances P" These and other examples testify that the feudalists would rather sacrifice their country to France , than tolerate a united Germany under the leadership of Prussia . In consequence of the opposition in and out of Parliament to the ministerial proposals with regard to tho remodelling ol the Prussian military forces , the measure has been withdrawn , und the Government has meanwhile accepted a grant of nine millions of tlmlors towards necessary improvements . Tho Government would attribute the failure to tho refusal of tho Upper Chamber to adopt the reform of tho land-tax , but tho fact is , the measure was universally condemned . Had it really been a popular measure , the Upper Chamber would hardly have dared to oppose it : indeed , by their resistance to the land-tax , the Feudalists have made themselves so detested , that it was seriously debated by the press and people whether it would not bo better to-nbolwli-tho Upper Chamber a together . The session of tho Prussian Parliament closes with a seeming victory of the Feudalists , by tho postponement of the army reform , tho rejection of the Civil Marriages Bill , and the land-tax Bill ; but none of those wore decidedly national questions , ana as far as progress is concerned , the session has proved a very barren ° The King of Denmark has signed the concos « ion for arjilj direct from * Hamburg to Luboek through tho Duchy o »•»•<»« . Negotiations tiro also going on between nn Lngl . sh company tvuU

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 19, 1860, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19051860/page/19/