The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-07-26

Germany, kind of United States the bond
of union 80 very weak, and numbered with so
many clogs, that by all enlightened and pa.
triotio Teutons this same act of confederation
has ever been considered hindrance to.Ger-
man progress, as it certainly was On insur-
mountable obstacle to German unity. In the
old ompre the feudal system was in full ope.
ration. The princes, dukes, counts nnd barons
were to all iptenls and purposes independent,
and tho Emperor (who was elected had hut
little control over these unruly vassuls. In
the Reconstruction of 1915 many of these
petty soveregns were shelved, and instead of
several hundred of them tho now confederacy
set out with only thirty.nine.
But this system soon proved itself inefi.
cient for any political purpose. Austria and
PRUSSIA acted independently, taking their po-
sitions rs great powers in Europe, by virtue
of thoir popul tion, extent of territory, and
especially their military power. Both these
powers felt the Importance of holding the
chief position in Germany. Austria has en-
joyed this honor for many centuries, with
comparatively few Interruptions. Prussia has
long man@uvred to take her place; and the
energy and craftsmanship of BIsMARK has at
last accomplished it; and this he contends he
does In the interest of united Germany.
Under the old system, political improvement
OF progress was all but impossible. The
princes were all imbued with the spirit of
absolutism. As has be On well said by q
clever writer:
| The nero chronicle of the reforms which have
beon proposed since 1850. and Of their reception
! by the various governments, ia enough to prove
that each detail would have needed century OF
| peaceable work i'll the Dict. Each sovereign
each statesman, would have his particular theory
or what was due to the crown he wore, to the dis
| trict ho represented. plan which proceeded
from Austria would not take with Prussia, and
! one which found favor with the two great powers
would most certainly bo rejected by the small
| ones. Proposals to extend tho power of tho SOW
ereigns would necessarily lead to popular discon-
| tent. The mere hint of n General Parliament
| would seem revolution to tue sovereigns In fact
| the only reform that stood q chance OF being ac-
cepted by one-half Of Germany Yves a reform that
should change nothing. All grievances were to
| be redressed, aud ITO abuses were to be swept
away. The people were to be free, and all the ty-
| rants were to remain.
What the future of Germany may be is still
hidden in the cloud Of cannon smoke. What
Prussia aims at may be readily guessed at {:
| either to make herself master of all Germany.
or else, if that is not practicable because of
the interference of surrounding powers), con.
solidate strong Government ovor the whole
of Northern Germany.
Pertaining to this subject we find letter
| from Heidelberg, published in lie Temps one
of the ablest and most independent of Paris
| journals, from which we translate tho follow
ing passage:
The National Union," it says has fallen first
victim In the r"r. anabieionod fnr prnssia ~ -"
ole which Pednsont played in ttaiy-but William .n
| Count Cavour, and certainly the Prussians are
| not the Italians Piedmont is absorbed in ItaIy
put russia does not want to be absorbed in
Germany. Piedmont ls liberal Prussia is foudai
Piedmont is revolutionary, but since 1915 Prussia
has been strongly anti-revolutionary. Placed i'm
tue sac alternative Of choosing between Prussian
| despotsm and the King of Yvctol, tho Germans
| TOOK the latter" The writer then bursts into ex-
clamations: " The National yerein is dead" he
Gays; ny long s live the peoples Union! Qe Folks
helorm feTeln Austrian, the Peoples Union is
German. We are not Austrlans, nor Prussians.
| lts programme says we are German"
We do not agree with the writer, how
ever, and think he is premature in his iude-
ment of BIsMARK. He has proven himself
tull master OF the situation thus far, and hos
not failed in single one of his projects
VICTOR EMANUEL may be superior to the
King of Prussia; we have no means of exam
ming into the correctness of this comparison !;
but he will find it difficult to establish the su-
periority of CAvouR to BIsMARK in any of the
essentials that 60 to establish great states
| man.