The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-11-14
Bismarck VS.. Arnim.

O1nce asked MN 10 restore certain
papers which were missing from the
archives. Count Won Arnim declared
, that portion OF those papers were
his property, which he would not sur.
render another portion, however, he
returned to the archives.
Arnim was unable to say any thing
about the missing of the remainder OF
those papers. AS the search of the
archives which resulted in the dis
covery that papers were missing was
only instituted several weeks after
Arnim's departure, the possibility
presented itself that these papers had
meanwhile been distracted, in one
way or another, from the archives OF
the Legation. The consequence was a
violent letter war between Bismarck
and Arnim.
Bismark pretended to find mean
: ing in every one OF Arnim's reports
which the latter had never intended
to convey, and found thus conven-
lent pretext for repeatedly rebuking
him in an exceedingly harsh manner.
He was thus enabled to reproach Ar
MIN with having pursued policy
different from that of the Chancellor
of the empire. 1t will be interesting
to learn the grounds on which this re
proach can be based. 1t appears
that Bismarck was afraid that the
hostile letters which had passed be-
tween him and Arnim might be pub
lished, und there was perhaps some
| instificati for this belief
The correspondence would have
clearly demonstrated to the world
Fhow Bismarck really acted in this
matter, and how the strangely col
ored reports in regard to this cores
pondence came to reach the Emperor.
1t is just this part OF the correspond
ence which Arnim refuses to deliver.
He is strengthened in this position
by the general usage which regards
documents containing the censure Of
superiors as private letters, even
though it be conveyed in an official
form, and renders it thus matter of
no Importance whether they be
placed among the official files or not,
and also by declaring that he requires
| them for his own justification.
OF course the very nature of the af-
fair forbids a public defense in the
newspapers, and it must be laid be-
fore the Emperor himself as the sole
and highest judge. AS the Emperor,
according to Arnim, had really never
learned.from Bismarck the true facts
Of the case, every one can easily i'm
agine how highly Bismarck must
prize the possession of the documents
which Arnim refuses to surrender.
They enable Arnim to prove that
Bismark censured him without the
slightest reason, and strengthen the
suspicion that the Emperor never re-
ceived Il truthful account of the at
fair as it really took place. Bismarck,
it appears, is afraid of Arnim, know
ing full well, as he does, that he has
done him Il grievous wrong, and be-
cause Arnim is the only man who has
not only the courage and capacity,
but also the means to become a really
dangerous foe. The key to the pres
ent situation is simply that Bismarck
tries to annihilate his enemy forever.
1t is i'll exact keeping with Bismarck's
character to attempt thus to ruin Ar
MIN and rob him Of his reputation,
position, civil rights, fortune, and
health. If he does not succeed in this
he fears that his own position will be.
jeopardized
Bismarck attacked Arnim at his
most vulnerable point merely through |
abuse of power, IA legal justification of
which may always be found, and was
in this instance furnished by the Ber-
lin city tribunal, which has thus be-
come an unconscious accomplice of
Bismarck. 1t has been repeatedly
asked why Arnim did not try to
prevent such open war by simply
taking copies of the documents in
question and restoring the originals
under protest to the Foreign Office.
The case, from a legal point of view,
is just this-that Arnim rightfully
considered these papers as his private
property, aud, never thinking for a
moment that the attempt would ever
be made to compel their restoration
by criminal prosecution, made no
copies of them, nor had he right to
make any, as his ownership of the
documents might have been denied
in the civil suit.
Added to this legal grievance is one
Of actual occurence-na the
shocking manner in which Herr Blu
low preferred the demand for the
documents in question. Bulow is said
to have subsequently, expressed his
at AInim's persistent
refusal, as he could have easily taken
copies and then surrendered the pa
pers. However, Bulow ought to ex-
press no establishment at Arnim's re-
|llssM, as he had made the demand
for the delivery OF the papers in a
manner which stamped it not only as
! judicial abnormity, but also. az a
specimen of that brutality with
which he had become accustomed to
;Feat high and obnoxious officials.
Bulow's letter rendered the surrcn-
lei OF the documents positively i'm {
possible, unless Arnim wished to t
dead guilty to the commission of a l