Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-08-06

the military taste of the king, and don the
uniform of the Prussian regiment, of which
he is honorary colonel and in this attire
he was lost sight of among the king s
staff. This was not the work OF chance.
The ministers of the central authority
foresaw what would be the consequence
of this step, and urgently entfeated the
archduke to lay aside the Prussian uniform
and appear at the head of the Parliament
in the dress of private civilian. There
had almost been ministerial crisis about
an old coat; for the archduke was Obstl-
nate, and stuck to his costume of Prusslan
colonel. This was his way he was al
ways trying TO attain great objects by petty
means; he hoped to win the King OF
Prussia, to insure his active sympathy,
by flattering his Majesty's military vanity.
Poor man he did not feel that by demea-
ming himself he degraded the body of
which he was the head, and without
which he was nothing.
The king must have been astonished at
the facility with which he extinguished
this dangerous and powerful rival in the
public estimation. He did not succeed
so easily with the Parliament. When
Gagern introduced the deputies to him the
king ventured on speech, which has al
so become historical. In his reply to the
address Of the president, who said that
" the work of unity was begun, and the
nation would complete it," the king babe
him "not forget that there were princes
in Germany land that he was one ofthem."
The bad effect of these words was soon
apparent; the journals commented strong
ly on them next day and the king gave
way, and at the great banquet drank TO
I" all the members of the Frankfort ParlIa-
ment," omitting the name of NJ. Schoeffel.
But all this did not save the Parliament
from being almost totally eclipsed by the
kings staff. Gagern, who has no idea
of arrangement and pre-concert, reached
the door of the minister too late TO be pres
ent at the service performed there. Con-
sequently the king and his staff were on
that occasion the cynosure of all eyes.
After il was over, Gagern endeayored to
push in before the princes, in order that
in the procession the Parliament might
follow close upon the king and the vicar
of the empire. But on reaching the stair
case of the building in which the banquet
was held, the princes literally elbowed
themselves into precedence, and thrust
themselves between heParliament and the
king. This was laughed al at the moment,
but it was only the picture in little of the
scramble which took place afterwards or
a larger theatre.
There can be no doubt that the incl
dents of this festival did much TO reassure
the king and his friends. They arrived
with hesitation, and ready to look upon
themselves as beaten; they departed pert
and triumphant. They had seen their
redoubtable enemy near at hand, and were
satisfied that he was no such untamable
monster as their fears had painted.
Less than two years have elapsed since
that day--how entirely every thing has
changed 1t is as if two centuries had
intevened between the festival of to-day
and that which was celebrated only year
and few months ago. The Kmg of
Prussia is now surrounded by those prin
ces, to whom he alluded with hesitation
in the face of Gagern. And these princes
are trying now, as the Parliament was
irving then, TO reorganizc Germany. But
there is no one at Berlin to reply TO the
king as he replied to Gagern. Do not
forget that there is a people, German
nation, and that it is composed of millions
of citizens, and hundreds of thousands of
Landwehr." This would seem to have
been forgotten but ain much mistaken
if this people, set aside and forgotten as it
now is, will not, on the first opportunity,
teach the princes that il is not for il alone
that fortune is placed on turning wheel.
The poor archduke at least has been
taught this truth already. He too left the
people out of his calculations, and he has
fallen from the throne which the people
extemporized for him as low as he can
well fall. do not believe that he inten-
tionally betrayed Germany; but he was
incapable of comprehending what was
expected from him, and he never for a
moment forgot that he was prince of the
house of Hapsburg. Doubtless he would
have liked to render his provisional eleva-
ton permanent, but he did not know how
to set about it. The Germans now either
regard him with scorn(ul pity or cordial
haired. One of our most popular poets,
the author of " Village Tales" (Dorf
geschichten,) NJ. Auerbach, has put him
in play which he has just published. 1t
is called Andrew HOfer," and the Arch
duke John is unceremoniously introduced
as the man who betrayed Hofer, and his
patriot associates. "John Lakeland
has deemed ii necessary to write in the
journals against his literary libeller. This