Sirauunt.—The contest between the King of Prussia and his Minis-
ters on the matter of investiture, widened out, it would appear, till it covered the whole area of existing constitutional arrangements. After a long discussion, the King, it is said, has agreed to a compro- mise, decidedly favourable to liberal opinions. At present the great obstacle to progress is the Upper House, composed partly of nominees of the Crown, and partly of representatives elected by all the larger landholders. Many of these latter, however, itre poor, and as the rich noblesse are more liberal than the poor aristocracy, it is pro- posed to strike electors with less than a certain sum a year off the electoral roll. The nobles will also lose their right of police admi- nistration on their own estates, and of electing the county magis- tracy. The latter power they will share with the small proprietors, or yeomanry. Furthermore, the responsibility of Ministers to the Parliament will be acknowledged bylaw. Hitherto, although a direct vote refusing the supplies would unseat a Ministry, still the immense reverence paid to the King, and the general rawness of constitutional ideas, prevented a real responsibility, which, moreover, had never been acknowledged in theory by the court. The Prussian people are making a collection for the fleet, which will, it is believed, suffice to purchase twenty gun-boats, while the city of Berlin has promised to build a man-of-war in honour of the King's accession to the throne. The king, it is said, has declined to visit Chilons, and the semi-official papers are full of explanations as to what Prussia would do if South Germany were invaded by France. She would move instantly and energetically to the front.
The reigning Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha has published a pamphlet to prove the superiority of constitutional Government to any personal rule. His argument is that no one man can be wise enough to meet the varied necessities of a great population, and his pamphlet has been received by the public with an intelligible in- terest.
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