, 1874-11-07
THE SPECTATOR ON THE
N INCIDENT.

mistakes. 1t is not necessary, IN order to
perceive that much, to assume, as most
of our contemporaries seem inclined to do,
the complete innocence of Count Arnim.
He NAV, of course, have been as uni Justly
as he has been harshly and injuriously
treated but it is much more probable
that he, q proud and imperious man, ex-
tremely susceptible as to his w dignity,
bitterly opposed to the recent policy OF
his chief, and labouring, it is said, under
high nervous excitement, has been betrayed
by passion into an imprudence which his
profession will condemn. 1t is not, of
course, likely that he has published, or
intends to publish, any documents which
would compromise or injure the State, for
Count Arnim is an experienced official, be-
longing to a family in which high office is
hereditary, and notorious throughout his
career for an overWeening devotion to the in
terests Of his State. In Paris he was consider
ed the most Prussian of Prussians, and was
detested for the imperious singleness of pur-
pose with which he pressed, on all occa-
sions, the policy he or his chief conceived
to be to the interests of the victorious
Monarchy. He is about as likely to re-
veal a secret treaty, or a political pro-
gramme, or an important negotiation as
Lord Odo Russell or any first-class Eng
fish representative or even less likely, for
he regards his King in light in which no
English statesman regards the chief of his
department. But it is quite possible that
he is in possession of papers which are
not strictly political, which he has a right
to keep, though not to publish, and which,
in his liberated condition ofmind, smayting,
as he is, under what he considers official
disgrace, he may have considered it law
full to use for the protection of his repu-
tation. According to the most credible
of the many stories in circulation, this is
actually the case. He has letters, it ia
asserted, from Prince Bismarck which
show that the Chancellor did at one time
contemplate an arrangement with the
Papacy, did not care one straw about the
Syllabus or the new dogma, and did get
up the "No Popery {" panic in Germany
as q purely political device. AS this is
Count Arnim's precise charge against his
chief, he may have shown or even sent
these letters to Herr Windhorst, the chief
of the UItramontane and ParticuIarist par
ties, who, it is known, contemplates the
publication of a pamphlet called "The
Revolution from Above, :" which will, in
his belief, seriously damage the Prince
in the estimation of his country. If this
story prove to be correct, Count Arnim
is clearly in the wrong. Nothing except
direct danger to the State from continued
reticence can excuse the publication by an
official of those demi- official notes by
which, in modern times, affairs are princi-
pally conducted. A lawyer might as we'll
publish his clients private letters. There
are, of course, extreme cases which might
justify such a proceeding-for instance, q
Minister ordering a coup d6tot, or demand
ing a bride from q foreign Powerful as
there are cases which would Justify a reg
iment In refusing to obey an order to fire,
but they are of the most exceptional kind,
and to be admitted, must fall clearly with
in the rule, Salus reipubzice supremo lee.
No personal motive can justify such an act,
which is always injurious to the State,