Cologne, April 30. The plans of our counter-revolutionary 
Government are gradually being revealed. 

It was intended that a new stage of the Prussian counter-revolution 
should date from April 27. It was desired to provoke the Berlin 
people into street fighting, perhaps to allow the insurrection a la 
Cavaignac to achieve “considerable magnitude”’, then to crush it by 
Cavaignac’s means and with superior force such as Cavaignac 
possessed, to proclaim martial law, to favour a few deputies and a 
good number of agitators with powder and shot, and finally, by 
new dictated measures to get rid of the troublesome fetters which 
even the martial-law Charter of December 5 still imposed on our 
counter- revolution. . 

The provoked uprising would have provided a sufficient excuse 
for asserting that the people “were not yet mature enough” for the 
freedom most graciously bestowed on them, and that it was 
impossible to govern under such an electoral law and such a 
Constitution.§ ‘To avoid bloodshed’”’, and therefore in the interests 
of the people, the last remnants of freedom had to be destroyed. “To 
avoid bloodshed”’, a state of siege had to be proclaimed throughout 
the country with the exception of Further Pomerania! All that could 
be asserted only after a decent-sized revolt in Berlin, with the 
requisite disturbances in Breslau, Magdeburg, Cologne etc., had 
taken place and had been successfully suppressed with the aid of 
grape-shot. 

Hence the brutal behaviour of the constables against the Left 
assembled in the Konversationshalle,”*’ and the cordon of troops 
encircling Donhoff Square; hence the rapid fire on an unarmed 
peaceful crowd, which could not disperse because all the streets were 
barred to it. 

The Counter-Revolutionary Plans in Berlin 37] 

The calm behaviour of the people despite all provocation upset the 
calculations of the counter-revolutionaries. They have no pretext for 
issuing dictates, but dictate they must. Perhaps this evening already 
we shall learn what new turn these gentlemen have decided on. 

What extensive plans were envisaged is evident from all the 
circumstances. Firstly, from the simultaneous dissolution of the 
Chamber in Hanover, secondly and in particular, from Herr 
Radowitz’s journey to Berlin. 

Herr Radowitz is the heart and soul of the Prussian counterrevolution. He drafted the plan for the counter-revolution of 
November last, but he himself still remained behind the scenes and 
intrigued in Frankfurt on behalf of the Prussian hereditary imperial 
crown. This time Radowitz himself went to Berlin in order, it is said, 
to come out in the open at last and to become Prime Minister. A 
Radowitz Government — that is the heart of the matter! * 

Furthermore, we definitely know the following facts: 

1) In the course of last week all Chefprasidenten received from their 
Oberprasidenten a document informing them of the forthcoming 
dissolution of the Chamber and directing them to take all necessary 
precautionary measures. 

2) A ministerial rescript was sent to all government authorities 
stating: 

1. That all burgomasters are sbiged to report daily to the 
appropriate government authorities about the impression produced 
by the dissolution of the Chamber. The government authorities, for 
their part, must present collective reports on this subject to the 
Ministry. 

2. For the present new elections would not be held; on the other hand, 
measures will be taken against many members of the “so-called” Left. 

3. All precautionary measures should be taken to suppress any 
attempt at revolt. 

The rescript is signed: Manteuffel. 

Herr Manteuffel, or rather Herr Radowitz, his superior, could not 
have rendered a better service to the developing Hungarian-PolishGerman revolution than precisely at the present time to come 
forward openly with his plans for the restoration of the absolutist 
regime.