The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-11-03
THE GERMAN UNITY.

The complete success of Prussia in the
struggle with France, of which but little
reasonable doubt can exist, will be al
most certain to result in the union of all
the German States. Events of late years
have been strongly tending in this direc-
ton. The battle Of Sadowa seemed to
have settled the matter, and to have
yielded this as among the fruits of that
great victory. But the hour for union,
under one constitution, had not quite
come. The people of the Southern Con-
federation were not, as a unit, perfectly
prepared to surrender the old and submit
themselves to the regime and require
ments of the new. They wanted. many
Of them at least more time for reflection,
for the softening of prejudices, for the ad
justing of little knotty questions that
surrounded the subject, for the defining
Of the precise terms on which the lesser
bodies should permit themselves to be
absorbed in common nationality.
The war broke out leaving the prob
lem still unsolved. Germany answered
iasm. The Southern Confederation wed
with the Northern, in rushing to the de-
Tense of the Fatherland Minor differ
ences were forgotten. German unity
showed itself practically accomplished in
the ranks of war and on the battle field,
spite of the technical difficulties which
had, up to that time, kept the South
ern States from formally uniting with the
| others.
When the war is over, and the men
who have stood shoulder to shoulder in
the wonderful triumphs for Fatherland,
| return to their homes, all obstacles to
union will vanish before the common Joy
and enthusiasm. Those who have been
one in sharing the hardships. tolls, suf-
| fcriEgs, and glory too, of campaign
which has few parallels in history, will
want to be one, and will be one, under
Government that will enable them to
enjoy in common the fruits Of victory, so
dearly bought.
The States of Baden, Wurtemburg,
and Bavaria, are all that remain to enter
| the circle and perfect the Germanic uni
| ficatlon. Of these the two former were
| nearly ripe for union before the present
war began, their peoples longing for it,
| and the proper measures being now ae-
| tually in progress to effect it. Bavaria,
with her 5000, 900 population, had high
notions of her own consequence, and rails
| ed sundry objections to the proposed
| union, which, whether reasonable or not,
her pride of opinion might have induced
her long to maintain. But her troops
| have enlisted IN the war, for the first
time In the national cause, warmly es-
pouslng the German interest, and find
ing her new position at once gratifying
and profitable. Her experience in the
war will teach her some new and impor-
tant lessons, chief among which will be,
/ that her own honor, elevation and adj
vancement, will depend upon being close
| ly united with nation able to confer
these advantages. We shall certainly
expect, therefore, to see Bavaria speedi-
ly. join the other applicants for formal
admission into the great Confederation,
which will thus embrace all the German
people, and realize the dream of a unit
ed Germany so long cherished by the
most ardent lovers of the Fatherland.
| When this is accomplished, new era
for Germany will have begun. We shall
be greatly disappointed if it does not
mark decided advance in the matter of
giving new immunities and privileges to
the people, opening facilities for oduca-
ton, and adding to individual freedom.
| We shall hope at least for the best. And
we are quite sure that if Prussia admin.
listers the affairs Of her extended realm
with an enlightened regard to the high
est interests of her subjects, and in ac-
cordance with the just claims that the
world makes upon Christian rulers. she
will add the higher glory of being a
truly liberal government to that Of being
the. first military power Of the age.-M-
/ feJ,l,3,