Saint Mary's beacon., 1870-07-28

. condition Of abject domestic subjectior
10 the win Of fcr.ck-brained, eccentric
father, buik up the Prussisn monarchy (:
century and half ago. Bismarck, who
By his eccentricity and irregular mot VI
eiousl hsbits, earned for himself the de.
| risive Appeilstisn of Mad Bismarck, IN.
outlived the depreeiatory opinions of nj,
youthful critics, and has, by the strength
Of his win and the force Of his political
genius. torn the prestige Of German lea.
der~hip from Ausfria. raised Prussia q
rfvairy with kSnce for the preniesship 81
Europe. and realised the dream Of grea,
German Empire BY the consolidation ol
all che German Stafes under the guidancs
Of Prussia. To Bismarck,a towering abil.
tiles, and to the immense strength Of his
political combinations, Is owing more than
TO any other single or personal cause the
present war. The tradition of French d.
plo,naey will not admit Of a superior or
even If an equa! in the political equilibri-
UNI Of Europe Napoleon has found him
self equalled. if nat dominated, by Bis
marks political maneuvres, and neither
the ambition Of the Emperor nor the ge.
Mus of the French nation can tolerate such
an attaint on the national honor. Bis.
marck's moral courage and consummate
tact has made Prussia whst she is in thi.
generation, and in the accomplishment oi
| his high objects il is more than doubtful
whether he did did not eountermine Ma.
polecn's own plans. Certain il is that his
position of armed neutrality after Solferi.
no precipitated the imperfect and unsatis-
factory termination Of the Italian question
and his subsequent splendid triumphs at
konigsgratz and Sadowa, were humili-
sting counterpoisc to the imperial blum
ders in Mexico while at home the con-
soiidation of Prussian supremacy has been
a painful contrast to the concessions of i'm
perialism to liberal institutions for the sake
Of assuring itself an extended lease ot
power. Bismarck's predictions, both
personal and ancestral, led him to identi-
fy himself with the cause of kingly rule in
Prussia. He identified the veal of the
nation with the personal government by n
King. He is monarchical BY instinct, and
each concession made to liberalism has
been wruug from him as a departure from
the true principles of all government, and
as an attack upon the peoples own hap
piness. The theory of his foreign policy
was that Austrian preponderance was in
imical to the welfare of Germany, and
that the general Interests Of the Teutonic
race would be promoted by the elevation
of Prussia to the first place in German
councils. His antipathy to democracy was
increased by the events of 1s4s, and in
1851 he became member Of the Prussian
Parliament where his speeches on the new
constitution and his aristocratic loyalisn
attracted the attention Of the Court. While
on his wedding tour he accidentally en-
countered the King at Venice, and per-
sonal intercourse 80 confirmed the impress
sions he had created that very soon after
wards he was appointed Prussian repre-
sentative at the Frankfort Diet. There
is perhaps. no man in Europe Of whom
better stories are told than of Bismarck.
Among others one is told Of this particu-
lar epoch, showing his sense of his own
dignity. and of the respect due to him as
representative ofPrussis. The young min
lister paid ceremonial visit to Count
Thun, the Austrian Minister and Presi-
dent of the Diet Count Thun did no,
ask him 10 take n seat, but continued
smoking. Bismarck. nothing disconcert-
cd, took out his cigar case, and draw ns
chair forward, asked the President for a
light. and fairly smoked him into ciyility.
In 1889 he was recalled from Frankfort
and sent Ambassador to 81. Petersburg
In 1862 he was placed in charge of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The whole
course of Prussian politics was at this tins
constant protest at every point BY the
liberals and the democratic party against
the crown anu its authority. TIE oppo-
sition to every ministerial plan was vira-
lent. and no success Mt home or abroad
modified the hostility of the opposition.
Even Prussian successes in the Schleswig-
Holstein affair brought no peace in the
councils of the nation. The general ten
dencies of Enrope were towards an expan.
, sion of liberalism. Bismarck and the
King believed that the national welfare
lay in the consolidation of the royal pow
cr, in the control Of che press. and ia the
increase Of the standing army. The dis
pute with Austria sprang ont of the in.
creasing preponderanc, of Prussia in all
questions touching the common interests
Of Germany. The German principalities
were being rapidly mcdiatized into Prus-
sian dependencies The question of ar
maments was new jealously and her al
hsncc. offensive and defensive, between
Prussia and the new Kingdom Of Italy,
led to the warlike movements by Austria
/, for the purpose OF defending her Venetian
! dependencies, which led to Napoleon's ap.
/ pearance on the scene and 10 the expulsion
Of Austria from Italian soil. The sudder
close Of the Italian campaign AZ Solferins
leaving Victor Emmanuefs position only
/ half assured, and transferring Savoy &
Ence was hardly Satisfactory 10 Prussia
Il il generally believed that. in interview.
which Bismarck had as Biarrias with Ma
/ poleon shout this time. the Prussian q.
vored the Napolecnic elaims 10 . Rhin,
frontier - = sse-oG b Prussia's loaging
tor S,chleswig- Holssein and Baltic parts
Austria now expressed her disAPrsSal o
I Pruxia's aggssndizing 'viewssas Tie Duch
les hut = them pruenn Bumarck pait
no a1e9tiun. ands - hulse u Sadow,
and Konisrgrstx alErned Prussian right,
I and silenctd Ausosiam reHons&rSnce AZ
ser the Auu1riad 6elbab Prussia eunsslida
I'D che No<5h 0esUan Sex1ss. md hraugh
! thsn sll vndee@A~ esuasols saksi1ixin,
their princes and granting them pcxnionl