Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-29
King Williams Coronation.

Contrary to general expectation,
King William Of Prussia, has been
crowned Emperor Of Germany at
Versailles. It was supposed that the
Kalser-saal, at ranA4Ort-On-the Main,
would have been the scene Of his cor
Onation. But doubtless the palace Of
Versailles was chosen for conve-
nience-pOssiblysin order to addition
ally humiliate the eX- Emperor NaDo-
leon. That palace had been his resi-
dence, and it is now made the theater
Of his cOnquerOr's triumph. Apart
from this consideration, however,
there were Weighty reasons for select
ing Versailles as the place at which to
hold the ceremony, for the structure
is historically illustriOus. IT was
built during the great reign Of Louis
XIV. in the year 1861, the celebrated
/ Jules HardOnin Mausard being the
architect, the same individual after
whom the " Mansard roof" is called.
1t was in that year that the youthful
Louis assumed the government Of
France, and soon atterWard COM
menced that career Of aggrandiZe-
ment which led to the annexation of
Alsacs and Lorraine to the French
domain. 1t was also at this time that
Louis famous engineer Vauban SUI
perintended the erection of those fort
resses from Basic to Dunkirk, which
during the present war have caused
the Prussians so much trouble. Those
strOnghOld5 were held by the French
for just two hundred years, namely,
from 1871 TO 1871, when the
Germans, whom they were intended
to keep at bay, captured them. When
Louis XIV. erected the palace Of
Versailles, for REORGANIZATION of him.
self and his dynasty, hs little fOresaW
that in the magnificent Chamber of
Mirrors, William the First of Prussia
would, on the 18th January, 1871, be
proclaimed Emperor Of Germany. /
Yet such has been the case, and with
UNUSUAL pOmD. The council of
Princes, representatives of the TWEEN
ty-hVe German States or PrinciDali-
ties, were present, az We're likewise
the representatives of the Prussian
troops investing Paris. The splendid
saloons and galleries Of Versailles
have witnessed the presence of Louis
XIV, Louis XIV, Louis XVI, the
beautiful and unhappy Marie AntOi-
nette, the wife of the Dauphin; have
rosOunded with the din of the First
Revolution; echoed with the plaudits
Of the First Napoleon; been
thr9nged with the leading rOyalist5
who hattered the BOurbOns on their
restoration; resOunded with the ac-
carnations raised on behalf Of the
"citiZen King" been the resort Of the
nPfnnfnnH NnnnNnnr rrrrw5hTnnwH 81 I
the proclamation Of the second En-
pire; and now vibrate with the revel-
ry that ushers in the new German
Empire. The first German Empire
WAS destroyed by Napoleon Bona
parte after the battle of A~Usterlitz;
the second is established Immediately
after the downfall Of Napoleon the
Third.
1t is curious to glance at the won
ders wrought by time. In III Charlie
magne became monarch Of France
and the greater part of Germany; in
the present year William is Emperor
of Germany and may annex a great
part of France. When in 1906 the
First Napoleon destroyed the German
Empire, he sought to permanently
cripple it by causing it to be divided
against ITSELF" 1t was under his di
rectiOus that sixteen of the petty
Western Princes separated themselves
from the Empire and formed what is
known as 1.-THE Confederation of the
Rhine" Under similar cOmDulsiOn
Francis the Second, the then Emperor
of Germany, abdicaued his throne,
and declared that the "HOly Roman
Empire'j was dissolved,
and assumed the title of Emperor Of
Austria, which he and his successors
since held. Hence, for 5iXty-fye
years-trOm 1906 to lS7I-there has
been no Emperor of Germany. That
country, however, disrupted by the
First Napoleon, has been reunited by
the recent treaties entered into bV the
of the twenty-five German
and a second German Empire {
has been created, with William, King
Of Prussia, as the first Emperor. The {
latter has always been considered a
title superior to that of King, mas
much as g King is supposed to rule
over one country, but an Emperor ,
over several. Hence, William will a.,
still be King of Prussia, but as Empe-
rOr his rule will, of course, be much 3
extended. Z
The Council of Princes, who wit ;
messed Williams coronation a week 7
ago, were emphatic in their express
of fealty TO His Majesty. The
Council said that sit knew no /
lther aim than to promote his well :
are;" and the address to the Empe- y
concluded in these words: Like =
Prussia, the new German Empire =
originates in the manful defense of =
Iur rights by OUr sOvereigns. The :
ruly German and m~Onarchical spirit /
which has contributed tOcreate it will q
it.. United. with the German
~IOveTeigns and free towns your Mai 4
wisdom will know how to es- b
ablish institutions for securing for the U
lew empire the guarantee OF a genU- i
ne German, PrJssiau aud mOnarchi- z
al development" So the German 5
tar ascends while that of France sets. 2
The genius and intelligence of her "
however, will rise superior to u
Misfortune, and place her as high in II
be scale of civilized and prosperous v
as she has ever been. If her
ate experience shall have given her ci
nduTing freedom of government, and 2
-eedOm from the mischievOus illusion ii
f military glory, France viii become n
Icher and happier than at any pre- 7
iOus period in her history. 70