The Massachusetts Spy

Extract from the Correspondence of the New
York Courier and Enquirer.

Paris, July 21.

The new system of government projected
by Austria and Prussia in the diet of Frank-
fort for the States of the Germanic confed-
eration, is already bearing its fruits. Re-
sistance to the usurpation of the Diet is the
theme of every letter which comes from any
part of Germany connected with the con-
federation. The people are every where
organizing themselves to give effect to this
spirit of resistance. On the other hand a
Prussian corps d'armee is on its march from
Dusseldorf and Cologne towards Rhenish
Bavaria, where it is known that the people
are in a high state of excitement, prepared
on the slightest provocation to rise in arms
against the aggression with which they are
threatened.

The article of the resolutions of the Diet
which is regarded as the most oppressive
and tyrannical in its operation, is that which
proposes to deprive the separate States of
the confederation of the right of refusal to
pay their quota to taxes. In this article
they see a direct attack on the indepen-
dence and sovereignty of the minor States.
According to the existing constitution, the
power of levying taxes is vested in the con-
federation for a year after the refusal of
any individual State. Before the lapse of
the year the State legislature has again
assembled and has an opportunity of revis-
ing its previous resolutions. It is impossi-
ble to believe that the whole of confederat-
ed Germany will tamely acquiesce in the
assumptions of the Diet, either as regards
the independence and sovereignty of the
separate States, the freedom of the press, or
personal and individual liberty. The legis-
lative chambers of Hanover and of Electoral
Hesse, are now sitting, and will probably
come to some resolution on the subject, in
some more desirable form than a popular
insurrection. Among the anomalies to
which this proceeding has given rise, is the
fact that the most servile of all prints, the
Gazette of Augsburg, has declared itself
against the measures adopted by the con-
federation.

But while the Prussian government are
thus marching troops as a measure of pre-
vention towards Rhenish Bavaria, the prov-
inces of which have already been closed by
a sort of cordon sanitaire from too free a
communication with the neighboring com-
munes of France, they have not been inat-
tentive to the commercial advantages which
they might derive from a better system of
intercourse between the inhabitants of
France and Prussia. It appears in fact
that the government of Berlin have recent-
ly become converts to the modern principles
of free trade and reciprocity. It is known
that a considerable proportion of the black
cattle consumed in France, are brought
from the dominions of his Prussian Majesty,
from whence they are driven in a lean state
to this country, where they are fattened be-
fore being sent to market. It is also the
interest of Prussia to find a vent in this
country for some of their manufactured
goods, and particularly certain species of
hardware. In exchange for these, they
take the wines of France, which would be
readily given them, but that the most con-
venient line of communication between the
two countries passes through the States of
the Grand Duke of Baden, who naturally
insists on being paid for the privilege. The
amount of this compensation is at present
the subject of treaty between His Highness
the Grand Duke and the Prussian govern-
ment whose policy in other respects is sup-
posed to be much more pacific than either
of the two other northern powers with whom
his Prussian Majesty is so closely allied. It
is now even asserted that Prussia has
agreed to go all lengths with France and
England in compelling Holland to accede,
without reserve, to the treaty of the 24 ar-
ticles. In the meantime the session of the
Belgian Chamber of Representatives has
been closed, which seems to prove that the
executive government finds itself strong
enough to walk alone. A report is current
that King Leopold's marriage is deferred,
but I do not find that it rests on any good
authority.