The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-28

national guard remained unorganzed, the bt
, reaucracy remained undisturbed; the judici'
tribunals were unchanged, and the conservative
remained in office The whole machinery Of tn
reaction was left untouched and ready for use q
soon as the conservatives should recover froi
their first fright In vain the press raised it
voice Of warning. Camphausen held fast TO hi
doctrine. lie thought that the old system O
things should be without sensible shock chang
ed into the new, the Government gradually re
formed, the new laws should originate from tn
old, and that strict legality should be maintained
This was a virtual denial of the revolution
Camphauscn, the Minister Of the revolution
wished to serve both il and the old Government
He found, too late, that in politics no man cal
serve two masters, and that he who is not hanC
anu nearN lUr progress Is against II. lie lost
what in revolutionary times is most precious 4
statesman, time. What he lost, the reaction
won.
The ccnvocation of the General Diet wa:
Camphausen's first great political fault. The
fact was, however, that although he and his col
leagues now demanded the confidence of the de.
mocracy, their principles were not more advanced
than in lS47, when they demanded the adoption
of certain measures for the sole reason that they
would hinder a revolution. The change which
had taken place in public opinion had left then
untouched. Up to the combat of the 18th Of
March, the convocation Of the Diet had been a
popular measure; after that period, it fell so far
short of the demands of the people, that remon-
strances and petitions against it flowed in from
every quarter.
The political instincts of the people, which de-
manded of Camphausen the revocation of the call
OF Art Ys.e,, and Ae grant Of an ~ts4s,sas INV
were right, and the politicians who were not in.
toxicattd with the late change in their favor
ranged themselves on the same side. The old
Diet, both in its composition and from the mode
of election of its members, represented moth
| ing but the different orders and their interests
Besides, it was only consultative, not a legisa-
tive body. The King was the law-making power
and the people wished him to exercise this power
to confirm the conquests of the revolution.
The Camphausen Ministry, in its anxiety to
escape anarchy, mistook entirely the functions of
the old Diet IL strove to avoid every revolu-
tionary measure, and committed the blunder of
changing a consultative body into a Legislative
one, than which a more revolutionary measure
cannot be conceived Protesting to aim at the
abolition of the nobility and orders, it convened
the Diet of the Orders to ask it's consent to their
abolition.
The Ministry was supported in this course by
the richer portion OF the bourgeoisie to which
tranquility is always preferable to liberty and
which the habit of submission TO the bureaucracy
made incapable Of resistance. This class Can
never be expected to favor reform progress, for
neither is essential to- its comfort responsibility
and either may endanger them Another infu-
entail and honored body, the University, also IA
vored the convention of the Diet, and for the
reasons which influenced the bourgeoisie The
professors and other members of the Prussan
Universities depended for their positions and
large salaries on the maintenance Of the old state
Of things, or at least Of order and tranquility
1t should, therefore, have sprprised no one tina
Ale Un.~ersity of Dsr!in sustained tho oon-ooa
, ton Of the Diet by vote of SO to 7. The whole
number of oiHce-holders Or as they are here called
the bureaucracy, were of course in favor of it, A
last the pctters of q reaction advocated it, being
convinced that any further action by the King
should, at all risks, be avoided. When the meas
ure was irrevocably determined on, the revolu
ZION WAS WOuDueu III ltS luuuaInental principle
for il took for granted that the old system had
not been annihilated, but had remained in it's in
tegrity, promising to make only few concessions
; The Diet met on the ID of April, almost unno-
ticed by the people. Its action deceived the ex-
pectation of the Ministry and the Reaction
Coming as its members did, from different parts
Of the country, and from immediate contact with
the people, they feared to resist the public opin-
ion. In the answer to the royal speech, the Diet
demanded constitutional form Of Government,
the right of free association liberty of the press
q haJeas coyyuS act, independence Of judges, pub
lie trials aud oral peadings in political and GRIM
nal cases, trial by jury, equality of rights for all
religions, institution Of national guard with
the right of electing officers direct suffrage, a
popular National Assembly with legislative pow
err and the right to control the finances, response
y bilty of Ministers the allegiance of the army to
the Constitution, and not to the King, and, final
ly, the transformation Of Germany from con-
federation of States into federal State to be
governed by a popular Assembly. The Ministry
itself received most humiliating lesson in the
liberal amendments by the Diet Of the electoral
law proposed by the Government.
This proof that the Cabinet was far behind the
requirements Of public opinion, and WAS either
treacherous OF incapable, or both together, was
the first given to the people. Another was soon
given. Under the influence and on the PROPOSE
ton of the Ministers, the Diet proceeded to
elect as members TO the Frankfort Assembly,
Messrs Stahl and Keller, two Of the stanchest
supporters of the old system and enemies Of re-
form This was too much for the patience of the
people. A burst of discomfort all over the coun-
try warned the Ministers that they had presumed
too much on the confidence reposed in them by
the democracy. They were compelled to break
the election by the Diet, and order new one by
the people.
The Cabinet could not permit the Diet of the
Orders TO adjourn without asking from it vote
of confidence This was given without hesita-
ton II linked the Ministry TO the conservatives,
and separated il from the people The friends of
the Ministry have since pleaded It's incapacity MS
as an excuse for this step However this may be,
it contributed to destroy the popularity of the
Camphausen Ministry.
CHAPTER VI
The CantDhowen Ministry md rho Psop'e Of Berlin
The bourgeoisie Of the capital had taken an
active part in the combat Of March For some
days after, they were filed with the most lively
enthusiasm for the revolution, XI,is sentiment
vas at Its climax on the 23i Of MSrch, the day Of
Inc obsequies of those who had fallen at the bar.
ricades. Soon after, this enthusiasm began to
give way to dread Of anarcby--a horror Of So
cialism as painted by the reaction, and fatigue un-
der the burden of their new duties. Many Of
them were obliged TO be almost constantly under
arms to preserve order. The police and military
having disappeared II was supposed TO he neces-
sary that their places should be filed. Political
cares, IN which the bourgeoise had been strsn-
gers, were now heaped upon them The Gov
eminent seemed to be without energy and vncilla-
ting In all Its acts while the external relations OF
Prussia we're complicated In fearful manner
War was imminent on the side Of Denmark
Russia, ond France; Poland was on the eve OF
insurrection, and all Germany was In state Of
effervescepce. Add to tn,se perplexiiies the
jealousies fomented by the reaction between the
armed bourgeoisie and the unarmed people The
former became much excited against communists
organizers OF labor, and the other would-bc