The Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1870-1875, 1870-12-06

Charles Summers lecture on the Eu-
ropeanWar:
Two personages, at the present
moment, hold in their haads this great
question. teeming with new civiliza-
ton. Honest and determined, both
are patriotic rather than cosmopoli.
tan or Christian, believing IN Prus-
sia rather than humanity. and the pa
triotism so strong in each, keeps still
the early tinge of iron. | refer to
King William and his Prime Minis
ter, Count Bismarck. More than
any other European sovereign,
William Of Prussia possesses
the infatuation eff Divine right"
lie believed he was appointed by
God to be King-differiDg here from
Louis Napoleon, who, in q spirit of
compromise, entitled himself Emper-
or by the grace of God and the ma
tioual will" This infatuation was IL
lustrated at his coronation In ancient
Kouigsberg. the first home of Prus-
sian royalty, and better famous as the
birth, place and life long home of
Emmanuel Kant, when the King en-
acted a scene of melodrama which
might be transferred from the church
to the theatre. No other person was
allowed TO place the crown on his roy
al head. Lifting it from the altar,
where it rested. he placed it there him
self, 10 sign that he had it from Heaven
and not from man, and next placed
another on the head of the Qdecn, in
sign that her dignity was derived
from him. Then turning around, he
brandished gigantic sword in testi-
mooy of readiness to defend the ma
ton. Since the battle of SadoWa,
when the Austrian Empire was so
suddenly shattered, he has believed
himself the providential sword bearer
of Germany, destined to revive the
old glories of BaFbarossa. His habits
are soldierly, and, Notwithstanding
bis 73 years, he continues to find
pleasure In wearing the spiked he'll
met OF the Prussian camp. Republi-
cars smile when be speaks of my
army, my allies, a1d my people,
but this egolism is the natural ex
preston of the m0Barchial character,
especially where the monarch be
lieves that he holds By divine right
His public conduit is in harmony with
these conditions. He is Protestant,
ard rules the land of Luther, but
he is no friend to modern reform
The venerabls system of war and
perogative Is part of his inheritance
handed down from fighting despots,
and he evidently believes in it. His
minister, Count Bismarck, is the par
tisan of divine right, and, like the
King, regards with satisfaction that
hierarehaI feuda:ism from which they
are both derived. Heis noble and be-
lieves 10 mobility. He believes also in
force. as if he ad the blood Of the god
Thor. He believes in war, and does
not hesitate to throE its iron dice,
insistiBg upon the rigors OF the gsI0e.
As the German question begln to
lower. his policy was mora persistent.
Not through speeches and votes
of the mai5rity, he said, ip 1867,
are the great questions of the time
decided-that was the blunder of
1913 and 1S49-but by steel and
blood Thus explicit was he. HaV-
ing a policy, be becaIe its represent
atiye. Rld very soon thereafter con-
trol,ed tie connsel5 of his sovereign,
coming swiftly before the world; and
vet his elevation was tardy. Born in
1915, he did not enter upon dlplo-
macy until 1851, when thirty six
years Of age. and only 10 1862 became
Prussian Minister &C Paris, whence
.he was soon transferred TO the Cabi-
net At Berlia es Prime Minister.
Down 70 that time be vas but little
known. But from this tqe he drew
go large share of public attention
that ths contemporary press OF the
Yofll became tis dictionary where
his name was always found Nobody
doubted his intelleetual resources,
cour5g4 or strong Eill, bat it is felt
that he is naturally hard, Rnd little
affected By human sympathy. There
fore is he sn excallent War Minister.
ii remains to be seen If he will do as
much for peace. His one idea hes
been the unity Of Germany under the
Drimaey OF Prussia, aHa here he en-
counters France. But in the larger
unity. be esn do less. so long at least
as he is a fanatic for kings and eynic
towards popular institutions: suoh
| ia the King, and such his Minister /
/ have described them that you may see
I how little help tbs great ideas already
terminating from bloody fields will
receive from them In this respect
! they are as one,'