THE ZOLLVERERIN,

[20

siderations a8 secondary to those of social and economic
well-being,
“Although,” he says, “a verv roid one, my journey has
given mq 4 betier insight £: an character and the
Prospects of central Europe t&  *. "" have ever gained
from the eyes of others, I. - cast he looked upon as a
rising State, whose greatness vill b  bas=d upon the Com-Meri]
 League [the Zollverein] ~ « « The effect of the
League must inevitably be tu throw the preponderating
influence over thirty millions of people into the bands of the
Cabinet of Berlin, By the terns of the Union, the money
18 to be collected and paid by Prussia; a very little financial
Skill will thug very easily make the smaller states the pensioner
 of the Paymaster. Already, I am told, Prussia has
been playing this game; she is sald to be two millions of
dollars g year out of pocket by her oflice, owing to her
having guaranteed the smaller partners certain amounts of
tovenue. Besides the power that such a post of treasurer
will confer upon Prussia, other causes must tend to weaken
the influence of the lesser states’ governments. A common
standard of weights and measures, ag well as of money, is
Preparing, and these being assimilated, and the revenue
received from Prussia, whose literature and modes will
become the standard for the other portions of Germany,
What shall prevent this entire family of one common lan.
Buage, and possessing perfect freedom of intercourse, from
Merging into one nation ? In fact they are substantially
be nation now, and their remaining subdivisions wil]
’ The Zollverein op Customs Union had been planned ag far back as
1818, but it wag not until 1835 that the treaty was signed which bound
Most of the German states, except Austria, {0 a policy of free trade among
themgelves, while protective duties wore maintained agaings foreign nations,
Poulett Thomson and other English officialy of the same liberal stamp,
Nightly regarded the Dew system without apprehension, for it recognized
bhe expediency of abolishing commercial restrictions rver a great area,
though the wren was not quite great enonen

1838.

Ar, 24