The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-10-31
COUNT Won ARNIM'S ARREST


sources in America upon German affairs
The following ere the points: The
Count was sent to Paris as an ambassa-
dor, explicitly charged to maintain the
most peaceful and agreeable course in
all his dealings with French officials.
Bismarck himself prepared the instruc-
tions which were to guide Count Arnim
in his new position. No sooner had the
Ambassador presented his credentials
and been formally received by Yhiers
than he began to make himself offensive
to everybody connected with the French
government. 1t seemed that the Count
had accepted and trustfully determined
to again involve Germany and France
in hostilities or compel his government
to increase the army of occupation in
France. His first step was most extraor-
binary and unprecedented addressing
Emperor William privately, criticising
the policy of Bismarck as unworthy the
government, and excusing his familiar
ity on the ground that he could not con-
fidently communicate through the for
eign office. This was the beginning of
correspondence between Bismarck as
chancellor and Won Arnim as ambassa-
dor, comprising eighty-two communi-
cations, which Won Arnim withdrew
from the archives of the embassy at
Paris, and which the German govern
ment, through the Criminal Court at
Berlin, now seeks to recover
The first lntlmation the Berlin foreign
office had of the Won Arnim intrigue
was through the leading Catholic papers
of Germany praising Won Arnim as the
fit successor of Bismark, and denounc-
ing the latter as wholly unworthy of the
high position he held The letter of
Won Arnim to the Emperor was prompt
ly sent to the Chancellor, resulting in a
sharp imperative note to the Count
stating that correspondence on matters
pertaining to the policy of the Empire
must be held only with the foreign of
flee. To this Won Arnim replied, not
abat;ng his pronounced hostility to Bis
marck, and renewing his criticism of
| the instructions which had been prepar-
ed by Bismarck.
1t then became a serious question at
Berlin what to do with the Count. To
recall him at that early stage of the new
relations of Germany with France
would have led other European nations
! to believe that there was some founda-
ton for the report of new complications.
1t was therefore determined to forbear a
public recognition of Won Arnim' S
course until such time as it could be
done without scandal to the diplomatic
relations of Germany with France.
! Won Arnim succeeded in gaining the CO.
operation of prominent Catholic mem
! bers of the German Parliament III his
opposition to Bismarck, but the next
step was to engage the French press in
! the quarrel. Thus it was that it became
necessary to vigorously use the organ
of the German Government III combat
| ting the work of Won Amin, and as
often as there appeared in any Of the
German or French journals evidences
of opposition to the policy of Germany,
articles inspired by Bismarck werepub-
lished denying the assertions on which
/ the attacks were made.
The offensive conduct eff the Count
extended into the administration of
MacMahon, and when Won Arnim was
directed by Bismark to assure the new
| President of the intense cordially on
the part Of Germany toward France,
! Won Arnipl replied that hew not Oh
! good terms with MacMahon and could
not communicate with him. Bismarck
forcibly replied that it was notthe duty
| of All ambassador to maintain friendly
relations with the officials of the gov
eminent to which he was accredited,
and not allow his personal feelings to
interfere with official duty.
In January last matters reached a
crisis. The press telegram to Berlin
and London from Paris, showed con-
clusively that the Count had agreed on
a bolder plan than ever The embassy
had then been brought into contempt,
while the Berlin foreign office was be-
wildered to find so much information
going in every direction claiming to be
of a semi official character, and which
was entirely at variance with the in
structions sent out by the foreign office.
There was but one remedy, and that
was to recall Won Arnim and send him
to Constantinople. He considers the
! eighty letters as of Il personal char
acter and not belonging to the embassy,
while bismarck insists that the papers
distracted were a part of the record of
! the embassy, addressed to the German
ambassador, and not to Won Arnim per
| sOnally.