TOPICS OF THE DAY.
WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE POOR GERMANS?
THE accounts from Germany lead us to believe that the Despotic Powers will not for the present- at least, encounter any very for-
midable opposition from their subjects, in their schemes for sub- verting the few liberal institutions which have hitherto been per- mitted to exist among them. That stern and indomitable hatred of tyranny,which animated the Germans in their religious wars of the sixteenth century, appears to be wonderfully mitigated in the breasts of their descendants. We do not mean to say that the Austrian and Prussian mandates are cheerfully and submissively obeyed : on the contrary, there is a vast deal of grumbling, pam- phleteering, and fine talk about liberty. But in the meanwhile, the unconstitutional decrees of the Diet are enforced ; the few Liberals, who dare openly to proclaim their opinions, are impri- soned ; the University students (who have hitherto been allowed to wear tricoloured cockades, and prate about BRUTUS and CAssius
over their beer and tobacco) are dispersed and sent home : the free- dom of the press is completely abolished ; and the 'Germans, worthy men, in the midst of all these atrocious proceedings, de- clare that they think it extremely hard, that the free Governments of France and England should allow Prince METTERNICH to treat them so scurvily.
Now it is evident that the Despots have little to fear as long as the Liberals confine their exertions to the circulation of pamphlets, Petty tumults, and entreaties for foreign aid. The reluctance which they have hitherto displayed to work out their salvation from tyranny with the only weapons by which freedom was ever ob- tained and secured in the last resort, is a very unfavourable symp- tom, and augurs very indifferently for the future establishment of free institutions in the land.
The correspondent of the Times informs us, "that the Germans revile those puny statesmen who do not assume the rank they ought in the scale of Europe; and they say, that their country, like Poland, is to be sacrificed to the base selfishness of Louis PHILIP, and the incapacity of the British Foreign Minister," &c. And from other sources we know that this is a style of speaking very prevalent on the Continent at the present time. Now we cannot conceive any thing more degrading than such language as this, when used by a great and populous nation : and the pusillanimous and imbecile spirit which :lietates it, is pre- cisely such as in every part of the world and in all ages, has fitted men to be slaves, and rendered them worthy of the spurn of despotic contempt. It is quite too early in the (lay for the Ger- mans to compare themselves with the Poles. They have not risen en nmsse—nor unpaved and barrieadoed their streets. . Their op- pressors occupy their palaces in safety ; and, we suspect, will con- tinue to do so. The Poles fought upon every foot of ground that was left them to stand on; and only called for foreign assistance in the bitterest extremity of their struggle with an overwhelming force. One quarter of the amount of the heroic exertion, un- successfully made by Poland, would be amply sufficient to secure the freedom of Germany. For there can be no kind of comparison between the situation or resources of the two countries. The Germans, whatever their sectional divisions may be, form naturally and essentially one nation, with a population of upwards of thirty millions, speaking a common language, and now suffering under the same curse,—the want of free institutions. Is it not disgust- ing in the extreme, then, to behold such a people crouching under the lash of the oppressor, instead of exerting themselves manfully to dethrone him ?—humbly beseeching foreign aid, too, all the while, and complaining of being "sacrificed" to the selfishness and imbecility of France and England. Now, the Germans may rest assured, that if they are as zealous in their love of freedom as they would fain make the world believe, the acquisition of it is in their own power : but if such is not the case, foreicin aid, even were it rendered, would be of no avail. The only kind of assist- ance which they can fairly expect to receive from other na- tions, would be similar to that lately extended to Belgium. If the Germans dethrone their tyrants, and elect sovereigns and form representative governments for themselves, then, without doubt, we shall be ready to enter into alliances and treaties, guaranteeing the new order of things from Russian aggression. But in the present state of their quarrel with then rulers, no effectual interference on their behalf can be expected either from France or England. We shall be told, however, that warlike interference is not soli- cited. We are only required to remonstrate—to show our teeth, when all the world knows that we have no intention whatever of biting. This is not the way to turn the King of Prussia or Prince METTERNICH from the settled purpose of' their souls. Remon- strances to those worthies should be made at the bead of two hun- dred thousand men at arms. Bayonets, bullets, and well-filled military chests, are the convincing arguments which they under- stand and pay deference to. 'We hear a great deal of the power of public opinion. But what does a military despot care for that expression of public opinion which is not backed by arms and ammunition, and the stern re- solves of men determined to be 'free ? Many, people seem to think, that because in England, where a representative 'govern- ment exists, an unpopular Minister is forced to retire, that • the men who rule by the sword are subject to the vane influence. If such were the case, the matter would have been settled long ago; for the Press has spoken out in a manner sufficiently explicit on the subject of the late tyrannical decrees of the Frankfort conclave. But instead of yielding to the popular wish, severe measures are taken to punish those who presume to express it. We repeat, therefore, that it is quite childish to expect any alte- ration in the system by which the Absolute Sovereigns have re- solved to govern Germany, from merely pacific representations of the force of public opinion. And, as it is equally preposterous to imagine that English fleets and armies will be sent to the assist- ance of the wo-begone German Liberals, we fear that, after all, they will be under the same hard necessity, as other nations of conquering freedom for themselves, or managing to exist without it. There can be no doubt that, if the minor states will combine together, they may bid defiance to the machinations of their op- pressors. But if they prefer the indulgence of sectional animosi- ties to the enjoyment of free institutions, and refuse or neglect to combine together for the acquisition of a benefit which can only be obtained by union, all that remains to be said is, that they are as unworthy of liberty as they are unlikely to possess it.
We pity from our hearts the suffiirings of a small and gallant country, whose struggles for independence are powerless against the overwhelming force of some mighty despot. We sympathize most deeply with the misfortunes of the patriots of Genoa, Greece, and Poland. But as for the Germans, they hold the power to be free in their own bands, provided they have the will and the courage to exert it. And it will be time enough to complain of the incapacity and procrastination of Lord PALMERSTON and Loris PHI LIP, when they have themselves given some indications of vigour and sincerity in their own cause.
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