The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-03-03
BISMARCK.
BY JAMES PARTON.

ONCh W 1u1 II
ish information respecting the family
and life of the great Prussian Minis
ter, who has recently become so impor
tant person to Prussia and to Eu
rope. l should be glad to comply
with this request, but on this side o.
the Atlantic little is known of the
earlier part of his life, and have
found it difficult to get any informa
ton at all respecting it. Before sue
cess had crowned his efforts, the Ger
mans in the United States used gen.
orally TO denounce him as a bigoted
tory and enemy of the people. But
the dazzling triumph which has sane
toned his policy seems to have chang
ed the current of feeling, and he is as
popular now among our German
friends. as he was formerly odious to
them. Such information concerning
him as l have been able to collect, is
at the reader'sservice. err
1t is common to call him Count
Bismarck F; but his true title is Baron.
His full name and title are as follows:
Otho, Baron Won Bismarck-Schoen-
IdOSCIi. liz dCSSS1oCu Al AiOOlN
an acient family, which traces its ori-
gin far back into the middle ages, and
which has contributed to the service
of the State many able men, both in
the cabinet and in the field. In the
early part of the reign of Frederick
the Great, Bismarck was one of the
ministers of that king, and appears to
have stood high il his confidence. a
Count Bismarck who had served with
distinction in the armies of several of
the German States, was living recent
lysin retirement, ain old man past eigh-
ty. This aged soldier IS the author of
many works upon military science,
which are held i'll esteem IN Europe.
Baron Won Bismarck, born in 1914,
studied at three of the principal uni
verSities of Germany, and went from
college into the army. In Prussia
every man of whatever rank is requir-
ed to serve in the army fer short
time, and after learning the trade ofa
soldier. he is liable to be called on for
the defence of his country in time of
need. Bismarck, it appears, adopted
the military profession from choice
but, in 1916, when he attended the
Diet of his province, he retired from
the army. Both in that body and in
the general Diet the following year,
he acquired some notoricty for the
boldness with which he denounced
everything that savored of democracy.
He is said TO have expressed the desire
that all the large cities might be swept
from the surface eff the earth, because
they were the centres of democracy
and censtitutionalism. If he said this,
it was probably only the extravaganza
of young man irritated by contradic-
ton, or heated with wine.
In 1913, the storm swept over Eu-
rope which drove one king from his
throne, and made every king feel un-
safe. He is remembered at that period
as an infexible opponent of popular
and defender OF Absolu-
teism. In 1851, the ability and au-
dacity with which he supported his
ideas in the Prussim Parliament at
tracted his notice of the King, Fred
erick William tie Fourth. The king
invitedhim into the diplomatic service,
and gave him the important appoint
mcnt of Minister Resident at Frank
fort, one of the most important diplo-
matte posts. Even then he had dis
tinctly conceived the policy which he
has since go triumphantly carried out.
Even then, while appearing to oppose
and distrust the people of Germany,
he was preparing the way for the real
ization of their dearest wish.
The dream of every good German,
for many year, has been to see the
entire German people, all who speak
the German tongue and share the Ger
man character, united as Il Confedera-
ton under one head, so as to form
great German nation, and be a CON
trolling power in the centred of Eu-
rope. Bismarck, too, INDUCED this
fond desire, and he saw clearly the
only probable means of realizing 1t.
Either Prussia or Austria, he tn ought,
must gain such an ascendency in Ger
many as to draw to itself a great pre-
ponderance of the smaller States, and
thus unite Germany by -iJsOr5Ing 1T.
Austria he believed incapable of play
ing this grand part, nor would he have
been willing to see her attemptit. De
voted to Prussia, he naturally desired
Prussia to be chief in Germany, and
to become another name for Germany.
To accomplish this, he foresaw that
Prussia must encounter, first Austria
in the field, and submit the question
to the arbitrament of the musket.
But, twenty years ago, Prussia was
not considered match for Austria in
the field. Bismarck himself did rot
consider her such, and he carly con-
ceived the plan for dividing her pow
ers, which he has since executed. -,
From Frankfort, Bismarck was
transferred, in 1852, to Vienna, where
he studied the Austrian Empire with
special reference to his favorite sys-
tenn. While still in the diplomatic
service, he published his celebrated
pamphlet, entitled, Prussia and the
italian Question" in which he expires
sed the opinion that Italy's Eullen dis,
content, was Austr:a's weakness, and
eEdeavored to show that an alliance
between Prussia, Russia, and France
was the true method by which Prus, ia
could gain the accendency in Ger
many, while, delivering the northern
provinces of Italy from the grasp 1aof
Austria. This pamphlet produced
considerable effect in Prussia, and at.
tracted attention elsewhere. / have
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