The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-13 00:00:00

dmraerT sh.
sUnfortunately e for the d
al
tsitiooruyo
she has
V on
beenßrios
dangerously ill, it is, to say the least, rather
b.,,bie that her husband, who prolonged his dutll..l
attentlance. on her in depths of Pomerania to
.tl3:
day before his Sovereign's departure for Baden,ll.:
already selected her successor. Without undertak.l!
"a 11Yel
any guarantee for the Prussian Minister's tai I
we may undertake to say that his Sovereign woll_
not allow such pranks, and the Minister of ReliSl°ll.,
Dr. Von Muhler, the author of the best drualieo
song extant—quantum mutatus—would certainly
enter his protest against them. Herr Von Bisinarlrf
for all his energy, wants a little rest and recruiting
atter the wear and tear through which he has gone.
He wants it even more to prepare himself for the
very difficult work he will have to accomplish,
.nur
rather to attempt, when he gets back to Berli ;
With the conclusion of peace with Denmark Herr
internal struggles of Prussia recommence.
Von Bismark has, to speak more plainly than,
politely, made a fool of Austria, and, is defiance 0'
er.
the protests of Western Europe, wrested the
man Duchies from Denmark ; has now to 001!G
ne
for the third time, with such advantages 'ties!successes may give him, to effect that reconciliatio.
between the King and the representatives of In.
people, or that complete subjection of the latte't:
whichever may have been his object, which he be
twice failed to accomplish. The Landtag must
called together speedily, not only because the CO
stitution, to which the Minister still professes L"
render obedience, prescribes it, but because then in:
vernmsnt is in want of money, which it can u
obtain with the consent of the Lower House so long.
as the constitution remains in force. It is true that
the Government has been able to meet the extra;
ordinary expenditure caused by the war without
nominally running into debt ; but it has only beets
able to do this by employing money and using
etores which it is anxious to replace. It has sr,t
the whole or a large portion of the " treasure'
sort of treasury balance, but one quite remove°
from the control of Parliament—hoarded for etner;
gencies ; then it has used up its military stores an
°
must renew them if the army is to be kept in a
fitting condition ; and, moreover, it is anxious !'
obtain money to put its many fortresses, seriously
affected by the recent discoveries in gunnery, 113 a„
satisfactory condition. For ail these reasons ~
Government, inclined as it is to absolutism, nine'
call the Parliament together, either to obtain by
concession or intimidation from the Lower House
the means which twelve months ago it refused to
grant, or to find a pretext in that refusal fer
a coup detat nominally amending but practical
setting aside the constitution, by bringing together/
through the virtues of a new electoral law, a 11°1186
ready to do the Royal bidding. The task which the
Prussian Prime Minister has before him is a '0
difficult one, far more difficult than his triumPh
over Austria, Denmark, and Europe—difficult, on"
only because he has against him the Prussian people'
but because he is by no means sure of the Prussil
King. King William desires to be reconciled
his people, and there are no other difficulties in 131'
way than his Minister, the democrats, who alone
are weak enough, and the moderate politician
whom their policy has personally injured. The real
dispute between the King and his people is susceljq;
tible of a solution which would practically give b,.°`„
all that they care about having; but Herr ve'
Bismark and his immediate friends are not them !
to bring about such a solution. They are nant,
absolutist in heart than the King himself. They
shudder at the idea of having to consult the wislle.s
of a popular assembly, and their persotal interests
are strongly opposed to a reconciliation. They
know that if a good understanding were establishe
between the King and the Chamber of Deputies'
the King, for his own convenience, would surround
himself with Ministers who enjoyed the confidence
of the house, and, enjoying that confidence, cot:
obtain from the house much more than men
were the objects of its dislike. The position of Herr
Von Bismark is perilous for himself and for Prussle?
He risks the loss of power, and Prussia risks being
dragged by his strong will, and the want of prat'
tical wisdom on the part of his opponents, into Bti„
absolutist regime and the revolutionary struggle:
which are likely to be its consequence. Herr V°ll
Bismark may well seek a little rest, a little titne
for reflection at Biarritz. The days are fast coming
in which he must make the struggle which will
decide for a long time his position and the fortune!
of Prussia. Let us hope for the sake of Prussia that
he will die as a politician at the summit of his glory'
and have no time given him to destroy that rePtita'
tion, of being one of the boldest and ablest states"
men of Europe, which he now enjoys. Two or three
months more of office, and he will have lived too
long for his reputation. We refer all who eesire
to understand this controversy, which, col:opera'
tively unimportant in itself, may be in its copse'
quences most serious, to a communication upon
ri,tilh,
subject which we published last Thursday. 1,";
writer, who is thoroughly conversant with prussla"
politics, and in a position to know what are the
views of the different parties in Prussia, has
sketched with remarkable clearness the controversy'
and showing how easily a satisfactory comprorei:
might be arrived at, has shown, too, how faint er'
the chances of ore, and how momentous the consed
quences of the failure to effect it.