The New York herald., 1874-12-19
THE STRUGGLE IN. GERMANY.

Inc trial OF Count Arnlm for having vlo-
lated the rules of the Prussan foreign service
has come TO an end. The verdict Of the Court
has been rendered The Count has been
found guilty and is sentenced to three months
imprisonment, deducting the time already
spent in prison. Practically this sentence m
wolves q small time of detention, as the Count
has already been in prison tor period almost
as long as that provided in his sentence.
1t remains to the Count to make
an appeal to the Supreme Court In
Berlin. unless, as has been limited, he
may be pardoned by the Emperor at the sug-
gestion of Prince Bismarck. This would be
gracious ast in some respects for now that
the Count has been condemned, nothing re-
mains but an act of mercy, which the Emperor
would be only too glad to vouchsafe So far,
therefore, as the Count is concerned, the issue
which has in an extraordinary manner at
tracted the attention Of the civilized world is
at an end But there are other considerations
in this controversy that are still alive. which
pass into the realms of political discussion
and must necessarily affect the future Of pol
itics in Germany.
The opinions all along expressed by the
HERALD that the contest in Germany is con-
test for power on the part Of Prince Bismarck
is confirmed by our recent dispatches from
Berlin, aud more especially by the news Of
the conviction and sentence of Count Arnim.
The great statesman has been compelled to
threaten Germany with his resignation from
the Office of Chancellor. This suggestive fact,
in connection with the Arnim verdict shows
more clearly the attitude Of the Chancellor to
politics in Germany. The Prince it seems to
us, has fallen into position akin to that of M.
Theirs when he was President of the French
Republic and the alliance between the Bona
partists and monarchists was closing around
him. When he could not carry policy he
simply threatened to resign. So long as there
was any fear Of the Prassians- remaining in
France this threat was effective. But it lost
its power in proportion as the Prussian infu-
ence came to an end So when NJ Thiers
threatened to give up his Office unless he could
have his own way the Assembly took him at
his word. He passed from power, and with
him all present hopes OF conservative repub-
lie in France.
In all contests of this nature, where there
are issues between parties and the struggle is
for the mastery of an empire, there are many
phases of strife. Before the war, when Bis
marck came into power, it was as the Minis
ter of reaction against the spirit of liberalism.
Il am proud" he said, "to be Prussian
Junker, and feel honored by the appellation."
In other words he was proud to be tory of
the tories, and he welcomed the time when
"Junkerdom would be regarded with honor
and respect" He came into Office in the
crisis of 1862 as the leader Of the tory party, of
that party which had no higher aim than the
aggrandizement of the house of Hohenzollern.
His Ministry was coup detat. In addressing
o parliamentary deputation in 1862 he ex-
pressed his opinions with characteristic frank
ness. What Prussia needed was liberal
ism, not power. The power of Prussia
was of more value to Germany than
any professions of liberalism. Liberal
ideas might do in the minor German
States, in Bavaria, Wnrtemberg and Baden,
but they were not called upon to play the part
of Prussia. In words which have become
memorable Bismarck continued to argue that
Prussia must hold her power together s'for that
favorable opportunity which already had been
sometimes neglected" The frontiers of Prussia
he did not regard as favorable to a liberal con-
stitution. ''The great questions Of the day were
not to be decided by speeches and majorities-
this had been the error of 184S and 1S49-but
by blood and iron.'' This was the inspiration
of the Bismarck policy. He dealt with Dem
mark and Austria and France in this spirit
During his twelve years of power he has had
three wars He found it necessary to summon
up the liberal sentiments of Germany by an
appeal to the patriotic yearning of the German
heart for union and nationality; but it was
not sincere appeal 1t served it's purpose in
driving Austria out Of the German Confedera-
ton and in humiliating France. Nay, more
it put upon the brow OF Hohenzollern
prince the crown of Charlemagne and trans
ferred to the descendant of German elector
the glories of the Roman Empire.
But in achieving these results Bismarck has
been compelled to change his policy. Thus far
he has used Germany to serve the purposes of
Prussia. So long as the interests of German
nationality and ''unity' and the ambition of
the Hohenzollerns went hand in hand he has
been content to serve Germany. But since
the German and French war other interests
have supervened. The princes Of the old
German States do not kindly accept the
suzerainty of Prussia The people do not
cheerfully accept the unrelenting, harsh
military system of Prussia. They are de-