22 JANUARY 1870, Page 1

The Kaiser has finally accepted the resignation of the minority

of his Ministers. This minority is in favour of so increasing the power of the Provincial Diets as practically to change the pro- vinces into " States" of the American kind, leaving Emperor and Reichsrath in the position of President and Congress. The majority, on the other hand, wish to retain the English form of government, a sovereign Parliament ruling all Austria outside Hungary. The object of the Federalists is to place the Slav element above the German in Galicia and Bohemia, and they are supported for clerical reasons by the Tyrol. The object of the Centralists, on the other hand, is to keep the German element, which all over the country is as 19 to 11, supreme. They are supported by the well-understood danger of driving the Germans into the arms of Berlin, and the Emperor has finally decided on their side. It is a curious and almost inexplicable fact that Count Beust, who as Chancellor of the Empire (Reichskanzler) is not called upon to resign, is on the Federal aide. Small States have some charm for him.