The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-25 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE NORTH GERMAN

SPEECH OF KING WILLIAM.

BERLIN. Fie. 24.

The first session of the North German Parliament
was opened to-day in this capital by the King of
Prussia in person. On the right of the throne were
the Crown Prince and the other royal princes, with
the exception of Prince Frederick Charles, who
took his place among the members of the parliament.
On the left of the throne were the Federal plenipo-
tentiaries, headed by Count Bismarck in military
uniform. The Queen, the Crown Princess, and her
royal highness's eldest son, Prince Frederick
Charles, Prince William of Baden, Prince Nicholas
of Nassau, Prince Henry of Hesse, and almost all
the diplomatic body,were present, and the number
of spectators was very great.
The King of Prussia, who was received on enter_
ing with the most enthusiastic cheers, read the fol-
lowing speech from the throne :

Illustrious, noble, and honourable Gentlemen of the
North German Confederation,—lt is an elevating moment
which I come among you. Mighty events have brought
it about. Great hopes are bound up with it. I thank
Divine Providence, which has led Germany towards the
object desired by her people along roads we neither chose
nor foresaw, for the privilege of giving expression to these
hopes in community with an trembly such as has not sur-
rounded any German prince for centuries. Relying
upon this guidance, we shall attain that object
all the earlier the clearer we recognise, looking
back upon the history of Germany, the causes
that have led us and our forefathers away from it.
Formerly powerful, great, and honoured, because united
and guided by strong hands, the German empire did not
sink into dissension and weakness without both its head
and its members being in fault. Deprived of weight in the
councils of Europe, of influence over her own history,
Germany became the arena of the struggles of foreign
poWers, for which she furnished the blood of her children,
the battle-fields, and the prises of combat. But the long-
ing of the Gelman people for what it had lost has never
ceased, and the history of our time is filled with the efforts
of Germany and the German people to regain the greatness
of their past. If these efforts have hitherto not attained
their object—if they have only increased dissension, in
place of healing it, because people allowed themselves to
be deceived by hopes or reminiscences as to the value of

the present by ideals as to the importance of facts—
we recognise therefrom the necessity of seek-
ing the union of the German people in com-
pany with facts, and of not again sacrificing what
is within our reach to what we may desire. In this sense
the allied governments, in accordance with former actor
tomed practice, have agreed upon a number of defined and
limited but practically important arrangements, as imme-
diately possible as they are undoubtedly requisite. The
draft of the constitution that will be laid before you asks
from the independence of individual States, for the benefit
of the whole, only such sacrifices as are indispensable to
protect peace, to guarantee the security of federal terri-
tory, and the development of the prosperity of
its inhabitants. I have to thank my allies for
the readiness with which they have met the
requirements of the common fatherland. I express this
gratitude with the consciousness that I too should have
been found ready to display the same devotion to the gene-
ral welfare of Germany, if Providence had not placed me,
as heir to the Prussian crown, at the head of the most
powerful State of the confederation, and for that reason the
one called to the leadership of the commonwealth. I feel
myself, however, strong in the conviction that all the
incenses of Prussia have been at the same time towards
the restoration and elevation of German power and honour.
Notwithstanding the general readiness, and although the
mighty events of the past year have convinced all men of the
indispensable necessity of reconstructing the German condi-
tion, thus rendering the public mind more favourably inclined
towards such a measure than it was previously, and
perhaps might be at a later period again, we have anew
perceived during the negotiations bow difficult is the teak
of attaining complete unanimity between so many inde-
pendent governments, which have also in their concessions

to bear in mind the views of their separate estates. The
more, gentlemen, you realise these difficulties, the more
carefully, I ani convinced, you will bear in mind, in your
examination of the draft, the heavy responsibility for
the dangers to the peaceful and legal execution of the
work that has been commenced, which might arise if the
agreement arrived at with the governments ;roma the bill
now laid before you, could not again be obtained for the
alterations demanded by the parliament. The point of su-
preme importance at present is not to neglect the favour-
able moment for establishing the building ; its more per-
fect completion can then safely remain entrusted to the
subsequent combined cooperation of the German sove-
reigns and races. Regulation of the national relations of
the North German Confederation towards our brothers
south of the Maine has been left by the peace treaties of
last year to the voluntary agreement of both parties. Our
hands will be openly and readily extended to bring
about this understanding as soon as the North Genumi Con-
federation has advanced far enough in the settlement
of its constitution to be empowered to conclude treatks.
The preservation of the Zollverein, the common promotion
of trade, and a common guarantee for the security of Ger-
man territory, will form fundamental conditions of the
understanding which it may be foreseen will be desired
by both parties. As the direction of the German mind
generally is turned towards peace and its labours, the con-
federate association of the German states will mainly
assume a defensive character. The German movement of
recent years has borne no hostile tendency towards our
neighbours, no striving after conquest, but has arisen
solely from the necessity of affording the broad domains
from the Alps to the sea the fundamental conditions
of political progress which the march of develop-
ment in former centuries has impeded. The German
races unite only for defence and not for attack, and that
their brotherhood is also regarded in this light by adjacent
nations is proved by the friendly attitude of the mightiest
European states, which see Germany without apprehension
and envy take possession of those s►me advantages of •
great political commonwealth, which they themselves have
already enjoyed for centuries. It therefore now only de-
pends upon us, upon our unity and our patriotism, to
secure to entire Germany the guarantees of a future in
which, free from the danger of again falling into dissension
and weakness, she will be able to further, by her
own decision, her constitutional development and
prosperity, and to fulfil her peace.loving mission in
the council of nations. I trait in God that posterity,
looking back upon our common labour,, will not say that
the experience of former unsuccessful attempts has been
useless to the German people, but that on the other hand
our children will thankfully regard this parliament as the
commencement of the unity, freedom, and power of the
Germans. Gentlemen, all Germany, even beyond the
limits of our confederation, anxiously awaits the decisions
that may be arrived at hare. May the dream of centuries,
the yearning and striving of the youngest generations, be
realised by our common work. In the name of all the
allied governments, in the name of Germany, I confidently
call upon you to help us rapidly and safely to carry out
the great national task. And may the blessing of God,
upon which everything depends, accompany and promote
the patriotic work.
Three times during the delivery of the speech
his Majesty was interrupted by loud cheers. At
the conclusion of the speech Count Bismarck do-
dared the parliament to be open. The King then
bowed throe times to the assembly, and quitted
the hall amid great enthusiasm.
A spectator in the hall died during the ceremony.

BISHOP OF LONDON'S FUND.—The first meeting
of the board for the present year will be held to-morrow,
at four o'clock. The Bishop of London will be in the
chair, and the third annual report cootaining a statement
of the operations of the fund to the close of 1868 will be
peeentod by the executive committee.