and Prussia appear to be carrying on their joint
endeavour to suppress every thing like constitutional
right and independence in the German States. The
following is given as the substance of a proposition for
remodelling the constitution of the German States,
about to be laid before the Diet by the above two powers:
—"The repeatedly so-called fundamental rights of the
German people, proclaimed in the project of a constitution
for the Germanic Empire, under the dates of 27th
December 1848 and 28th March 1849, can neither be
regarded as valid as a law of the empire, nor be
considered as binding on the separate states as a part of the
Imperial law. These rights, therefore, are hereby
declared to be abolished in all the confederate states.
Those German States where, in particular, laws have
been passed on the basis of these so-called fundamental
rights, are commanded to set aside those laws whenever
they are in contradiction with the laws of the confederation,
or with the objects aimed at by the federal
legislation."
In the Italian dominions of Austria, the state of
things is gloomy and ominous. Arrests of
compromised persons are continually made in Milan and
Verona. In the latter city, one of the new prisoners
was a lady of rank, accused of forwarding a correspondence
to Mazzini. A system of espionnage has been
adopted in the Venetian provinces of Austria, unparalleled,
for its inquisitorial and oppressive character, in
the history of the most despotic states. The following
instructions have been issued from the seat of government
at Venice to the different military commanders:—
"When you are requested to furnish information
respecting any person with the qualification of special,
you must exactly supply concerning that person all the
following indications: 1. His nation, place of birth,
parentage, age, &c. 2. His personal description. 3.
His intellectual culture and talents. 4. His character
and humour. 5. His sentiments in politics, religion, and
other matters. 6. His social position and education. 7.
The estimation in which he is publicly held, and the
extent of his influence. 8. His manner of living—as,
what he habitually does or omits to to; whether he is
much or little at home; and, if he goes out, where he
usually goes, with special indication of the names of
the public places, private houses, and families he visits;
and whether he goes to them in the day or in the night,
frequently, seldom, or periodically; also, with what
company he ordinarily spends his time. 9. What are
his usual topics of discourse in public places. 10. With
whom he keeps up a correspondence, and whether
frequently, seldom, or periodically. 11. Whether he is
in the habit of travelling;, where, and on what pretext;
and whether he does so frequently, or periodically, or
seldom, alone or in company, and by what means of
conveyance. 12. His means of subsistence; whether
there is a due proportion between his income and his
expenditure; whether he is lavish, economical, or
parsimonious; and whether he lives from day to day. 13.
In what special relations he stands to his parents, his family,
his friends, and his mistress. 14. What part he took in
the revolution, and whether by actions or only in thought.
Was he an enthusiast or a cool-headed calculator?
Did he in public or in secret aid the revolution under
the mask of neutrality—when, where, and in what spot
especially? 15. If he took no concern in the revolution,
did he refrain on principle and from devotion to his
lawful sovereign, or from fear, prudence, apathy,
inertness, or calculation? 16. In the changes of party
fortune, did he remain always the same, or did he turn as
the wind was blowing? And by what facts might his
change of sentiment be proved? 17. In fine, a biographic
sketch describing all the antecedents of his history."
Many persons belonging to the higher classes have been
arrested in Verona, and nearly every night domiciliary
visits are made by the police. The public mind throughout
Austrian Italy is described as in a state of the most
violent excitement, and insurrection is apprehended by
government. Marshal Radetzsky published a proclamation
to the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom on the 9th
of July, and from his head-quarters at Monga. The
Lombardo-Venetian kingdom is declared to be in a state
of siege; the communes are made responsible for all
assassinations similar to that of Vandoni at Milan; and
the inhabitants will be severely dealt with if they do not
immediately surrender all such offenders to the military.
Two musical artists, lately in London, have been
made victims to the paltry prosecution of the Austrian
government. Mdlle. Anna Zerr, for having visited two
of the Hungarian exiles resident here, and for having
consented to sing at the concert for the relief of the
Hungarian refugees, has, on her return to Vienna,
been deprived of her place of imperial chamber-singer,
prohibited from appearing on the stage of the Imperial
Theatre, where she was one of the most distinguished
performers, and placed under the surveillance of the
police. And Leopold lansa, an eminent violinist, who
has been for many years in the Imperial Chapel, was
dismissed for a similar offence. The decree cashiering
him is a curiosity:—
Decree.—Whereas it has been ascertained that Leopold lansa,
violinist at the Imperial Royal Chapel, has not only played in
the concert which took place in London, the 12th of July, for
the benefit of the Hungarian refugees, but that he has likewise
composed a duet on Hungarian melodies for that occasion, he is
dismissed, by highest command, from his office as violinist and
as professor of the piano and the violin at the Imperial Chapel;
moreover, he is no longer to receive any salary from the last of
August. Issued from the High Chamberlain's office, 12th of
August, 1851. LlCHTENSTEIN.
Countess Blanca Teleki, the sister of Madame Gerando,
has been sentenced by court-martial, and condemned to
eight years' imprisonment, for political offence. Its
nature does not appear.
The eclipse of the sun, on the 28th ult. produced
much superstitious dread in several parts of Romish
Germany. In Bavaria, the priests frightened the people
into considerable almsgiving by telling them the eclipse
might be the beginning of the end of all things. At the
entrance of the Church of the Minories, in Vienna, the
following "Christian invitation" was posted—"The
27th of July being the eve of a great phenomenon of
nature, processions will be made by the faithful to the
shrines of our Lady at Maria Zell and Klein Maria
Teferl, to pray for the intercession of the Queen of
Heaven, that no harm may happen to our beloved city
of Vienna. The faithful assemble at the convent of the
Carmelites at six in the morning, and are requested to
bring with them female children clothed in white, to
attend the Cross."
A terrible catastrophe took place near Moscow, on
the 20th of July. As the monks of the convent or
Wladimir were setting out in procession to visit an
image of the Virgin at a neighbouring village, a wooden
bridge thrown over the moat of the convent (formerly a
fortress) gave way, and out of 200 of the monks 158 were
drowned; the water being 45 feet deep, and the sides
of the moat perpendicular.
At Rome and Naples the governments seem to vie
with each other in the lawless tyranny of their proceedings.
In both cities, the gaols are full of political
prisoners, torn from their homes without warrant,
immured without trial, and treated with atrocious cruelty.
The barbarity of the Papal government has been carried
to the extent of forbidding the use of the prayer for
the prisoners. The French at Rome have taken
possession of the Inquisition, to be used as a barrack. This
has caused a serious misunderstanding between them
and the Papacy. An inspector-general had arrived in
Rome on the 25th July, charged to inquire into the
affair. As the Pope is permanent President of the
Holy Office, this seizure may lead to serious consequences.
There are advices from New York to the 13th inst.
There is little intelligence of any importance. The
secession movement runs high in the Southern States of
the Union. At a public dinner lately given in South
Carolina, the following violent toasts were proposed and
received with acclamations:—"Separate secession—now
become necessary to the preservation of state rights; the
only remedy proposed for our dishonour; the only alternative
to submission." "Resistance at every hazard,
and to the last extremity." "Our state—she is solemnly
pledged to secede from this accursed and oppressive
Union; and she will redeem her pledge. 'come weal,
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