The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-17

vitws, his self-oonfdence and even bis wit lie
jested with the members Of the last deputation
sent to him, with Bishop Neander at its head. lie
reviewed his loyal and brave troops and sent EN-
out TO tight But n great change came over him
in the deathly anxiety Of the midnight hours in
which he wrote his proclamation TO his loved
/ Berliners' His confidence then gave way. He
thought Of flying from his palace and frou6 his
capital. The loyal Bodelschwingh- csmfort ed
him the iron will Of Count Arnm prevented
the execution Of the project Of fight. That would
risk, said he, the throne on the cast of a die IL
was dangerous TO remain, but il was more 80 to
4 hy The insurrection could finally be mastered
In some way, If the King would remain. IL he
should 90, the result could not be foreseen The
| King decided to remain
He now drank, draught after draught the bit
ter cup of his humiliation He auafed il to the
dregs First came the awful array Of the dead
In the court OF the palace then the scene ON the
terrace, where espreareS eo by twl citizens, and
in manner repeated after them the promise
for the arming of the whole people then the free
| ing Of the imprisoned Poles, whose triumphal
procession be was obliged 10 salute with repeated
wwrnes OF dis military cap; and last OF All,
The interminabls funeral procession Of the heroes
| whofelIin combating for freedom. The procession
Was several miles long, and the open hearses on
which the bodies were placed r,se separated by
| intervals OF few hundred 1eet only. As each OF
these drew near, the ~ had TO rise aud stand
with uncovered head snee balcony until II passed
His eyes were often sv,n to he streaming with
tears Perhaps he ycaliied on this day that the
people had accomplished the revolution, and not
himself lie seems 10 have been at first sincere in
his profession Of change OF views and feelings
lie had the wounded heroes Of the barbados
brought to the palace and nursed there; the ueen
visited them daily. He walked out frequently
among the people, and spoke with everybody he
seemed to appreciate correctly his former false
friends and dismissed some of them with hard
words. He promised "a constitutional Govern
ment on the broadcast principles ~ he renowned
his old and fondly,cherished ideas of building up
"Christian State, and promised that the popular
representation should not be msrred by any pref
erence 10 csriain snnis IIn fnshaae he Prince az
Prussia to 90 to Prussia and directed the exile to
| repair to England. lie said that Prussia should
"rise into Germany" and compelled the army
against its will to wear the German cookade He
declared to the murmuring Guards on parade at
Potsdam, on the 2ath, that he was free and we'll
protected among the citizens of Berlin, and that all
! be had granted and done had been granted and
done of his own free will and because of his own
convictions He said that it was his fixed resou-
ton to surround himselfw with such councillors only
| as were responsible to the popular representation,
and enjoyed it's fullest confidence
The ignorance in political affairs of the Prus-
slams the childish confidence and incapacity Of the
Revolutionary leaders, had left the King in the
position of dictator until popular Assembly
could be convened. The Camphausen ministry
did not know how TO direct him. They could
have confirmed the conquest of the Revolution IL
they had known how to use the first good resolu
tions Of the King
They not only made no use of them, but placed
he m cir tan M Ia
them in a few days. They consented that he
should 20 to Potsdam, and stay there, surrounded
by all his old councillors and friends, by the ex-
elusive Camarilla, which soon moulded the feeble
King to their own pprpsssa The ministry saw
him occasionally, and only for few minutes,
while the Reaction surrounded him the whole day.
lie was gradually persuaded that the new ideas
were ruinous to the monarchy, prejudical to the
country, and cherished only by portion of the
rabbe. This new changein the monarch was the
lever which the Camarilla used to overthrow the
constitutional edifce which Camphausen really
wished to erect
! The Prime Minister recognised his error too
ate TO apply tie remedy He confessed this with
melancholy forebodings tor the future in his celt-
brated speech Of the 26th of June, before the
National Assembly, when be cast a last glance
over he events of his ministry.
He did not display the common sense of Gen
Niai 'ou "ianENij Nu"i Nuch nc WIS chiicu rev
months later to take the command of the troops
at Berlin, and carry out the long. plans
Of the enmarii'n, made this significant rcmars 10
the Queen "Only hold his Majesty the King
tight for me, and will take care of the rest"
Camphausen should have become dictator In the
name of the King. He did nothing, preferripg to
wait for the action Of the National Assembly |
The opportunity Of action was thus let slip. The
Revolution was defeated, even while it was rejoic-
IA 4 AZ ID Il
tiently abided its time, and knew how to hold he
King tight" came out finally with flying colors. |
Its ability had turned defeat into victory.
w. b.