The sun., 1883-12-23
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Tut,ie .s.esy OF Prussia.

intimate acquaintance with the history OF tho
Prussian monarchy Indispensable to tho OBJ
server OF Continental politics. The struggle be-
tween progressive and reactionary tendencies.
between the systems OF absoutism on the one
hand and parliamentary government on tho
other. must everywhere be materially affected
by tho attitude Of the greatest military power
while the position ultimately taken by CONSOLE
dated Germany must itself depend upon the
issue Of the contest to be fought out in the
kingdom Of Prussia. between the policy em-
bodied In Bismarck and the principles upheld
by the Progressist and Liberal parties. Is 1t
true-as might be inferred from the histories
hitherto accessible TO English readers. and es-
pecially from Carlylo's account OF Fred
erick the Great-that militarism and au-
tocracy nre inveterately rooted in the soil OF
Prueeia. and indissolubly blended with the ira
ditions Of the house Of Hohonzollern2 Ifsuch
were indeed the fact there wouldbe little room
for hope that any men now living will behold
the firm establishment OF free institutions In
Germany. and SEQ its Incompatible forces ar
rayed upon the side OF political and social
melioration throughout Europe. But may
there not be ground. on the contrary for
affirming that the policy enforced with
80 much outward brllliancy By Frederick
tho Great and Bismarck was. to con.
siderable extent. an innovation: that the
progressists. rather than the absolutists. rep-
resent tho indigenous customs and proclivittes
OF the Prussian population. tho Oldest and the
soundcst traditions Of tho house OF Branden-
burg: and that tho scheme of local solf-rule
introduced by Stein and Hardenborg was re-
vival rathcr than novelty. native and sturdy
growth rather than an exotic and sickly graft
To answer this question. which has ali obvious
and decisive bearing on the forecast OF political
development in Prussia we must 10 back to the
earlier relations of tho Electors OF Branden-
burg to the inhabitants OF the widely scattered
dominions which they held by various titles
and under diverse conditions. 1t is for the
purpose Of assisting English readers in this
needful but hitherto difficult inquiry that Prof.
Herbert TUTrLE has prepared History Of
Prussia 10 the accession of Frederick the Great
tHoughton. Mifflin h Coz In a volume Of some
500 pages We find set forth in detail the social
and political transformations experienced In
tho Mark of Brandenbure. which forms. Of
course the core Of the modern Prussian mon
archy. besides a sufficiently minute inspection
OF the specific differences in the connection OF
tho HohenZollern princes with the duchy OF
Prussia and with their possessions on the
Rhine and in Westphalia
Tho story OF the Mark OF Brandenburg Is
traced from tho beginning OF the second and
successful attempt OF the Germans to wrest
from the Slavs the region lying between the
Elbe and the Oder. The first Margrave Of the
Ascanan house-Albert the Bear. who received
the fef in 1134-beonged to the Saxon branch
Of the German family. and his followers carried
with them into the lands conquered from tho
peoples Of Sayorc stock aptitudes and institu-
tions much like those which their kinsmen had
transferred. six centuries earlier. from the low
or Elbe and the lower Weser to Britain. There
Is no genealogical reason. therefore. why con-
stitutional government should not have been
developed as ensily and completely in Branden-
burg as in England. and Prof. Tuttle makes it
plain that. under the Ascanian family which
became extinct A. D. l319 " the rights Of tho
people were as clearly understood and pc hnps
as securely guarded in Brandenbur: as any
where In Europe. and it follows that
only ignorance or serviliy can at
tempt to deduce the absoiate Prussian
kings Of later times legltimately and organical-
lyfrom their ancestors" After 1924 the annals
of the Mark are full OF illusions to the meet
ings Of Diets. and 10 the control which these
assemblies exercised over the levying Of taxes
and the making OF laws. At first these assem-
blies were composed only OF barons. knights.
and prelates. but gradually the delegates OF
the larger towns were admitted-they appear
in the records OF Brandenburg as early as 1880
and by the middle OF tho fourteenth century
the Commons were recognized as an order in
tho State and n constituent part OF every Par
Lament. In 12SO-12S2 the Diet extorted from
the Margrave a concession which Is appropri-
ately compared to the English Magma Charta
Tor by it every kind Of extraordinary exaction,
unless sanctioned by the consent Of the
vassas. was forever abolished. This assembly
oven went SO far as to establish n kind
OF Ministry. appointed and renewable. not
by the Crown. but by the vassals and re-
Bponsible to larger committee Of tho whole
land for demands upon the public purse.
During tho century which intervened between
the extinction OF the Ascanian family and tho
accession in 1415 OF the first Margrave OF the
house OF Hohenzollern tho barons knights,
and preatos were continually enlarsing and
fortifying their privileges at the expense OF the
Crown. The period. however. OF highest NUM-
clpal prosperity coincided with the latter part
Of the Ascanian epoch. for during tho four
teenth century. when the central authority had
become greatly weakened. the cities were al-
most constantly on the defensive. The POSI-
tion OF the peasants. too. who during the thir-
teenth century were subject to lighter burdens
In Brandenburg than in any other part OF Ger
many, or perhaps OF Europe. was during the
next hundred years changed materially for the
worse. AS long rs the Ascanian Margraves re.
tained their authority unimpaired. the Saxon
pSoSohtS NhO hou oScupleu INC HlHTk kept lie
two cardinal rights OF freemen, the disposition
Of their persons and OF their estates; but these
rights were almost wholly lost during the four.
teenth century.
After Frederick OF Hohonzollern. Burgrayt
Of Nuremberg, in return for advances OF m oney
was made Margraveand Elector OF Branden
burg by the Emperor Sigismond. he succeeded
In recovering from the territorial arstocrac,
part OF the authority which thoy had usurpet
during the species OF intcrrcgnum that marked
the fourteenth century. He "humbed tn.
knights andhis son. Frederick H., discipline,
the towns" 1t was not however, until tn.
reign OF the Eector John. in the last decade o
the fifteenth century. that the power Of tn,
cities was seriously diminished. The Hussit,
and other wars deranged their trade and pu
heavy burdens on their productive industry
and with tho means OF resistance the spirit o
resistance naturally fell" Nevertheless John.
son. Joachim l.. encountered an unpleasan
amount OF independence in tho burghers o
Berlin and Frankfort. and 'here is no doub
that those cities enjoyed larger measure o