The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-07-30

| ldS Ill Ico4. lie looks C16 character d.
thoroughly as he believes in it. Stal
wart, deep-chested, with square, rugged
face, bristling, gray moustache, cold
implacable eyes, which rather twinkle
than glitter, and heavy jaw, King Viii.
liam is the beau ideal of veteran cuiras,
sier, as ready to ride down shopkeepers
and lawyers in Berlin as to charge the
cavalry of France at Jena.
The hereditary malady of his family,
which carried off his father in a state of
religious mania and his brother as a
hypochondriac, betrays itself in King
William through an inconceivable wor-
ship of his place an prerogative. He
believes in the infallihility of monarchs
as devoutly as Plus TX in the infallibil-
ity Of Popes. So firm is his faith in
the divine nature of his position that he
keeps, and has for years kept, minute
daily diary of everything which hap
pens to him. and when any new emer-
gency arises he turns to this diary to
see what he did or did not do ON the
corresponding day in all the previous
years of his life of now seventy-three
years. His contempt for all men not
soldiers, or mobiles he finds it so difficult
to conceal that he did not deign to bes-
tow the slightest attention last year
upon the Humboldt celebration and
all the efforts of Count Bismarck have
been needed to make him treat Ameri-
cans at Berlin with even show of court
esy since plebian German, Mr.. Kreiss
man, whom President Lincoln sent out
us Counsul to Berlin, insisted, with sue
cess, on getting admitted to his court,
from which consuls had aways been,
and indeed still are excluded as absolute
ly as merchants, bankers, lawyers, and
tradespeople of all sorts
With this forward and fanatical old
prince NJ. Benedict was left to debate
the peace Of Europe. NJ Benedetti,
the Corsican son of ii Greek father, was
trained in early life at Cairo and Con-
stantinope to the susceptibilities OF
Turkish Pashas not whit more obsti-
nate and opinionated than King William.
He had acquired a great experience Of
European affairs as Director General of
the Congress of Paris, as well as the
post (which he filled for three years. OF
French envoy to Turin, when he was
sent as French Ambassador to Berlin,
in 1864. With Count Bismarck M.
Benedetti had gradually obtained a
good deal of influence, and had the
chancellor been with him at Ems, mat
ters might perchance have been smoothed
over again at this time between the two
states, as they We're three years ago at
the threatening crisis of the Luxem.
bourg question. But King William
acould himself settle an affair which
concerned his own princely house. He
allowed M. Benedict to gain a first step
by securing the retreat of Prince Loe.
pold from the candidacy, and this hav.
ing been done, he insisted that Prussia
had no more to do. In vain did M
Benedetti point to him that the only
| reason why Prince Leopold's candidacy
was obnoxious to France consisted il
the fact that as Prussian prince he
was held by the French people to sym
bolize hostile intent on the part of the
Prussian government and that it was
therefore incumbent upon his Majesty
to take an official part in withdrawing
him. The King fatty repelled the sug
gestion at first, and when it was pressed
upon him again he fatty repelled thu
Ambassador. This act, of course, the
precise details of which are yet to reacl
US, closed the discussion, and the closing
of the discussion equally, of course
opened the dreadful vials of war.