• The spirit of discontent with the ruling powers is
gaining ground among the smaller kingdoms and states of Germany. The decrees of the Diet of Frankfort (which, as is well known, is en- tirely under the control of the Austrian and Prussian Govern- ments) having been resisted by the Representative Chambers of Wirtemberg, Cassel, Baden, and Bavaria, an attempt is nowto be Slade to crush every vestige of freedom, by suspending the meet, ing of those bodies for five years, and authorizing the petty So- vereigns of the country to rule and tax their subjects according to their own good will and pleasure. The Germans of course are very indignant, and talk loudly about this tyrannical invasion of their rights; but we have seen no evidence of any effectual oppo- sition being organized to resist it. There was a riot at Frankfort on the 3d instant, principally got up by some students. The in- surgents attacked the guardhouse, dispersed about sixty soldiers -who were stationed in it, and set at liberty some prisoners confined for political offences. The guardhouse, however, was soon retaken by the National Guard and a body- of about 500 troops of the line. The number of killed and wounded appears not to have exceeded twenty. The immediate consequence of this foolish business will probably be the military occupation of Frankfort by the troops of the Confederation.
In the present state of European politics, it is evident that no foreign assistance will be rendered to the German Liberals ; and as it is equally clear that the subjects of Austria and Prussia are generally well satisfied with their respective Governments, the attempts of the lesser states to obtain real instead of nominal free- dom will almost certainly be abortive. Should the successors of the present Sovereigns of Austria and Prussia prove to be men of warlike dispositions (and in the case of Prussia such seems very likely to be the case), then there may be some hope for German freedom; for wars cannot be carried on without taxes, and the Germans are as apt to display "the ignorant impatience of taxa- tion" as any other people. But at present, in the two principal empires the taxes are light; justice is cheaply and honestly-ad- miniStered ; internal improvements and the employment of the labouring classes are objects of anxious attention to the Govern ment; and, excepting the want of political franchises, the mass of the population have little to complain of. We consider, there- fore, that all attempts to stir up a revolutionary spirit in Germany only tend, for the present to consolidate the power of the despots,
