Saint Mary's beacon., 1870-08-04
THE CAUSE OF THE WAR.

The direct cause of the final rupture be-
tween France and Prussia seems to have
been, as the direct causes Of such ruptures
are too often apt to be, personal collis-
ion Of an unpleasant character between
two eminent personages. These were the
King William of Prussia and Count Ben
edetti, the French ambassador ut the Prus-
sian court, King William was at Ems.
near Wiesbaden, place where neither
his Majesty nor the Prussians are partic-
ularly admired, but the waters of which
are found to be beneficial to the venerable
and rather morbidly bilious constitution
of the monarch. Where the King is there
is the court, and the French ambassador
consequently was at Ems, also. conduct
ing the negotiations set on foot by the sud-
den explosion of the Prim-B Bismarck con-
trivance Of getting Prussian prince upon
the throne Of Spain. These negotiations
were rather delicate. since they were in
tended by France to bring the Prussian
sovereign to fat disavowal Of any hos
tile intentions in permitting the Prince,
his kinsman, to accept the Spanish crown
The personal temper of the King was
therefore an element Of particular impor-
taacs in the conduct Of the affair for
King William well knew both that the in
tention Of Bismarck in organizing with
Prim the candidacy Of Prince Leopold
really had been hostile 10 France, and that
he himself had for years desired nothing
20 much as an opportunity Of relieving his
soul uf profound hereditary hatred Of
Frcnchmen in general and of the Bona
parties in particular. Yet, at the same
time. he was wen aware tha. he could not
afford. in his capacity as an European
sovereign. to confess that he had connived
at the aggrandizcment of member Of his
own family with the express object of in
sulting and circmvcntinga friendly pow
er. Had Count Bismarck been intrusted
by the King with the management Of the
affair. even out Of this disagreeable COM
plication peace with honor might have
bcen perhaps evolved. For Count Bis
marck. with all his contempt for abstract
right and his love for brusque and per-
elhptory solutions ofdiplomatic imbroglios,
understands and appreciates the import
ance Of the public opinion of Europe and
Of polite forms very much better than
King William. who, indeed, neither un-
derstanas nor appreciates them a. all
But Count Bismarck has been growing out
Of fa~"r with his master for some tune.
exactly in prcporticn ~ ,he King has be-
come reconciled with Count Bismarck bit
ter personal enemy. The Crown Prince
So King William insisted upon managing
his Intercourse with Count Benedetti him.
sslf. Il A sketch Of the two men will ssais-
y The rcader hov inssiaabls was he ~
sals Of this royal uilfalne.. King VIII
lia1 a Prussia i one Of the oldssa af
reigning ssvsRsigns. He was horn in the
midst Of the 6rst French Revolztica. As
. child he SitAszs6l the humili.sion of
Prsia. Of his fasier. and Of his family
By The 6rss Napoleon. aud a n ys~sA he
took part in the avenging campaigns Of
1915 xAd 1878. IASsE events Hxvsx de-
siive csssr 70 hin cpinisns and ca.rsstsr
tee NE A younger son. he give hinsslf
up 70 : military career. felt and professei
openly the utikoss contempt fur demacsa-
ey and euns;ita,icnaEsn, znd made him.