Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-10
SATURDAY..........MARCHl 10, 1885


morning at $50 o'clock. A mighty
man, a grand figure in history, has full
filed his mission and fallen, and the
tears of a great nation will bedew his
grave. Wherever there is to-day a Ger
man who is loyal to the Fatherland there
will lie sincere mourning for n beloved
sovereign. Wherever there are men
of any other nationality who ap-
preciate personal courage, integrity
OF purpose, patriotism, and indomitabie
will in the discharge Of conceived duty,
there will be tributes OF admiration forth
coming. The German Emperor's
career is an index TO the annals of Cont
mental Europe for nearly a century. No
mans deeds aud influence are more
deeply impressed on the history OF his
day and generation than are Emperor
WuLIAM's-no man of modern times did
more to make his people q power to
be feared and respected than this aged
monarch. WILLIAM /. was born March
%. 1897, and was the second son of
FREDERICK WILLIAM III. and Queen
LOUISA. When a mere child he entered
the army and was a colonel when he &C
companied the forces that overthrow
NAPoLEoN /. In 1910 his brother FBEDE-
RICK WILLIAM ". assembled the Prus-
sian throne, but the latter being
childless WILLIAM became known
as heir apparent and Prince of
Prussia. He Was soldier to
the hearts core, firm believer in the
divine right of kings-an extreme all
solutist. This brought him into bad
odor with the masses, and upon the
breaking ont of the revolution of 1S4S
he found it best to retire to England,
where he remained for several months.
He had risen to high military distinction,
and in June, 1Sl9, while he was on his
way to Baden to take command Of the
Prussian forces there, an unsuccess-
full attempt was made upon his
life. From the beginning of his promi-
nence in military matters his acts were
marhed by promptness. energy, and de
cision. Not the least evidence OF this is
found in the fact that he put down the
great republican rebellion ina few weeks
Subsequent TO that episode he was sta
toned at Coblentz as military governor
Of the Rhine, and in Westphaha- He
was also military governor of the Fortress
Of Mentz. But IT was not solely as a
soldier that bis ability demanded and re-
ceived recognition. AS early as 1S47 he
sat in the United Diet, and he was fire.
Quently called from his posts OF com
mand TO Berlin for conference on i'm
portant matters. In 1857 his brother
became incspscitated for ruling, aas
WILLIAM acted in his stead, and October,
1848, he was installed as Regent, sue
ceeding FREDERICK WILLIAM ". Janu-
AIRY 2, 1861.
WILLIAM !. was a man OF destiny, but
the working out OF that destiny did not
begin practically until he was upon the
throne. Then his path was beset by
obstacles such as few men have to en-
counter The dream OF his life had
been a united Germany, with Prussia
as its head. The kingly robe was
weighted with a heavy burden. The
memories of 1SlS-'49 had not died
out with the masses. The effects of
the vacillating policy OF his father. which
isolated and dismembered Prussia, con-
tinued TO be felt, and the weakness of his
brother, by which the moral prestige
of the kingdom was destroyed and the
opportunity for making the Germans
a united nation had been thrown
away, still exerted a depressing in
huence upon the people. Added to that
he had refractory parliament to deal
with, and more than once the would
be assassin stood in his way. TO
the task of arousing German pride
and exciting German patriotism the King
now addressed himself. Here his know
ledge of men aud his power to command
their loyalty displayed themselves. He
repaid loyalty with loyalty, and those
whom he placed in important and re-
sponsible positions he sustained against
all opposition. II has been said
that the German Emperor was the
creation OF BISMARCK and VoN
Mo1rKE Equally true is it that
BISMARCK and VoN MoLTKE are the
creations of the old Emperor. lie re-
cognized their great ability, bound them
TO himself with hoops of steel, and
stood by them, both as their sovereign
and friend, with all the iirmness of his
nature. Shortly after his accession,
With the assistance of VoS RooN, he
thoroughly recognized the Prussian
army, thus opening the way 10 the
great military successes which within
a comparatively few years have crowned
the German banners. The Emperor
cLA NON ANNON AO Ato5 tildn NON
MoLrEE and BISMARCK are entitled to
the laurels that were won at Sadowa,
Grayelotte, and Sedan, aud on the other
battle-helds over which Germany
marched 10 the forefront OF the cont.
mental nations. In 1862 King WILLIAM
placed BISMARCK Of the head OF the
Cabinet as Minister of Foreign Affairs
The King took an active part in the ware OF
1866 against Austria, which ended the
hope Of that country OF becoming the
leading German Power. and made him
the head of the North German Confed-
Grafton, and in 1867 opened the Constit-
uent Reichstag and appointed Bis
EARcK Chancellor. Ia july, 1870, took
place ct Ems bis notable and memorable
Eteryiew with the French ambassador,
sssGt BEsrDIrn. Then followed the