The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-07-23 00:00:00

PROCLAMATION OF NEUTRALITY BY
ENGLAND.

--
A &lel ProelanVam, ejuninq upon British subjects
neutrality in the war between France and Prussbt, was
agreed to on Tuesday morning by the Queen In Council.

SPEECH OF KING WILLIAM.

The North German Parliament Wu opened On
Tuesday by King William in person. His Majesty
delivered the following speech from the Throne :-
.. . _

° Honoured Gentlemen of the Parliament of the North
German Confederation,—When at your last meeting I bade
you welcome from this place, in the DUMB of the Allied
Governments, it was with j is, and gratitude that I was able
to bear witness to the fact that, by the help of God, success
had rewarded my sincere efforts to meet the wishes of
the people mid the rettairements of civilisation by
avoiding any disturbance of the peace of Europe.
If, notwithstanding this assurance, the menace and
imminence of war have now laid noon the Confede-
rate Governments the duty of calling you together
for an Extraordinary Session. you, as well as ourselves, will
be intimater with the cenvicsion that the North German
Confederation hen laboured to improve the national forces,
not to imperil, but to afford a gr ater protection to universal
peace, and that when we call upon this national army to
defend our Independence we only obey the Mamie.' of
honour and duty. The nomination of a Gorman Prince for
the Spanish Throne, both is the bringing forward and with-
drawn! of which the C. mfmlerate Governments were equally
unconcerned, and which only interested the North German
Confederation in so far u the Government of a friendly
country appeared to have upon its emcees the hopes
of acquiring for a sorely-tried peon's, a pledge for
regular and reactfiil government, alluded the Em-
peror of the French a pretext for a custg bell. put for-
ward In a manner long since unknown hi the annals of dip!.
matte intercourse, anti adhered to, after the removal of the
very pretext itself, with that disregmil of the people's right
Its the blessings of peace of which the history of a former
ruder of France affords so ninny analegous example If
G,rmarly in former centuries bore in silence such vhd.itions
of her rights and of hoe honour, it was only because in her
then divided state she knew sit her own strength. To-day,
when the links of Intellectual and right! ol community
which began to be knit together at the time of the Wars
of Liberation, Join, the more slowly the more surely,
the different German races—to-day, when German) 'a
armament leaves no longer an opening to the
enemy the German nation contains \MOM itself
the will and the power to repel the renewed aggreetion of
France. It is not arrogance that put, these words it/ my
mouth. The C ,nfederate Government and I myself are act-
ing in the full consciousness that victory and defeat are its
the hands of Him who sieWes the fate of battles. With a
char gaga we have measured the responsibility which before
the Judgment Seat 01 110,1 nutlet mankind most fall upon him
who drags two p-eat and peace-loving peoples of the heart of
Enrols° Into a devaslatieg war. The German mid French
peoples, both equally enjoying and desiring the blessings of in
Christian civillgatlwn end of an increasing prosperity, are all
called tin more wholesome rivalry than the sei.gnitiary con-
flict of arms. Yet those who hold power in France, have, by
precoucerted miguidance, fusseS means to wo.k upon the
legitimate, but excitelile, national sentiment of our great
neighbourieg people, for the furtherance of personal interests
and the gratification of passions. The more the Confederate
Government, are conscious of having done all our honour
and dignity permitted to preserve to Europe the blessings of
peace, and the more indubitable it shall appear to all minds
that the sword has been thrust Into our 111,1111, so much the
more condiently shall we rely upon the united will of the
German Governments, bo:h of the North and Sod h, and
upon your love of country, and so much the more confidently
shall we fight for our right riaidut the violence of foreign
invaders. Inasmuch as we pursue no other elect than the
durable establishment of peace in Europe, God will be with
us, as he was with our forefathers."

Previous to the delivery of the speech, on the arrival
of the members of the Federal Council, Dr. Simeon
called for cheers Lr the Read of the North German
Confederation, an appeal that wan thrice frantically
responded to. The King read the speech in a firut
voice, but iisplavecl at several passages much emotion,
and was often interrupted with ...Herons cheering,
especially when he epoke of the mi•loogerolivided Ger-
rusnv—a remark that was understood to allude to the
_ _

c ,-oPeration of Bavaria. Th. other -pass-si;e-s--n;Tai
cheered were the one referring to the peace-loving
German people. and the mis_malance of the French
nation. At the close of the spetvh Baron von Friesen.
the Scion Moist. -, called for cheers for King William
which were repeated over and over again.

At a quarter past two in the afternoon the North
German Parliament was opened by Dr. Simeon
fur the despatch of businees. Count %mark and
nearly all the memb -re of the Federal C.iuncil were
present, and there was a numerous attendance of
Drputies. Count Remark informed the Hulse
that the French Chargi, d'Affsiree had delievered •
declaration of war against Prues;a. Hereupon all
preeent arore, awl greeted the atnonne.ement with
lucid cheering, the persons in the gallrry shouting
" Hurrah !" Count Binoiark asiried,—" After what
we have heani 'rum the King in the Speech from the
Throne 1 have nothing more to say." Dr. Simeon
then enumerated the grants demanded by the Govern-
ment, and, on the proposal of C milt Schwerin, the
foracce Pecui.leut c,,ml Vsee-Pc....iciente wee. ye,lect...i
without • vote. Dr. Sim-em announced that the
House would draw up an arldrere t 3 tbs King.