New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-27
PRINCE BISMARCK
his TREATMENT OF THE LAsKER RESOLU-
TION AND OF MR.. SARGENT.

e"' LONDON. March -,
There is, think, general feeling among English
men who trouble themselves at all about the mat
ter that Prince Bismarcks action in respect OF tne
Lasker resolution has been needlessly energee,o
MIR. Frelinghuysens dispatch Of March 10 to MI
Sargent makes two points which dlpiona'lsIS
consider good. They are disposed to agree WIN
the American Secretary of State in his inability 10
understand how the Transmission OF the resolution
of the American House of Representatives u!
Prince Bismarck TO the Reichstag eoulu Oe sup
posed to imply any sanction OF the pohtlcai views
of DIR Iasker Mr. Frelinghuvsen says, instead of
sanction " Endorsement but that is WORD more
commercial than diplomatic. They approve equally
Mr. Frelinghuysen's quiet remark that his duty
ended with forwarding the resolution through the
proper channels, and that the American Govern
ment is not inclined to inquire INTO the relations
existing between the different branches of foreign
government Prince Bismarck, in the opinion OF
his foreign colleagues would have done better not
TO raise the question which Mr.. Fre1nghuysen
thus politely puts aside If the controversy had no
other bearings aud if it were allowed to end with
this dispatch of March 10, the advantage would
rest with the American Secretary of State.
Unhappily, much wider questions are raised.
European opinion does not approve the orlglnal
resolution Of the American House OF Representa-
tives 1t was all very we'll 10 adopt an expression
of coincidence with the ulenuS VI AZ
Iasker If Mr. "Tom" Ochiltree had
been content with that, harm would
have been done. But Mr.. Tom Ochlltree's sense
of international courtesy seems to be but lmPef
fectly developed, and he committed distlhct
offence against good manners when he induced the
House TO take sides in domestic dispute TO ap-
prove Dr. Lasker vie of Ger nan politics, ana 10
censure-for that is what il comes to-those OF
Prince Bismarck and the Imperial Government.
fTrtrn v~sgU
act of the House was an insult to the German
Government is the opinion held here. 1t would De
idle 10 expect that our present House of Represen-
4a+ives sbould show itself careful IN matter OF
good taste and proprety with reference TO foreign
aud friendly power 1t has proved only too often
that it cares for of these things IL followed
Nj. "Tom" Ochlltree's lead on this occasion As
bIindlv "a il followed Mr.. Hewitt's On another
OCCASION The result is that 1t invited a
rebuff and has got it, Prince Blsmarcks character
is perfectly well known. He is not the man 10
accept a public criticism and public reOuke 1Iom
foreign legislature and the resolution OF the Amerl-
can House of Representatives, though 1t IS but one
branch of a legislature embodied both. can
unite believe that most of the Congressman who
LET il ,ass were unaware Of what they were doing,
but the written word and the official act are
record and II is by these, and not by any subse-
ouent profession of innocent intentions that they
must he Judged. To say that Prince Bismarck
would have done better take no notice OF the al
front is beside the mark. man Of his temper Is
certain TO take notice Of an atront His best reiort
would have been silence more or less scorniul but
since ne did not choose to be silent, he put hls rep
artee into language which extorted the admiration
OF every Foreign dice and Embassy in Europe for
ifs consummate adrOitness. Few men living could
have found means to give perfectly diplomatic
,icb lv nlOVokp0 : il had
n strongly personal side to it, And it is very much
10 Mr. Frelinghuysen's credit, If he DO the author
of this present rejoinder that he should have met
the Prince on his ground, and given an equally
DIPLOMATIC color TO his defence of an act not IL it.
self defensible
If telegram in to-day's Times is to be trusted.
the matter is not to be allowed to drop as it ought
TO drop, with Mr.. FrehnghuySens mostly judiclous
dispatch. The terms of fresh resolution proposed
by Mr. Hiscock, of New-York are telegraphed over
here This resolution appears TO have been
drafted by Mr. Hlscock under the influence
of an excitement which, it may be hoped,
he will not communicate to the Foreign Affairs
Committee or TO the House at large 1t is
series of studied insults TO Brince Bismarck. There
can he no excuse for referring to the greatest living
European as a person now holding the position OF
Chancellor of the German Empire -; to accuse him
of "arbtrariy interceptng" the Lasker res0lu-
ton 10 describe him as a single too powerful
subject; to insult him, III short by those
and other outrageous expressions TO be
found in Nh Hiscocks monstrOus resolution. l
will venture to hope that Ia" Committee aud the
House will refuse to make themselves responsible
for this language, TO adopt Il ~ their own. If
they adopt it, all can say that they abandon the
advantage which Mr.. FTelinghuysen has obtained
for them, and that the violence and gross ruLeGess
of the attack ON Prince Bismarck will insure him
the sympathy of every civilized community in
Europe.
L. the first comments of the American press DIS
position may be noted TO deal with Prince Blsnrcn
ns If he were predsposed to treat this resolution
with contumely because of ts American origin. !
believe that view to bc wholly mistaken oua.
canno, forget what once heard Prince Bismarck
say about America. 1t was not long after the Re
beliion had come 70 an end the next year. in fact.
Something was said 10 him about the attitude of
Germany to Arerica during the Rebellion aud IL,
contrast with the attitude OF Frdnce,-how O. er-
many mOnUchcsl though she III institutions
and in spirit had held aOof from tAe policy Of in
terfcrence in behalf of the Southern Con-
federacY proposed and promoted by the Emperor
of the French. There never answered Prince
Bismarck " was the least intention Of taking sides
against the lawful Government of the United
States My Government was your side from the
beginning | never forget that our great Frederick
was the first OF European sOvereigns 10 acknOwl-
edge the independence of the United States. The
policy of friendship which he established Prussia
has ever since followed Do you suppose that |
should choose a moment when your country was in
danger TO begin a different and hostile policy p
And the Prince lhe not then Princel went on TO
talk about America and Americans in terms Of such
cordla goodwill and interest as the most devoted
Republican might have used. He referred TO the
Germans in America as constituting not element
of dissensOn, but bond of union between the two
countries. Whatever has happened since, know
of no for suppOsing that Prince Bismarck mas
changed his views, that he is less friendly now
than then TO the people and the Government of the