The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-06-28 00:00:00

-A-NORNING PARTY "AT -i'RIZICE-

BismAßcrs,

The Berlin Corresnond.ent of the SFAndard write*
The " Frahschoppen," or Morning Garden Party, at
which the Chancellor entertains the members of Par-
liament and other political notabilities of Germany,
has of late years 'come to be regarded as one of the
events of the season in this eapital. This year, un-
fortunately, the affair was to some extent marred by :
unfavourable weather, and Prince Bismarck, instead
of entertaining his guests in the charming grounds
attached to his Palace in WilhelinStrasse, receive-4
them at the door of the celebrated Congress
Chamber, and the it was that the Deputies and
Ministers drank the "Early Glass "—of bee, of
course—to which they had been invited. Although
the number of pests was somewhat thinned by the
bad weather, it was still fairly representttive, in-
'chiding, in addition to a larger number of ladies than
'usual, most of the MiniSters, members of the Federal
'Council, and members of nearly all-sections of the
'Opposition, as well as a the Ministhaial Parties.
Among fka Liberals present was kterr Rickert,
whom 'Prince Bismarck greeted in a very friendly
mariner, in spite of their strong political antagonism.
To the music of the band of the Second Regiment
:Of the Guards, the cempany partook of the recherche
luncheon that had been provided, and sipped the
exquisite Munich Franciscan beer which the Chan-
• celleee said had been sent to him'by Count von Hol-
• stein. A story which was told of certain importatt,
diplomatic services rendered by the latter nobleman
at a critical moment during the Franco-German war
'reminded Prince Bismarck of an episode connected
-c7ith the same event which has never yet
'appeared 'in print. "After the capitulation of
Paris," remarked the Chancellor, "I met M.
Thiers on the staircase at Versailles, and said,
'I quite forgot to claim any war contribution from
Paris. I think so large and wealthy a capital would
' feel Offended if I demanded less than a milliard.'
M. Thiers looked completely thunderstruck, and
wanted to evade giving me any reply at the moment.
But, accompanying him, I continued the conversation,
and before we had • reached the foot of the staircase
we had agreed that the indemnity to be paid by the
city of Paris should be two hundred millions. I had
' asked a milliard, bf course, only in order to be able
to make a large reduction in the amount. This sum
I had intended to employ wholly or in part to repay the
• indemnities paid to Prussia by the smaller German
'States, especially by Bavaria after the war of 1866,
' but the Paris 'contribution somehow found its way
into the military chest, and that, oF course, never re-
turns anything. I had actually -received the Emperor's
consent to apply the Paris contribution in the way I
have mentioned, but was compelled to abandon the
idea, as the matter had passed into the hands of
the Emperor's Military Cabinet, from whom since
that time I have heard nothing more on the subject."
In the course of the morning Herr Windhorst, who
' was a zealous opponent of the Friihschoppen " last
Session, received from the students of Rostock a
telegram worded thus: "To your Excellency, a
Friihschopperi ! We drink a brimming glass to your
Excellency's health." The recipient handed to Prince
Bismarck the telegram, smiling, and then wired in
reply, "Practice is better than theory. I return your
toast in full." The party, which included in all about
two hundred and fifty deputies, broke up about noon.