The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-06
GERMAN ARIsTOCRACY.

A Glance Mt the Caste System..-The I'm.
per Social Circle I'm Contrast with
the Lower Millions.
Those who have devoted any time to
studying the social distinctions of Ger
many, will recognize much that is in
teresting in the following from the Lon
don Saturday RevielU, of October ID;
The German aristocracy Is the only
aristocracy of its kind in Europe. Other
aristocracies have great political and
social influence, and govern their conn
trymen, and teach them the fashions
In other countries there is a love oftitles
and of high-sounding names, of crosses
and decorations, of precedence and of
patronage. But there are points in the
German nobility that are not found in
even the most aristocratic of other coun-
tries. In the first place, the nobility is
opposed politically to the people, to all
popular aspirations, to budgets, consti-
tutiOns, and all other such contriVances
OF revolutionary demons, and the mobiles
are still politically supreme. There is
much kicking against pricks in some
parts of Northern Germany !; the lower
part ofth nation is much inclined to
throw off the yoke If it only knew how,
but at this moment the nobility still
rules. There, and there alone in Europe,
reactionary nobility Is in possession
In Spain the grandees are very awful
andbig grandees, but they either reside
on their estates and sullS, or thew take
par, and not a very prominent part,
in politics. In France the old nobleSse
have no political power whatever, and
the old social superiority is gradually
fading away. In Italy the arfstocrncV
is everywhere SO far at the head of the
national movement that aristOcrats who
stand aloof from 1t are simply left out
In the cold. Even in Austria the nobil-
tty, as whole, takes its tone princi-
paliy from the great magnRteS of Hum
gary and Bohemia, who have the feel
ings OF provincial grnndees, and not
those OF aliens nom the mass of the
people. In North Germany alone, the
political life of the nation is determine
ed by the existence of nobility that
has no sympathy with its interiors, and
IS thoroughly convinced that it is its
inherent, tndisputable privilege to lead
the YulgaEly born as If they were sheen.
Socially, too, the aristocracy hangs
round the neck of Germany like an old
man of the sea. Germans are literally
throttled by their nobility. They can
not speak or think or move without
showing that they feel the difference
between them and not being a Won.
Ihey are so accustomed from their
cradle to the notion of q superior caste
which has sacred rights over them, that
they cannot, through their whole lives.
emancipate themselves from the bon
dage to which they are thus subjected,
Nor does Royalty do much to help
them. Every now and then there is a
sovereign who does not merge himself
in the aristocracy. The HoIse Of On
burg has made itself conspicuous by
It's desire to seek in its popular sympa-
thleS support against the claims of
the petty aristocrats of its provinces.
The late King of Prussia had a vague
notion OF honoring intellact as much
as pirth, and OF setting the notabilities
OF literature and science against the
notabilities of noble society. His poor
wandering head was full of EEyptian
antiquities and Roman Topography and
Jerusalem bishoprics, and of a vast
amount of literary and ecclesiastical
moonshine; and he naturally was pleas
ed to think that people who were some
what like him were as good ils his mar
shals and his chambeFlands, But all
the opposition of German Royalty 10
the German nrtstocracy has hitherto
been transient and ineffective, The
kings and the mobiles feel alike, think
alike, believe alike, and it would be Clif-
hCnlt Tor either to get on without the
other; ana the hrtstOCrncy keeps its hold
on Germany simply because il is caste.
~ mas no virtues to attract, no splendid
qualities to dazzle, no elegance or re-
hnement or courtesy to charm its in
teriors. It does nothing except puff
itself, and swagger, and curse, and
treat the vulgar like dogs. 1t is not
only by far the least gallant, the least
lntSs1Lligent, the least dignifed, the least
WeII-bred aristocracy In Europe, But |
Its dement's give it its strength. lift
were better than 1t is, it would hate its |
present sells it would feel more deeply, !
behave more courteously. But. Be. |
cause 1t is gross, it Is compact, IL Coz
heres as q caste, which could not be n |
caste II It did not cohere; and the great |
mass OF Germans accept 1t because the
inveterate force of habit has persnafIeI /
them that such caste must exist.