Richmond Enquirer

[Translated for the Dem Press.]

HAMBURG, April 23.

The Chancellor, Prince Hardenberg, has requested the literary and political men of Germany to send him their opinions and remarks on the subject of a new Prussian constitution; he is himself busily employed in composing one, and it is supposed it will be laid before the most celebrated statesmen for their consideration in a short time.

The distress of this country is almost beyond description. Although it is now more than a year since deputies have been appointed and assembled to deliberate on a proper constitution for Wurtemberg and to induce his majesty to accept the same, but unfortunately jealousies having been created among themselves and nothing has yet been done of a satisfactory nature for the relief of the country.

An immense quantity of inflammatory addresses have been published here and have spread throughout Germany—never were the people in such a ferment as they are at this time. Should it now come to a rebellion in this kingdom, at a time when no German state has a firm constitution satisfactory to the people and securing their rights and those of the Princes, there can be no doubt but the flames of rebellion would spread over all Germany.

In a defence made by Count Von Waldeck one of the deputies of Wurtemberg against a charge, that he, under the pretence of being a friend of the people, had intended to introduce a system of aristocracy more dangerous than jacobinism or illuminatism itself—he answers that "nothing but the undeserved misery of the people, had made him take the part he had—that he had long resisted the impression which their groans had made on him, but that at last his pity got the better of his heretofore reserve; that the unparalleled exertions of the people against the French deserved a better return from the sovereigns than they had met with, that he is pledged to the people's cause, that he will adhere to it, and that no terrors nor the cry of denunciation being either a jacobin or an aristocrat shall deter him from pursuing his duty!" He has also published an appeal in favor of the people of Wurtemberg to all Germany. Since that the king has forbidden his subjects to make any appeals to foreign sovereigns.