The New York herald., 1874-12-14
Is GERMANY RIPE FOR LIBERTY? !?
Europe Covered by the Secret
Police Of Prussia.
The Chancellor's Dread Of the Indepen-
dent Press Of America.
AFRAID OF THE DOCUMENTS.


The latest aspects OF the Won Arnim case are
Encouraging to all Germans who believe tnat ra-
tional liberty may be granted 10 people by It's
government while good order Is preserved. Those
who think that the most highly educated ana 80
her minded nation in the world is verify ripe for
the constirpt,onal al administration OF their anairs,
and who consider that despotlsm has, on the
whole, mad q tenure OF power sun1ciently long IN
Europe already, must find their convictions soreiy
briea by the proceedings against Count Won Ar
MIN. Either the prosecution OF the Count his ar
bisrary arrest and Imprisonment, and the enor.
nous fines imposed upon him. are just and right
eous, or they are not. II they are sanctioned BY
public opinion there is no escape from the conclu.
mon that the solid good sense OF Germany has de-
eermined 70 be stll ruled by despottc authority,
and that the government shall nave the
means OF condemning any one to grievous
pains and penalties without q trial. whenever
II suits the caprice or interest OF the Prime Minis
Ger Tor the time being to institute an eI o09cfo
prosecution under covert forms; moreover, that
In such cases all existing laws which protect the
liberties Of the German people may be set aside.
II this Is really the decision which the
forty millions OF souls which inhabit the Ger
man Empire have come TO 1t would be unbe-
coming on the part OF any foreigner TO point out
the objections to 1t. But IT, as there is good rea-
son TO believe the Arnlm case Is merely struggle
between liberty and despotism. between law and
iawlessness, every writer who loves and respects
the great German people Is bound TO stand by
Them in this fight for freedom, where Count Arnim
Is only their champion. Until this issue Is decided
i Will give faithful record or events, without
fear or favor in order that the large German
population in the United States may clearly un-
derstand the momentous question under discus
sion and form an Independent opinion upon 1t.
THE STAR CHAMBER IN BERLIN.
In the first place, therefore, l must state that
the proceedings which now being taken
against Count Arnim are all OF q secret character;
and If We are to presume that his case Is one OF
public Importance, 1t Is dif1cult to comprehend
she necessity Of secrecy. 1t Is said that Prince
Bismarck is exerting strenuous efforts to prevent
the publication or the ''misstng documents"
which he alleges that Count Arntm abstracted
from the archives OF his Embassy at Paris. But
this Is again reason for believing that the con-
tents Of these documents are not uniavorabe to
Count Arnim, who Is the accused party, and that
they are unfavorable to Prince Bismarck, who
stands revealed as his accuser; so that the Prince
appears in the unpleasant light OF q prosecutor
who is attempting to punish, and who has In
deed severely punished, an innocent person for
faults which he has committed himself.
THE HERALDs NEWS AND oMNIPREsENcE
Now, the ostensible object OF all the measures
evidence that be has, either directly Indirectly
placed himself IN communication With the NEW
YORK HERALD and II this fact can be established
1t appears that, by putting brand new construc-
fion upon obsolete clause OF Q law which should
never have been made, the Count can be con-
vlcted OF high treason and sentenced to five years
Of penal servitude. with the loss Of all his rights
rs German citizen and his rank as n0bleman
Of the Empire. The cruel threat of imprisonment
timidate all his supporters. Foreigners, who
have no concern with the quarrel between
Prince Bismarck and Count Arnm, except
As impartial purveyors OF news to the puDllc
and reporters OF events, are menaced, bullied
ana driven from Germany by the police,
though they have committed no offence against
she law, and this strange behavior shows plainly
shat Prince Bismarck Is doing things which he
eels must expose him to universal censure
yoon as they are known. There is no proof what
over that Count AInim has been in communlca.
lion with the NEW YORK HERALD; indeed, there Is
yery clear evidence to the contrary in one In
stance, for the Count was imprisoned In "refuge
Tor the destitute" when the rnim-Bulow corre-
ypondence was printed at New York. Ano II
Prince Bismarck really believes that he can dis
cover the means by which these documents came
into the hands OF your correspondent he must be
Of more credulous disposition than the world has
oitherto supposed. Nevertheless he IS determined
to leave no means untried to find out this mystery
and in so doing he much resembles a man who is
employing "sll the Kings horses and all the Kings
men" for the discovery OF q mares nest. In his
tmpetuous search after nothing he seems bent
upon IN yolying all Europe IN disgrace.
THE FRENCH POLICE AS BIsNARCK's AIDS.
II ID no secret to anybody that the French au.
tnorities have been SO hectored and browbeaten
BY Prince Bismarck that they have permitted the
secret political police OF Paris TO aid him in his in
vestigation, and surely some shameful dealings
viii be one day brought to light and reveal the
manner in which he has made them his tools.
That they win serve him faithfully cannot for
moment be suspected. 1t would be an indelble
disgrace to Frenchmen II they could descend to
such depth OF infamy az 20 further the whims OF
despot who has plunged their country In blood
and IRE. And IL must, be with inexpressible sor-
row that they see themselves forced TO make even
O pretence OF serving him.
RTaLlsH POLICE EMPLOYED
In like manner 1t has been printed and pub
nshed In no less than forty newspapers that
Prince Bismarck has been tampering with the
English police also; but If ne has done so-and
the fact seems almost beyond doubt-it may
be expedient for MIN to remember that
the meeting or the English Parliament is near
at hand and that the persons he has employed
are likely to be called to stern account. over the
press or Germany, and over the press OF France.
Pence Bismarck may De in position to exercise
uncontrolled authority as long rs the German and
the French people will submit to II. He may also
buy such venal prints as are to be purchased; but
that he should seriously envertain the idea OF
gagging oil the American and English papers is
iaughaele notion, which Affords q strong presump.
tion that he has taken temporary leave Of his wits,
THE NvIoLABILrTY OF THE POST OFFICE BROKEN.
Another painful and shocking aspect OF this
case is that tine inviolsbnity OF the German Post
once, guaranteed by the constitution OF the
Empere, has been contemporary broken through.
! am authorized TO state that private gentleman
oil Berlin has recently had MS letters intercepted,
opened and suppressed, although ne assures me
mat during the last seven years he has never
had To cnrnnlain hafore of the loss OF a snRlA let.