XXV. 1831. CHAP. been overthrown, the warlike ardour was very strong, and it required all the prudence and wisdom of the Government to prevent war from actually breaking out. To be prepared for any event, however, the cabinet of Berlin took the most decisive measures. The army was placed on the war footing, the reserves and landwehr called out, and the fortresses on both the Flemish and Polish frontiers armed and put in a posture of defence. Extreme was the fermentation which these warlike measures produced at Berlin, and among the gallant youth of Prussia, with whom, as with the French, war is a perfect passion. At the same time, while professing an entire neutrality, the Prussian government took the most decisive measures against the Polish insurgents, and in favour of the Russian army. A powerful cordon of troops, established along the whole frontier of Poland, prevented all transit of ammunition or provisions from Prussia into the Grand-duchy of Warsaw, while the Russian army drew supplies of all sorts from the Prussian provinces, and the Russian ships of the line landed at Dantzic stores of all kinds for the use of the Russian armies carrying on the campaign. It will appear in the sequel that it was this indirect but most efficacious interference of Prussia in favour of the Muscovites which xiv. 460, 1 Ann. Hist. mainly overthrew the gallant and marvellous efforts of the Poles in support of their independence in this memorable year.1 461. 32. mentation states of Germany. The vast military force at the disposal of government Great fer- in these great monarchies rendered hopeless any attempts in the lesser of the liberal party at insurrection within their dominions. But it was otherwise in the lesser states, where the resources of government were much less considerable, and in most of which constitutional assemblies existed, which both kept alive the hopes of the friends of freedom, and afforded a legal channel for making their demands known. In Bavaria, the court had taken an imprudent step in rejecting some liberal deputies XXV. 1831. recently elected to the Chamber, and in proposing rigor- CHAP. ous decrees to coerce the press. This immediately excited a storm of indignation in the country, which burst forth in violent petitions from Nuremberg, Bamberg, and other great towns in the Confederacy. The Government, however, persevered; and five edicts coercing the press, and giving a right of censorship to the crown, were, after a violent opposition, and with several modifications, at length passed by a majority of 7-the numbers being 59 to 52. They were immediately and rigorously acted upon by the Government, and the discontent thence arising produced serious results in after times. In Baden the Government took the initiative in various measures of reform, particularly in the judicial department, the municipalities, and the corvées, which gave universal satisfaction. The independent spirit of the Chamber, however, was evinced in a protest which was brought forward by M. Rotteck, one of the most celebrated journalists of Germany, and unanimously adopted, against Baden yielding obedience to, or being bound by, the resolutions of the Diet of the Confederation of 10th and 19th November, against the liberty of the press. Though the matter went no farther at this time than the recording a protest on the journals of the Assembly, yet it excited a great sensation, and gave token of the free spirit with which the inhabitants of the lesser states of Ann. Hist. Germany were animated, which led to such great results 469. at a future time. 1* The discontent which was so general in Germany during this year broke out into serious acts of violence in Saxony and Hanover. In Dresden, the people, dis * "Profitons des instants précieux pendant lesquels nous pouvons encore faire entendre nos voix, pour les élever en faveur de la patrie et de la liberté. Protestons que jamais, même quand nos langues seraient liées, nos âmes ne se soumettront à un tel arrêt, et que nous ne cesserons de protester, du moins par un morne silence et de sombres regards, contre la violation de la souveraineté de l'état de Bade, venue de la diète, et contre la suppression de nos droits constitutionnels. L'Assemblée se leva en masse."-Ann. Hist. xiv. 468. xiv. 461, sel. 33. April 17. Aug. 30, CHAP. contented because the existing constitution did not give XXV. them the entire command of the State, as their influence 1831. did not extend to the Upper Chamber, formed themselves Troubles in into clubs and unions, where the most inflammatory prinSaxony and Hesse-Cas- ciples were soon promulgated. In the middle of April, a contest began between the clubs and the royal troops, when the latter were victorious, but not before the disturbance had lasted three days, and several persons had been killed. To appease the people, some concessions were made in matters of constitutional right, but they were far from allaying the discontent; and on 30th August another insurrection, still more serious, took place, when the mob unpaved the streets, and began to erect barricades, and were only dispersed by heavy platoonfiring, which killed great numbers. In Brunswick, the interregnum consequent on the dethronement of the reigning prince, of which an account has already been given, was terminated by the Diet authorising his younger brother to assume the reins of government; and on the 25th April following he received the joyous homage of his subjects. In Hesse-Cassel a great fermentation prevailed, and appearances were at one time very threatening; but they were appeased by the judicious conduct of the Government, which established, of its own accord, a constitution similar to those in the other lesser states of Germany. This gave great satisfaction; but the Chambers and people complained that the Elector did not reside at his capital of Cassel, but at a distant chateau of Wilhelmshohe. He positively refused to yield this point; and the remonstrance of the Chambers and discontent of the people became in consequence so violent, that he was obliged to name his brother FrederickAnn. Hist. William co-regent, who came to Cassel, and exercised the functions of government in the absence of the Elector. 1 Dec. 2. 1830, April 25, 1831. Jan. 8. xiv. 472, 476. In Hanover the revolutionary spirit also showed itself, and for a time with more threatening symptoms. On the XXV. 1831. 34. tion in 7th January a movement took place at Osterode in that CHAP. kingdom, which ended in the establishment of a national guard, under pretext of defending persons and property, while the citizens were laying their grievances before the InsurrecDuke of Cambridge, the viceroy of the kingdom. This Hanover. was followed next day by an open insurrection in Göttin- Jan. 7. gen, when the people displaced all the constituted authorities, proclaimed a provisional government, and invited Jan. 8. every other municipality in the kingdom to do the same. The conduct of the Duke of Cambridge on this occasion was characterised by vigour and decision. Collecting a body of troops, he marched in person direct to Göttingen, and having arrived on the 15th before the gates of the Jan. 15. city, he gave the insurgents twelve hours to lay down. their arms, and surrender at discretion. This was at first refused, and preparations for resistance made; but the insurgents, finding themselves not supported by the rest of the country, lost heart, and submitted next day to the proposed terms. Having gained this advantage by his vigour and celerity, the Duke wisely proceeded to deprive the malcontents of their chief grounds of complaint, by publishing a constitution soon after, consisting of two Chambers; the first composed of the princes of the blood, the nobles, and a few named by the King; the second 'Ann. Hist. of ninety-five deputies chosen by the different classes of 480. the citizens.1 xiv. 479, of parties, Threatening as appearances were in Italy and Ger- 35. many, they were yet outdone at this period by what was Violence exhibited in Paris itself. The elements of discord and and misery confusion there went on increasing, during the whole of in Paris. January and the first week of February, to such a degree that it was evident to all a serious convulsion was at hand. All parties were discontented, all were suffering, all were disappointed. The Revolution had injured many, and benefited none excepting those who had got possession of power and office by the elevation of Louis XXV. 1831. CHAP. Philippe. It was hard to say whether the Republicans, the Napoleonists, or the Legitimists, were most querulous and indignant. The former loudly complained that they had gained nothing by the Revolution, that its fruits had been reft from them by fraud and chicanery, and that, under a new name, the old Government had been imposed on them, distinguished from its predecessor only by increased extravagance and more arbitrary principles. The partisans of Napoleon lamented that the glorious event of the Revolution had been suffered to evaporate without producing any durable result, and that the golden opportunity of regaining the frontier of the Rhine, during the first terror consequent on the Revolution of July, had been allowed to pass away. The Legitimists, with equal or greater truth, asserted that the general distresses were entirely owing to the overthrow of the ancient line of monarchs, pointed with exultation to the increased expenditure and diminished receipts of Government, and contrasted it with the opposite state of things which had prevailed during the government of the Restoration. 1* In the midst of this 266, 268; chorus of complaints and recriminations commerce was 1 Louis Blanc, ii. Ann. Hist. Cap. iv. 270,282. xiv. 80, 81; at a stand, industry without employment, suffering without relief, and all the public offices were surrounded by starving multitudes, whose numbers and threatening * Seven first months of 1830, receipts of) Treasury exceeded expenditure by 12,300,000 francs, or £500,000 Deficit August 1830, Do. September, Do. October 5,651,000 6,881,000 5,454,000 |