The Russian Autocrat has condescended to give a public ex-
pression to his approbation of the efforts of the great German re- actionists. He has intimated to the reinstalled Diet of the Ger- man Confederation at Frankfort, the " satisfaction " with which he has learned, that after the interruption of its labours by the events of 1848, it has again been reconstituted on the footing of the treaties of 1815, "the Imperial Court of Austria acting as Presidial Court of the Federation." This, the Emperor states, he accepts as "a guarantee of the internal peace of Germany, arid, in consequence, of the general peace of Europe." Another humilia- tion for Prussia; the Presidency of Austria over Germany being expressly declared, by the meddling military power which crushed Hungary and upheld Denmark, to be the sine qui non of European peace. The same week which has witnessed the promulgation of this broad hint to Germany, that she must conform in her internal or- ' ation to the wishes of the Russian Emperor, is to witness the long-expected return of Prince Metternich to Vienna. Conjecture is rife as to what will be the effect of his reappearance. More liberal institutions are out of the question at present ; but a more humane despotism is anticipated by the sanguine. Taking into account, however, the advanced age of Metternich, and the total prostration of hope and energy he evinced in 1848, it is pro- bable that he will remain a mere spectator of events.
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