King ERNEST opened the session of the States of Hanover
on the 20th instant. His Majesty's speech was brief; and it will be seen, not sparing in disclaimers of intention to establish arbitrary power- " Noble Lords, worthy and faithful Deputies—The moment is at lust come when I see you, worthy States of the kingdom, assembled around the throne; and it is a subject of great joy to me. When I resolved to take away all obli- gatory force trom the fundamental law of the 26th December NIA by the promolg7,tion of my royal patent of the 1st December 183'7, several persons attempted to establish the opinion that I had the intention of arrogating to myself arbitrary power over the subjects confided to my cite by Divine Provi- kdence. I hove ever detested arbitrary power in matters of government ; and I wish to govern say beloved people only according to law and rig/it. Tu give you, worthy States, an evident proof of the sincerity of my intentions, I shall present to you for your deliberation the draft of a new constitution for me kingdom, which is founded OD the principles that have so long insured ui prosperity of the populations of Germany. I give myself up to the certain hope that my views and your own will be in perfect accordance upon all the eatentid points of the draft of a constitution. Independently of the draft of a cox. stitution, several other important measures will be presented to you. I ded" that the session of the States is opened."
It is not a very favourable commentary on this modest address, that the King of his own free will—the law, it may be presumed, of which he is so fond—set aside the election of a chief magis. trate, for his capital, because his Majesty suspected the Magis... tmte of being unwilling to set aside WILLIAM the Fourth's cog. stitution.
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