The Austrian proposition may be thus briefly described. The Germanic
Diet is to be swept away, to make way for an organi- zation composed of four separate chambers. First and lowest, the Chamber of Delegates, 300 in number, 200 of whom will be chosen by the Lower and 100 by the Upper Houses of the State Diets, and who will pass resolutions on the Federal budget, the right of domicile, the press, the right of association, and certain other points. Second, the Chamber of Princes, composed of all reigning Sovereigns, who will accept, or reject, or modify the resolutions placed before them. Third, the Federal Council, a collection of twenty-one representatives of the States, whose assent is necessary to war and peace. And fourth, the Directory, a body of five, consisting of the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, the King of Bavaria, and two representatives for the remaining States, which will possess complete executive power. The general drift of the arrangement is to avoid all fusion, to leave Germany internally just as disunited as ever, but to make it a single body externally under the control of Austria. There is nothing whatever in the scheme to excite German enthusiasm, and much to render the Prussian King more obstinate in his resistance.
