138] ANNUAL REGISTER, l8Jg. 



ture has been communicated from 

 Berlin ; we only learn, that the 

 new constitution remained rm- 

 settled at the end of the year, but 

 that a piomise has been given by 

 his Majesty, that it shall make its 

 appearance early in the ensuing- 

 year. 



A remarkable example of that 

 spirit of sound sense and plain 

 dealing, which is probably now 

 making a steady progress through 

 Germany, appeared in Marcli, in 

 a memorial jn-esented to the as- 

 sembled States of the Electorate 

 of Hesse, from the districts on 

 the river Dieinel, and signed by a 

 hundred of th.eir chief magis- 

 trates. Its translation nms thus : 



" As our gracious Sovereign 

 has again called the States toge- 

 ther, to deliberate on the dis- 

 tresses of tlie country, and, if 

 possible, to relieve them, we take 

 the liberty ui'gently to lay before 

 our Deputies chosen for the pre- 

 sent Assembly, the following de- 

 sire : — The taxes which we have 

 to pay are intolerably heavy. The 

 French times were bad ; but the 

 present, if all the money paid is 

 reckoned together, are still worse; 

 and were it not for our own dear 

 Elector, who is a Hessian as well 

 as ourselves, the country would 

 not have been silent so long : for 

 the money is demanded without 

 intermission, and yet there is no 

 trade, no business ; and when 

 the money is once out of our 

 hands, it never comes back any 

 more. We know that we are 

 bound to give wliat is necessary 

 for the support of tiie State, and 

 we will do it with pleasure as 

 long as it is possible , but the 

 misfortune is, 'that we do not 

 know how nuich the country pro- 



perly requires. However, as our 

 most gracious Prince has called 

 his States together, to consult 

 with them on the economy (the 

 German word means the liouse- 

 keeping) of the country, it is to 

 be hoped, that every body will 

 learn what is necessary, and what 

 is too much. We hoped that this 

 would be done last year ; but as 

 it was not, and as our burthens 

 have since become still greater, 

 we beg our Deputies, 1st, To as- 

 certain what part of the large 

 outstandingsums of money, which 

 they say the country of Kesse 

 demands, belongs to the country, 

 and what part of the public pio- 

 perty which we already have, be- 

 longs to the country, and what 

 to the Prince. VV^hen this is as- 

 certained, we beg them to exa- 

 mine, 2d, Whither (that is, into 

 what coffers) the large sums of 

 money flow, which we have to 

 pay annually, and for what pur- 

 poses it is employed. And then, 

 3dly, To seek for ways and means 

 by which the existing taxes may 

 be diminished, and placed on a 

 more moderate footing. And that 

 this mild, reasonable rate of taxa- 

 tion may not he altered arbitra- 

 rily, we beg our deputies, 4thly, 

 To provide that an established 

 constitution may be given to the 

 country, so that, without the con- 

 sent of the States, nothing may 

 be demanded or imposed, because 

 it is just and reasonable, that he 

 who is to give, be asked how 

 much he can give. These aie 

 our wishes, our necessary desire. 

 We should not have spoken, if it 

 had been to be borne ; but it is 

 too bad, and it grievee us that 

 our good Prince loses the love of 

 the people in the country, be- 

 cause 



