The national Republican., 1867-07-02
#atipuaI gepnblitan.
King william, Of Prussia.

less privileged mortals march feebly before
posterity. While his body has resisted
the infirmites Of age, his mind has retained
all its ardor. Educated in the belief Of
government by Divine right, the King Of
Prussia has retained the convictions oil his
youth, and thinks that God has given him
u mission 10 accom- lish. Such 10 the
sovereign who succeeded 10 the throne at
the age Of sixty-one years, after q terrible
malady had constrained King Frederick
William ~. to confde the interests Of his
brother. Up TO this time the Prince Of
Prussia had scarcely q thought ofbusiness.
T.. uppef -ci 70 be soldier, and nothing
nU. = solG.er, out subsequent events proved
that Prince William, in his long career,
had learned other things than 10 handle
divisions. His advent to the regency was
surprise for everybody. Prussia was
then afflicted with IN executive minister,
NJ. de Manteuffel, the head and front ofthe
resctionists, who we're then adding victory
IN victory. II was generally thought that
the new regent would confirm and con-
,nue the policy Of Manteuffel, but con-
trary TO oil expectations, the FIRST political
act Of the regent was to require M. Man.
teuticl TO tender his resignation, and to
Et-tsliDliSu tuC Fusblhn OUhhtltutlUn.
Here, however, our sketch Of the politi-
cal acts Of William /. must cease. We
have now to deal with his private char
acter
The King of Prussia as we have said,
imagines that he has mission to fulfil,
and be pursues this object Of his ambition
with that tenacity that only faith can give
At home, this King, who is the talk Of
Europe. is the most simple and most ac-
cessible Of Prussians. TO see him walk.
ing the streets Of Berlin like an ordinary
citizen, one would not imagine that the
officer in undress uniform who moves leis-
urely on is q sovereign, and constituted so
"by the grace Of God" King William
always wears generals uniform, at the
palace, in the city, and even at the theatre.
Il is the custom Of the country No one
attaches any Importance 10 il. William I.
is no more soldier than il Is necessary
for crowned head 10 be. If be was re-
Iieved from political troubles, the King Of
Prussia would become a simple and very
acceptable man, and to be possessed of q
bonhoniie which contrasts singularly with
the reputation he has acquired. We never
qaw King William dressed as o citizen but
once, and that was at Baden, where he re-
mained q part OF the season, and where
travellers might see him sauntering before
the Conversations House, as q man happy
At being able 10 have vacation, and to
breathe the air Of the Black Forest, far
from politics, reviews, and receptions. 1t
IS no rare thing to meet the King in the
gambling halls, where he amuses himself
Wy looking at the magnificent toilettes OF
the ladies.
Indes,ribable JOY 'vas caused in Pruss a
hy this net, md tuose who Ind seen, not
without inquietudv. the Prince succeed
Frederick William, rallied around him
with full confidence. The "left" Of the
Prussian Chamber became the Govern
ment party, while the right hostile to
all liberal ideas, became the opposition.
This happy understanding between the
Government and the people was not Of
long duration. The former "left" Of the
Chamber demanded Of the regent, as the
condition of their support, concessions
which he thought he could not grant with
out impairing the rights Of the throne.
The rupture occurred on the consideration
Of the law for the reorganization Of the
army, which the Prussian Chamber failed
10 adopt.
Without any intention to discuss poll
tics At length, we glide rapidly over the
events which are known to everybody. The
Chamber several times dissolved, as often
reassembled, not only to refuse to vote
upon the law for the reorganization Of the
army, but also the appropriation bill for
the expenses of the Government. The old
regent, who became King in 1865, after
tho death Of his brother. took the responsi-
blli,y Of levying taxes without the consent
Of the Chamber, which he was, however,
authorized to do by an article OF the con-
mitution. This difficulty, the details of
which are well enough known, lasted until
the day when the victories Of the Prussian
army put the finishing stroke to that re-
organization which i. had always opposed.
Tho events Of that inner, while they
gave good reasons to th, Government, re-
Gonciled the nation with he Prince.
4 little incident Which, happened at Ba-
den two or three years ago, and which
made great sensation, has not yet been
forgotten. The Prussian officers OF the
garrison at Rastadt are forbidden to play
ut Baden, but more than one, forgetting
the order, dresses himself as civilian and
takes his place at the play tables. One
summer evening, young Prussian off,
Ger risked single louis on the red. He
won, and allowed the two louis to remain.
Then the two louis became four, and the
four increased to eight. Then he won
again; they became sixteen, and Just as he
was about to withdraw the stakes he per-
ceived himself face to face with the King.
What torture for sub-lieutenant who
had sixteen louis before him and dared not
take them up! And the red still won!
The officer caught in the act could not ne,
treat; on the green cloth the pile Of gold
became larger, and the heap augmented
at each turn OF the cards, and when 1t ex-
ceeded the maximum, the crouper said:
How much is there there p
Tho officer was pallid, and could not re-
ply. With one eye he looked at the King,
with the other he watched his gold.
What is the amountH" resumed the
croupier,
Then the King of Prussia came round
the table, tapped the Lieutenant on the
shoulder, and said to him with that cheri-
ness Of which mention has already been
made:
Come, gather up your money, and 90
before vOur commander fnda ont What