The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-06-07

students "These accusations received some
color of truth from few isolated examples of
eccentric or criminal acts as for instance, the
assassination of the famous Kotzebue. by the
student Sand, on March 23d, 1919, and the at
tempt soon after made against the life of the
President Ibell, Of Nassau, by an apothecary
by the name of Looming" These crimes. COM
mitted by two fanatics, were charged "to the
whole German youth, nay, to the whole ma
nation" and became mighty arms in the hands
OF the aristocratic party, against not only the
universities, but the German people generally.
Consequently, the Ministerial Congress, COM
posed of diplomats from most of the German
States-that assembled unexpectedly at Karls-
bad-directed its measures chiefly against the
progress of what was then styled the & Plots of
Demagogues in Germany, that is To saw
against the friends and advocates of liberal in
stitutions. The results of the secret confer.
ences of this Congress were transmitted to the
German Diet at Frankfort, which, without
discussion, published the memorable DEGREES
OF September 10th, 1919; and transformed
thus, IN an instant, the political situation of
Germany, by annihilating the liberty of the
press, By depriving the professors and students
OF their legal rights, and by establishing at
Mentz central commission, which encroach-
ed upon the functions of the ordinary tribunals
for investigating and judging the plots of DEM
agogues."
These were the fruits which the German ma
tion gathered from its creduity,'in believing in
the promises and gratitude of princes
But the aristoeratic and monarchical, or rath-
er despotic, parties were not satisfied with these
measures; they appeared to aim at the com.
plete snnihlation of the friends of liberal insti.
tutions. They redoubled their courage and
zeal, using alternately violence and deception,
IN overthrowing or undermining the yet remain
ing bulwarks of constitutional freedom in Ger
many.
The visions of unity, of power, and of liberty,
which had caused the rising of the Germans,
and led them to victory in 1913, had, at the be-
ginning Of 1920, left nothing behind them but
the convictions Of their illusory nature-of dis
appointment and regret. The worthlessness
of priucely promises, given in times of humilia-
ton and danger, was now thoroughly under
stood"
Not only the Germans, but also the Spaniards
and Portuguese, had arrived at the sorrowful
conviction that all their sacrifices had brough,
forth no other results than still more intoler-
able oppression of the many by the few. And
the Italians, while grooming under the vexati0ns
of their many petty tyrants, or under the despot
ism ofthe House OF Hapsburg, remembered with
regret the downfall of that great prince who
broke the letters of their former slavery, and
made them, for some years. to share the fruits
and glories Of his victories.
The people of Belgium, while, with seeming
patience, bearing the rule of the House of
Orange, and the claimed superiority of the
Dutch, were with secret longing waiting for the
moment when they might, with hope of sue
cess, venture on attempting raising the stand
ard of revolt
At the end Of the year 1919, princes, priests, |
and aristocrats, seemed to believe that they had
blasted all the fruits of the French revolution
of 1889, and that the great principles it had
proclaimed were no longer any objects of APP
prehension or fear on their part. Indeed, to
the human eye. there seemed almost no hope
left TO the friends Of European freedom. The
Holy Alliance and its supporters appeared all
powerful. Even in England, which did no long
er play the protector of the weaker against the
stronger-of the oppressed against the Cypress
ors-her Government having sunk down to
subordinate position, the chieftains of the Holy
Alliance having assumed the leadership even
IN England. j say, the people not only CON-
planned of the wrongs it suffered from wealthy
and arrogant aristrocacy, but had also made
feeble and consequently vain attempts at enfor-
cling its rights and amelorating its condition
There was no nation in Europe, except the
Swedes, the Norwegians, the Swiss, and the
Dutch-that is, the people of Holland-that at
the end of the year 1919 were not groaning, un-
der the heavy yoke which was imposed upon
them, respectively and collectively, by the COM
bination of the powerful, the high-born, and the
rich, by princes, priests, and aristocrats.
Berlin, Prussia