The German Government apparently deems itself fairly secure of the
fidelity of Alsace-Lorraine, and an incomplete autonomy will at once be conceded to the province. A Stadt- holder will be appointed by the Emperor, who, with a "Pro- vincial Committee "of fifty-eight persons and a Council of State, will administer the province in the Emperor's name. The State will also be represented separately in the Federal Council, through a delegate elected by the Provincial Committee, who will, how- ever, for the present have only a deliberative voice. This is Reuter's account of the Bill submitted by the Chancellor to the Federal Council, and would be satisfactory, but for one great omission. Nothing is said of the mode of appointing the Provincial Committee, or of the extent of its powers. Is it to be purely elective, and with local legislative authority, like, say, the Parliament of Baden ? or is it to be a nominee Council, with restricted powers ? Prince Bismarck may rely on it that the readiest way of weaning Alsace-Lorraine from France, if that is his first object, is to accustom the new State to self- government. The capital, we notice, is to be Strasburg.
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