The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-12
United GERMANY.
The Roy nj speech Mt the Opening of the North
Germnu Parliament.

UNITED GERMANY.
The Roy nj speech MT the Opening of the North
The speech delivered on November "a, at the
opening of the North German Parliament, ran
-''Honored gentlemen of the Parliament
of the North German Confederation: His Ma
jesty the King of Prussia has been pleased to
confer upon me the task Of opening the Parlia-
ment of the North German Confederation in
the name of the Confederate Governments. 1t
would have afforded his Majesty great satisfac-
tion TO be present to-day in your midst in order
to thank God from this place for the successes
with which the arms of the German forces have
been blessed, and to express te you the part
which the national attitude and unanimity of
the Parliament, in affording the necessary means
for carrying on the war, have had in these sue
cesses. BY the victories, unprecedented in the
military history of the world, which, by Gods
will, have been gained through the heroic valor
and sagaclous leadership of the Germans, the
aggression undertaken by France against Ger
many in July last has been repelled. The French
people must have acquired the conviction that
Its present power, since the destruction of the
armies which were sent into the field against us,
is not capable of coping with the united military
forces of Germany. We should, therefore, be
able to regard peace as certain had our unfortu-
nate neighbors government the members of
which regarded their future as inseparable from
their country. Such government would have
seized every opportunity to place the nation
to the head of which il has raised itself by
its own supreme power in position to
elect a National Assembly, and to delibe-
rate upon the present and future Of the
country. But the documents which will be sub
mitted to you,. gentlemen, by the President of
the Confederation, will afford you proof that
those who now hold the reins of power in
France prefer to sacrifice the forces of noble
nation in hopeless struggle. The incalculable
exhaustion and devastation which will be to
France the consequences of continuance of the
war under the present circumstances must GER
tainly diminish the power of the country to such
an extent that its restoration will require
longer period than would be the case in the ord-
nary course of war. The Confederate Govern
ments, however, are compelled with regret
to give expression to their conviction that
the peace between these two great neighbor
| ing peoples, upon the continuance of which
| they calculated more than six months ago,
| will but be all the more in danger by the
remembrance which the impression of this
war will leave in France the moment
when France, by the restoration of her
own strength, or by the conclusion of alliances
| with other powers, shall feel herself strong
enough to recommence the struggle. The condi-
tions upon which the allied Governments would
be ready to conclude peace have been publicly
discussed. 1t is necessary that they should be
commensurate with the greatness of the sacri-
fees laid upon the country by the war, which,
| though undertaken by France without any
ground whatsoever, had the assent of the whole
| French nation. 1t is above all things necessary
that they should establish defensible frontier
| for Germany against the continuance by future
quest which had been pursued for SO many hun
| dred years, and that this frontier should
be settled in such way as partly to
redress the results of the unfortunate wars
which Germany, at period of internal divi-
sion, was compelled to wage by the will of
| France. At the same time it is necessary that
our South German brethren should be freed
| from the burden of the threatening position
which France owes to former conquest The
| Confederate Governments feel that they can
| rely upon the North German Parliament not to
refuse the means which are still required for the
attainment OF these objects. They are convinced
! that now, when 1t is a question of rendering
secure the results which have been achieved, they
| will meet in you the same patriotism aud devo-
! tion which they found when the task was that
of accomplishing the now-achieved successes.
1t is their most profound wish that it may be
possible to refrain from using the whole of
| these means. In order to afford you a complete
| survey of the political situation, the Govern
| ment will lay before you the communications
| which have recently reached the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs respecting the treaty of Paris
of the 30th of March, 1856, in doing which the
! Confederate Governments desire to express
! their hope that the blessings of peace
which have hitherto enjoyed them. The con-
tlnuance OF the war has not prevented the ac-
complishment of work of peace. Tue senti-
ment of unity which has been vivifed by the
common danger and the jontly-won victories,
the consciousness of the position which Ger
many, for the first time for centuries has
achieved through her unity, the recognition of
the fact that only by the creation of permanent
institutions for the future of Germany can fit
ting legacy of this time of deeds and sacrifices
be assured have more rapidly and universally
than short time back would have been credible,
| filled the German people and its Princes with
the conviction that stronger link than that af-
forded by international treaties is needed be-
tween the North and the South. This uuani-
nous opinion of the Governments has led to
negotiations the first fruit of which, grown on the
field of battle will be laid before you for your ap-
proval in the shape of a constitution for a Ger
man Confederacy, which has been agreed upon
by the North German Confederation and the
Grand Duches of Baden and Hesse- Darmstadt
and which has been unanimously adopted by
the Federal Council. The understanding which
has been arrived at upon similar bases with
Bavaria will also form the subject of your de-
ibeTations, and the agreement of views between
the allied governments and Wurtemberg re-
specting the object to be aimed at permits US TO
hope that similar agreement TO the method
of attaining ii will not be wanting. Honored
gentlemen. with this work yOu win worthly
close period OF activity sach as has rarely
been the lot OF Legislative Assemblies"