OPENING OF THE PRUSSIAN CHAMBERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1131, 29 June 1867, Page 6

OPENING OF THE PRUSSIAN CHAMBERS.

SPEECH OF THE KING.

Berlin-, April 29. The opening of the Prussian Diet for an extraordinary session took place to-day in the White Hall. About 250 members were present. In the diplomatic box were the representatives of England, Bussia, the Hanse Towns, Hesse Darmstadt, and Saxony. His Majesty, who was received with chcers on entering the hall, delivered the following speech from the throne:— "Illustrious, noble and honourable gentlemen of both Houses of the Diet, —A constitution of the North G-erman Confederation, by which the united and vigorous development of the nation appears secured, has issued from the deliberations of the Parliament to which the Prussian people sent its representatives, in conformity with the law approved by you. I have summoned you around my throne to submit this constitution to your decision. The task of national unity, which the Government commenced with your co-operation is now to be concluded by your assent. Upon this basis, the protection of federal territory, the care of common rights and of the prosperity of the people, will henceforth be guaranteed by the collective population of Northern Germany and their Government in firm community. By the introduction of the Federal constitution, the privileges of the representatives of individual states will be subject to unavoidable restrictions in all those departments which will be in future subordinate to the general development. But the people themselves will not have to forfeit any of the rights they have hitherto possessed. They will merely transfer their maintenance to their representatives in the more extended commonwealth. The consent of the freely-elected deputies of the entire people will still be requisite to every law in the north German Confederation. Provision has been made by the Federal constitution in all respects that those rights, whose exercise the various representatives abandon in favour of the new community of States, shall be transferred in the same extent to the general Parliament. The secure foundation of national independence, power, and prosperity, will go hand in hand with the development of German rights and constitutional institutions. My Government entertains the assurance that both houses of the Diet, correctly appreciating the urgent national necessity of speedily settling the task before us, will readily afford their assistance to its completion. " Gentlemen, the ncwly-formcd Confederation at present only includes States of North Germany, but an intimate national community will always unite them with tiie South German States. The firm relations my Government concluded for offensive and defensive purposes with those States as early as last autumn will have to be transferred to the enlarged North German Commonwealth by special treaties. The vivid consciousness of the South German Governments and populations of the dangers of German dissension and the necessity of firm national union, which constantly find more decided expression throughout the whole of Germany, will assist to hasten the solution of that important task. The united strength of tie nation will be enlisted and be competent to guarantee to Germany the blessings of peace and effectual protection of-'lier rights and her interests- With this assurance my Government will devote itself to averting any interruption to European peace by every means compatible with the honour and the interests of the fatherland. The German people, however, strong in their unity, will be able calmly to face the vicissitudes of the future, if you, gentlemen, will aid in completing the great work of national union with that patriotism which has always been displayed in Prussia in serious times." There was frequent applause during the delivery of the speech. At its conclusion Heir von Forkenbcck called for cheers for the King, who then quitted the hall. Count Bismark thereupon declared the Diet opeD.