The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-26
The Frankfort Assembly-The Berlin Con-
ferenee-rhe German Confederation.

1erenee-the German COnIoOeratl0ns
From the London Times, June4
The Frankfort Assembly has ceased 10 exist by
the final vote of It's few remaining members, which
transferred the seal Of It's ultenor proceedings to
Stutgard, where will probably become the nucleus
of the republican movement already raging In Ba-
den and the Palaunate. The presence of such
body IN the capital of Wurtemoerg, will scarcely
be found TO be consistent with the duration of that
monarchy. Al the very same moment when the
Frankfort Assembly has taken this last decisive
step, the governments OF Prussia, Hanover, and
SaXony, have promulgated the constitutional
league TO which they invite the assent OF the other
States OF Germany, and we have now before US
the result of the strange, and we must say tortuous,
proceedings OF the cabinet of Berlin. IL Is not the
first time, but the third tune since the commence
ment of the revolution, that we have had occasion
10 deplore with amaZemenI the lrresoluton and In
consistency with which the King OF Prussia has
thrown away his cause, at the very moment hs
seemed TO have won the game. In March, 1913,
when his troops mad just made good their as
cendancy over the mob, by their discipline
and yalor, the King gave IN at the last mo-
men:, Withdrew the forces, and acceded to those
fatal conditions which made Berlin a scene of
anarchy tor eight months. In November, 1913,
coup d'ttdt was uied, and with complete success
but no sooner had The Crown restored order TO
abe capital and authority 10 the government, than
II threw away these advantages by promulgatlng
a constitution so absurd and impractlcabe, that
II had not been IN operation three weeks before 1t
became necessary To resort to another coup d'Stat
10 save the State. That, too, succeeded the army
and the landwehr behaved molly the excuses of
the republicans were revolving to the middle
classes; the Frankfort constitution aud the Frank
fort Asse mbly were RAPIDLY falling into deserved
contempt, when we suddenly appraised that the
conferences AT Berlin have led To no result but the
adoption OF scheme obnoxious to nearly all the
objections which had been urged against the Frank
.ou constitution. If the King of Prussia is pre-
pared 10 urge this plan on the acceptance OF his
coniederates, with The sole concurrence OF Hano-
yer and SaxoDy, We are entirely at a loss to COM
prehend his motive tor peremptory rejection of
the Imperial Crown, when offered TO hun by the
Frankfort democrats aud q MINOR States. For,
without descending into the minute differences
which distinguished the two propositions, they are
identical III four essential polnts-the exclusion OF
Austria, the permanent headshiP OF Prussia, the
division OF the rest OF Germany, and the introduce
ton OF a form OF government based on universal
suffrage, and, we believe, practically Impossl-
Bile.
The immediate result of this proposal is to divide
The Gelmanlc confederation into three, and possibly
into four, parts-Auslrla, TO which no aluslon Is
made In the PROJECT, and which we will assume, for
arguments sake, 10 surrender her ancient position
among the German States; Prussia, at the head of
this council OF princes and federal league of me-
dlatl2ed soyeregns; and the republicans, who are
actually in possession OF two or three States in
Southern Germany, and who will doubtless seize
every preenee TO reject this any other conStltu-
ton emanatlng from the dlplomatlsts of Berlin. To
these three sections may be added Bavaria, which
is now sorey pressed between each extreme. She
wihholds her assent from the Prusslan plan and
nothing but the last extremtles of compulslon
Catholic house of Witelsbach to surrender his di-
mnlshed sovereignty TO the representative of the
Protestant house OF Hohenzolern. But, on the
other hand, Bavaria already sees her Rhenlsh pro-
vince occupied by republican provisional govern
ment. and it is not improbabls that the Franconlan
portion OF her domnlons may accept the Prusslan
scheme. AT any other moment, the natural policy
OF Bavaria would have been close alliance with
Austria, and that is d she may still possibly
adopt; but the support the court OF Vleana
now give to the court of Munich is extremely fee
BILE Bavaria may, II is true, stand aloof like Aus
tria from the new league, adherng only to the
obligations OF 1915, but this suggestion is obviously
llusory, since the diet OF the old confederation has
ceased to exist, and lncessant attempts will be
made by the new body or empire to absorb those
states and provinces which repudate It's authority.
The unity Ut Germany In this form, and by these
means, implies the severance of the Germanlc con-
federation INTO three or four parts, which only
be annexed or subdued by force OF arms, and such
combination must necessarily commence by a
partial, II not general, struggle for ascenddncy
and independence.
The world has now had some experience of Ger
man popular assemblies, and we have reason TO
suppose that the Diet of the new league will differ
materially from those which have preceded 1t. The
basis Of this Legislative power universal suffrage,
masked by the subieTfuge of indirect elecuon and
at would be absurd to anticipate, In the present state
OF Western Germany, any assembly returned In
this manner which should not be OF the most de-
mocratic character. The Senate, of which half Is
TO be named by the governments and half by the
at once find itself III direct opposition this popular
body, and the constitution could only be sci mo-
ton by subvertng or the other OF these conflict
ing elements. The continental limitations of British
institutions have, unluckily, always lost sight of
two essential conditions OF system; the first s
that the constitution of this country works by the
union OF the three powers, and not by their oppo
Sltlon, so that we seek to avoid a collision be-
tween the two Houses, or between Parliament and
the Crown, by continual caution, and by coca
sonal sacrifices; the second is, that the Parlla-
ment OF England scrupulously abstans, by its own
good sense and traditions, from encroachmg upon
the duties OF the Executive government. The
tendency OF the modern democratic assemblies of
the continent, Is to tolerate no division OF power,
to crush all external resistance and to convert the
ministers OF the state into mere servants OF a
convention. We see no reason to hope that the
next German legislative body or Diet will be free
from these dangerous misconceptions.
The King of Prussia has been accused, by great
authority, OF an underhand design TO secure for
himself, by force and cunning, that ascendancy in
Germany which he rejected when 1t was proered
TO linn by the democracy OF Frankfort. We
extremely reluctant to entertain so base an opinion
OF his conduct and motives, tor although he has
contniuaiy been wanting In firmncss and Judg
lnent, We have placed confidence in his rectltude
and honor: We trust, therefore, that full expla-
nation will be given Ut the reasons which justify
the adoption OF this scheme, with the assent of
Hanover and Saxony only, after the Court of Ber-
lin had made the most solemn reservations that
1t would act with the concurrence of all the Ger
man Princes, and after the declarations recently
repeated, that it adhered IN conjunction with Aus
tra, to the principles of union established in 1915.
III the result OF this League be to constitute
powerful and united Germany, able to put down
anarchy at home and 10 maintain proud position
In Europe, II would Ill become the statesmen
public writer's of this country TO disparage great
and obvious benefit TO the cause Of peace aud Of
freedoms nor are we called upon TO participate in
the feelings OF those Sovereigns who may sacrifice
their political existence and the inheritance of
their race 10 the welfare OF their common country,
In the fond belief that her greatness and her
glory will compensate them for all If these
things are To be, The ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF one
house and the decline of another may be re-
England, and rarts Of the vicissitudes of these
times, however we may despise the ambition
which has wrought IN 80 questionable garb. But