New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-25

brow 10 wide and blgh out the nead IL tOnetnlnB
like that Of Perces for whom the wits Of Athens were
never tired Of nventng nck-names to describe its
belmet.Rhape. The cranologsts will be happy TO fnd
herein an illustration Of their theories; there 10 no de-
| nying that both Pencles and Bismark were men in
whom revolution was prominent trait. IL IS shown
in every line OF this face not less than by the great
| arch Of the skull The countenance 10 genial ae well
as resolute the mouth breaks readily into smile, and
the eyes greet you with honest welcome and have sun
light in them. Head and face carried erect rather
more than siI feet from the ground, broad square
shoulders; chest of great depth; rest Of the figure
muscular and elastic. The dplomatst is q soldier
well and the military bearing is CONSPICUOUS Over
all is the air Of good birth and breeding which ia natu
raj 70 one whose ancestry goes back 500 years. We
80 much abuse the word gentleman in America, that
hesitate 10 use IT, but it belongs 70 Count Bsmark,
without regard 20 his title or station. or fame.
No collection Of details suffice TO convey any notion
of the sense OF cteer with which il impressed at
FIRST, and which 10 never lost Most celebrated per-
sons whom one meets do not quite come up TO their
reputation. They are capable of doing great things,
but the men themselves are not very great Az the
nsk Of seeming TO say too much shall venture 10 say
of Count Bismark that he IS more than he does ana
that here is man who is superior without enor' anu
rules over others by preeminent natural end9wMsng
and not by help Of position good luck or by know
ing how to use the talents Of other which hitter is
faculty that creates many military reputation es
pecially.r ~
Notwithstanding all whics, the opinion we have in
America thao Risuark Is King in Prussia, and that
the other is King only in name is a wrong OPINION.
The royal authority Is very positive TACT 10 ths
cSuntte, and would be SO with even weak King on
the throne. But the ruling monarch, though not
man of great intellect, is man OF strong Will has
mind Of his own on Gil public matters aud VIII not
if he can help il, be led blindly about, nor submit
himself readily to the guidance Of any one. lie
requires to be persuaded, and will do no public act
tilt he sees or thinks be Sees il is in accordance with
his own views. There is no country in Europe where
the traditions of kngy rule are more potent, and no
King who abides more firmly by his own convictions
based upon hereditary opinions. In the divine
right and grace-ol-God theories ne believes
profoundly. There was nothing from which he more
shrunk than war with Austria which was to HIM the
natural ally of Prussia and the representative OF I'M
perialism in Europe. It was step By step that he
advanced 10 the collision which his pride as king and
his judgment as politician both told him was against
bis interests, But William is soldier as well as king,
and when affairs came 10 such crisis that be deemed
his honor as an officer pledged To war; then, and then
only was war possible IL has been one may suppose
not the easiest part of Count Bsmarks task Tor the
last four years TO conduct along his own path, which
led inevitably though not visibly TO war with AUSTRIA
such man as King William.
This notion of the King might be derived ron the
common talk in Berlin society as well as i.0m Count
Hsmark In what follows give not always the words,
but always the substance Of what Bsmark said and
much OF its importance consists ~ the fact that he said
IT, The student of EOropean politics Will md several
grave questions here answered positively which here
tofore have been answered only conjectually, Ia this
condensed version fear have sacrificed altogether
the spirit and vivaeity which marked the language Of
Count Bismark, and which were more remarkable as
he spoke English throughout using our tongue with
precision and even with idiomatlc freedom Al the
beginning he spoke with an air OF great WEAKNESS on
which he himself commented, observing that he had
been up for two nights and that it was many months
since he had had any real rest. am 30 tired SAID
the Count, "that il could sleep for 10 hours should
not wake, and il / were walked, i could sleep Tor
10 more" Upon this. which was said laugnngly,
rose TO 90 but was put down in my chair again and
after few sentences, Count Bsmark began with
pereonai narrative. most Of which omit, ana with
Statement Of Prussian politics, which condense as
follows and which prefer 20 submit without com
ment or elucidaton. To those who are familiar With
the history Of the struggle in Prussia between Bis
| mark and the Liberals and in Germany between
Prussia and Austria, the bearing OF this brief report
will be sufficiently clear:
The administrative system OF Prussia has been
much praised. 1t is in fact system full of contra
dictions and difficulties. In service from which the
| King cannot remove his officers at WILL discipline II
nearly impossible. The Government Of PRUSSIA is
neither proper constitutional government IN wmch
the authority Of ministers is dependent on vote OF
| Parliament nor an absolute Government, in which
they are dependent only the will of the King The
Cabinet consists Of seven Minister'S chosen for Their
acquaintance with the affairs OF war; OF finance, Of
Justice &c. But the assent Of these Ministers Is
necessary to be obtained for any Of foreign
policy also which cannot be adopted till majority
| has approved IT, When the former Min
istry resigned, in 1862, they had brought
the King into collision with Parliament and
there left him. Count Bismsrk, in assuming
Office, found himself obliged 10 continue this
conflict On the question of the army, the King and
the Parliament could not be as one. The army needed
radical change In its organization, and having been
| mobilfed ia 1859, tbet opportunity had been taken
as most convenient for the increase If the regiments.
To-day every that this step has proved essen
tia to the suooess of Prussia but its necessity
what 10 one would then believe, because the eIi-
gency Of 10 day not oreseen, aud its probable ar
yal could not be safely explained predicted But
the regiments were increased, new officers were sp-
pointed, for whose pay there was no constitutional
provision, and other large expenses were incurred.
Parliament demanded that all this should be undone,
but TO dsband the regiments and discharge the oh'
GERS was impossible In view of such future Is has
since arrived; nor could the money which bad been
paid out be recalled into the Treasury The budget,
which Parliament demanded should be snnnlled rep
resented in fact for the most part, sums Of money al
ready disbnrsed. The conflict was, therefore, not
only irrepYeesibe but incapable Of adjustment with
ont abandoning policy essential to the safety Of
Prussia or without such explanations Of that policy
as would have insured in advance it's defeG-
1n respect Of foreign policy, said Count Bsmark,
| % foresaw that the rcorganized army neces-
sitys that upon it, and not upon Parliaments or
speeches before dinner, after dinner must Prussia
depend for her hope OF nationality nation she then
was not in the high sense Of that word nor was there
hope that With her fantestical frontiers and outlying
provinces her people should grow to think themselves
one The territorial confguratiOn ofthe country
source OF weakness not to be obyisted by even for
stronger sentiment of nationality than then existed,
and it was before all things essential 10 the future
Of Germany that there should be first Prussia able
" insist its opinions repeat, 70 declare such
policy in advance was TO defeat it. The King would
have opposed utterly Austria would hare been FORE
| warned and supplied with weapons, foreign courts
would have secuted II visionary, or have actively
thwarted every step toward it's accomplishment To-
day the work not done, but its final success lcok