, 1865-02-07
From tie London Times, January 16, 1861

people, foolish and misdirected though it may
have been, has often been the means of liberal
izing Institutions and sweeping away abuses
which no other remedy could reach. It seems
curious that States should thus profit by their
weaknesses and foilies, and that the very causes
which naturally appear to lead to their decline
should often contain in themselves the very ele-
ments of revival. 1t was on the long and bloc
dy wars waged by Edward III. against France,
struggles as ~fruitless, regarded from our modern
point Of view, and as impolitic as any which
history records, that the power of the House Of
Commons is founded. The needy monarch
when forced to come to his people for fresh sup
plies was obliged to purchase subsidies by con-
tinual enlargement Of the public liberties and
the representatives of the people, just as deep
ly implicated as the monarch in the crimes and fol-
lies Of the French invasion, never hesitated to
sell their aid at a price so dear as if they had
been unwillingly dragged into the struggle
The same favourable re suit for liberty followed
from the brilliant reign of Henry V. and the
disastrous wars of Henry vi. The people
Were impoverished, but their liberties were es-
tablished and confirmed. The comparatively
pacific reign of Elizabeth, and the wise policy
of the Princes of the House of Stuart in abstain
ing from Continental Quarrels, had an effect
signally prejudicial to popular rights, and, by
making the King independent of his Parlia-
ment. twice in the seventeenth century-at the
breaking out of the great Civil War, and in the
last years of Charles H.-brought our free Con-
~stitution to the very verge Of destruction. Moth
ing tended more to consolidate the settlement
effected by the Revolution of 1858 than the
wars undertaken to curb the ambition Of Louis
XIV, which perpetually reminded the King of
his dependence on Parliament, and compelled
him to administer his Government through Min
listers in whom it had confidence.
We beg to submit this brief historical retros-
pect to the Liberal party in Prussia. Two
years ago that party enjoyed the hearty sympa-
thy and good will of all the friends of order and
good government throughout Europe. 1t was
felt to be struggling for the rights of its consti-
tuents against the systematic Entertainments of
a weak King and an arbitrary Minister. The
claim it set up to regulate the expenditure
which it was to vote is one iuseparably conLect-
ed in the mind of every Engllshman with the
FIRST principles of free government. We view
ed with keen interest a brave and cultivated
nation passing through a crisis of which our
own history furnished SO many examples, and
our sympathy was entirely given to the popular
side. Great, then, were our Disappointment
and regret when we saw all this fair promise so
signaIly marred by one of the stalest and poor
OSb uOrA0So W Tu1Ch O popuAaA "SO0HOJ '
surrendered its duties and its rights. For the
sake of the liberties, as they are called, of
S~chleswig and Holstein, the Prussian Parlia-
ment made no difficulty of surrenderiDg its own,
and permitted the usurpation of its own func-
tions by the Government in consideration of its
lending itself 70 the revolutionary passion for
conquest which then agitated Germany. In
Justice and violence abroad were accepted in
full satisfaction for arbitrary and illegal govern
ment at home. That dream is now over, and
with it, we hope, is past the outburst of military
enthusiasm which has sought to elevate a cheap
and cosy victory over a few thousand ill-armed
and over matched Danes into a great military
achievement. Things return to their former
state. The expenses of the war have, no doubt,
absorbed the economies of the Prussian Monar.
chy, and the King, not having as yet made up
his mind to dispense with bis Parliament alto
gether, has assembled it for the purpose of re-
Cancellation, as we'll as with a view of gaining
fresh support for bis "frm and strong" Govern
ment. The Bills to be submitted to Parliament
are, we are told, to embrace the very elements
of the old controversy which the episode of
Schleswig- Holstein came just in time SO oppor-
timely to interrupt. The Prussian Parliament
will be invited to consider the question Of the
military organization, that is, we suppose, the
number of years for which a Prussian citizen is
a. anrro ~ Abo oruou and Tho oy1asfion of tho