National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-22

efforts 10 effect close fusion between the
two Governments, and by the uucxI ected ac-
ccptancc of his resignation FOR himsclf re-
duccd in power and honor, q new situation
was created, and some novel problems were
presented. To what extent hcncetorth could
Prince Bismarck, ~ Chancellor, DO said 10
represent the Prussian Government 10 this
II was replied that he had been appointed
Chancellor, not by reason OF his position as
Mlsister- President, but by reason Of his POSI-
ton Of Minister Of Foreign Affairs for Prus-
la; and that so long as he held the latter
Office the state OF things remained unaltered.
This was Ineligible even II not correct,
but when the second question was answered
q most startling contradiction was seen. 10
whom henceforth would the Prusslan dele
gates In the Bundcsralh report to, Prince
Bismarck as Foreign Minister or TO Count
Won Room as Minister President 10 tue
Minister President, promptly replied tue
Princes enemies; the Foreign Minister rep
rcsents nothing but his own office, and the
authority Of tho collective Prussian Gove,n-
ments speaks only through the chief OF tho
cabinet. This question was, | think, never
formally settled. As Often ~ differences OF
opinion arose tho King personally interfesed,
and gave decisions which were OF course
anal. There Is no doubt that such occasions
arose very often, and that the Prnssian Cabi-
ucN mas ubt uttu v uhgp1 ehe
family during tho past few months. ~ at
Whom Prince Bismarck left tho post Of
MlnIstor-P President, II was given out that the
only cause WAS physical inability 70 do all
the work eAacted by his threo olilccs. In or
der to give show Of probability to this ex-
PLANTATION, the King ANNOUNCED In q royal
order that the Prince might be replaced by
sessions when imperial questions were under
discussion. i have never heard Of Herr Del
bruck at q Cabinet meeting, or Of vote cast
by him In the name Of his chief, and Il 10 not
probable That other event has occurred. The
arrangement was absurd from the frst and,
as have intimated, was made only to sup
port the official theory Of Bsmarck's retire
nent. That Prince Bismarck worked with
the greatest impatience the awkward ma
chlnery which was placed before him has
long been known. he had his own plans OF
Improvement, and as the Aggrandizement of
Prussia entered into those plans, II seoms
hardly creditable that they have 90 far been
lhwarted by Pfussian King and Ministry.
Yet such is indhputably the case. -.
As far as the ministers are concerned their
opposition may be attributed TO several
| carses. They may have feared that II alb
sorbed Into an Imperial ministry they would
| lose their individuality; they may have hon.
| cstly distrusted the grand schemes Of the
Prince; and they may have been, and some
Of them certainly are, jealous II
him. The ministor-prcsident Count Won
Room, has seemed to live In perpetual dread
lest some trick should, after all, cheat him
| out Of his little victory and restore Bismafck
10 his old position. At timcs he was ~
piciously complainant toward him, Tying, as
II seemed, to eyade q quarrel wh6ea ,iasue
seemed doubtful; at other times no W. for
wardly willful, ms II he had no other means
Of asserting his authority. But Count Won
hal NJ. Ia ths
favoritc Of the High Church Evangelical
party In Prussia, and he has strong belief
both In the divine authority OF the Church
and the divine right of kings, Prince Bis
marck discarded both theories long time
ago, and he Ia hated In Prussia quite rs
warmly by the Evangelical Church party as
by Roman Catholics. H.-I 10. d
up after the Princes withdrawal from the
head Of the Prussian Ministry has been shown
10 variety Of ways. When the banking act
was before the Reichstag Bavarian Deputy
moved to adopt the Prussian National Bank
az the Bank Of the Empire. The Chancellor
gave the project hearty support; but to the
surprise Of the Assembly, the Prussian Fl.
nance Minister took the opposite ground,
The reason given for his conduct was purely
personal one, affecting the relations to the
bank; nevertheless the open disagreement
| between him and his colleagues was deplor.
abe. The military bill was another instance
| Of the same sort. Tho measure made such
| sluw progress In the Reichstag that the depu
ties finally refused TO finish II during tho SEES
sion, and were sharply denounced therefor BY
| the Chancellor. But the Count Won Room
seeing quarrel between the Chancellor ant
his party friends in Parliament, seemed tc
think the occasion good one for interfer
| ence.
lie wrote Prince Bismarck q sharp letter
\ in which he held him accountable for III,
postponcment Of the bill, and he intimatet
that he made tho complaint, not only as Wa
secretary, but as Minister-President, and
guardian Of his Majestys conscience. Fl
nally the scandal Of the press bill broke
down Prince Bismarcks patience. A new
imperial law on the subject Of the press had
bcen promised by the Chancelry, 1t wa.
drawn up by an under secretary Of some
sort; 1t was duly passed through the Prus
sian Ministry, and, finally, In the name OF III,
Prussian Ministry, 1t was submitted BY Primo,
Bismarck to the Bundesrath. But whom !
| was printed IL revealed provisions so obnox
lous that no one was willing to accept the re
sponslbility for 1t. The Chancellor affirmed
| that he had never read II. and that he sub
United II only rs tho agent OF the PrlRslai
Government. The Prussian Government
took the ground that Prince Bismarck actes
In the matter merely as Minister for ForoigI
1 huulTr. DCtWttH tutro tWO IuCuOus tHt uU
fortunate bill itself fell to the ground ant
was irreparably shattered.
| Such scandalous differences were, OF course
fatal to all future harmony, and Prince Bis
marck tried once more to cut the knot. II,
| laid the state of the case before the kmparo
and rendered his resignation as Minister 70
| Foreign Affairs In the Prussian Cabinet; or
what Is nearly tho same thing, he asked TO
an indefinite leave of absence and the up
poinment Of substitute. Then he packe,
up hls papers, and, leaving instructions t.
send him no state papers, he shook the dus
Of the ungrateful city from his feet and re
turned to varzin. The resignation had becl
again accepted by tue King, and the enpmie
oil the Chancellor Here once more triumph
ant. This seems to DO the intcrprdatlo
which the best informed put upon the events
In justice to the King, however, and part
ally to correct The impression that he will
fully sacrificed his great statesman, 1t mus
be admitted that Prince Bismarck IL an un
comfortable person to work with as q col
league. ..s
Beside tho rough, impcriops manner whlcl
he has always had, and which has not boel
altogether an obstacle to Ills success In polit
lcal life, he shows At timer, and with GROWN,
intensity, q sort Of vain, childish petulence
which Is perhaps not so useful to him. Lik,
Pitt he might pass for the angry boy In III,
Alchemist. This temperament, leading as I
does to frequent ontbursts Of spite, not all O
which are confined to his private offices
alienates friends and makes enemies. ]
gives him human shape and substance. Tn,
politicians no longer regard him as demi
god, but they look at him through thei
glasses, throw out his measures, shrug thei
j shoulders when he scolds them, and wink a
one another when he receives check. II
beyond question that he has lost much Of hi
influence during year. II would be unsaf
to predict that he will not recover from tii
last blow; but his authority has bean 80
riously impaired, and II will never agaiI
stand so high as II stood two years ago, O.
after the close Of the French war.