New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-10-08
THE GERMAN AND THE REEEI
CONrEDERACTEs.


COME
Germany is, at present, dismembered na'
ton. IT, life, as a national unit, has been de-
stroyed. The several States are virtually irde-
pendent. They have taken upon themselves
certain duties toward the Federal Union, but,
a. TO the people, their allegiance is demanded
not 10 the Union, but to the sovcreigns OF the
States. Abroad. Germany has, therefore, been
hitherto not q political power, but only q geo.
graphical abstraction. Germany could not
raise her voice in European politics, or, II she
did. il was not needed, for it was not Germany
who could enforce, if necessary, her views "
arms, but only Austria and Prussia. 1t wa'
generally felt that such a federation was sham;
that either Germany had to be blotted out from
the list Of nations altogether. md to dissolve
herscf into an Austrian, Prussian, ard sew
eral dozens Of dimnutiye nations, retaining
pcrhaps. in the course Of their Development
nothing in common but their language or that
stronger bond must reunite the severed mem.
bcrs, and that the several States however pow
erf1l be- again made subordinate to strong
Central Executive, and part of one, indissolnbie
empire I, Is well known tba. the nation II
unanimous in claiming the latter, and that it,
demand for the restoration Of German National
Union Is becoming more and more irresistible.
Since DE beginning Of the present year, every
one OF the German Princes, including even The
/ Kings of Prussia and Denmark. has found Il
necessary TO pay his tribute to the idea of q
National Union. The erea. significance OF the
Congress Of Frankfort consists in the Official
recognition OF this principle. |, has, therefore,
actually closed the period of the powerle,s Ger
man Federation (Bund). and initiated the
period OF renewed Federal Empire (Bundes-
staa,), which in the Councils Of the Nations
viii take, in the course OF time, the place OF
both Austria and Prussia.
The national life OF the United States began
with the adoption of the present Constitution.
The earlier ccnfcderacy was thus replaced By a
different aud superior organization. The adol-
ton OF the new Constitution marks the begin
ming AZ The unparalleled greatness and prosper
ity OF the Union. Tho people al home viewed
themselves. and they were viewed abroad as one
nation Ifthey goried in the liberties and priv
ileges they enjoyed, Il was not as citizens OF
Ncw-York OF Ncw-Jersey, hut rs citizens Of the
United S.a'ea II they indulgcd the dream o.
a glorious. golden future, It was no, ior tho
state Of Massachusetts or Virginia, but FOX he
American Union. Ii they coveted an eyieu Ion
OF territory. Il was not or the State of Maine or
OF Texas but for the United State. II the
doctrine Of Secession ard Sovereign STAT
Rights had been part of Tire Republican
catecbsm and if the alliance between the
States could have been as easily dissolved As
hat between Frarce, England and Austria,
wor'd the people o. he United States have ever
lclt 30 great an enthusiasm for the happy con-
'ii.on and brilliant prospects ofMe Union
The Rebel chiefs. in cutting loose nom the
United States, were designediy aiming blow
at the nationality OF the American people. o.
nothing have their speakers and journalist
boosted more loudly. than Of their being from
different race than the Northoners. They
hoped that in the course OF time, the Coniedc.
rate States would be inhabited by a nation u
distinctly different from the people of the
United States as the Spaniards are from the
French. Yet, in laying the foundation Of their
would.be nationality, they fell back upon a
kind of federation which wherever il has been
tried has miscrably failed. BY recognizing IN
their constitution. the right of Secc sion, they
virtually ascribcd the highest sovereignty, not
TO the Confederacy, hut to the States. They
devoted the Confederacy to the same
political impotence from which Germany Is no~
striving so hard to free herself. No such consti-
tuition has ever possessed vitality; and in an in.
dependent Southern Conlcdcraoy as elsewhere,
one of two results must have been unavoidable;
either they would have followed the early exam
pie Of the United States, abandoned the idea oi
the supreme sovereignty and-its ultimate conse-
quencc--a distinct nationality of tho States, ana
reared upon the ruins of the State-Rshts theory
the cdice of Confederate nationality, or they
would have driited toward a permanent dismeh''
bormcnt and carried out the prncipic oi
tho absolute sovereignty and independence OF
every State.
In warning for the suppression OF the Rebel
lion. tho people Of the United States are not
merely STRIVING to ward of the first hl0w at