Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-10

|only Government in Europe whose
throne was not shaking before the
vigorous attacks made by the people.
In Berlin barricades were thrown up
in the streets, and from behind these
the revolutionists raised the cry;
"Away with the military! !' The King
lrather sided with the people. The
soldiery were withdrawn from the
capital. The National Guards took
the place of the regulars. The Minis
try resigned. A Parliament was
promised, and the King at the head
OF the people raised an agitation for
united Germany. These measures
made the King the most popular man
in Berlin. But on the head
of the Prince of Prussia fell no
end of indignant criticism. He was
General of infantry, and as such had
been the most conspicuous in the
streets. He was held responsible for
the bloody conflicts of March Is and
10, between the people and the army.
| At the outset he had placed himself
| in opposition to all measures looking
to Constitutional government. In
short time, however, he saw the folly
of his course. The people would have
it, and the Prince yielded with
good grace. 1t was on his advice that
the King had yielded to the demands
of the people. As a member OF the
Ministry of State he signed the Con
stitutional decree Of March Is. But
the blood of the people was too
| much stirred to be easily pacified, and
the Prince thinking conflict inevita-
BILE, his mind reverted to its former
attitude. He advocated the calling
out of the army and suppressing the
revolution in summary manner.
When the people demanded that the
troops should be withdrawn, he re-
piled by commanding an immediate
evacuation of the intrenchments.
Then came the couflict. When the
King at length yielded to the popular
demand and withdrew the troops, the
palace of the Prince had to be pla-
carded National Property" to protect
it from the violence OF the mob.
Prince William was forced to with
draw from the capital, and as a ru-
NOR was set afoot to the effect that he
was collecting large army with
which he would return and suppress
the people, it was decided best for
the Prince to leave the country.
This he refused to do, lest the peo lie
might say he fed from fear, unless
the King made a formal decree to that
effect. This being issued on the 22d
of March, his fifty-second birthday, he
set off for London. In the English
capital he was on the most friendly
terms with Peel, Russell, Palmerston
and Prince Albert. His intercourse
with the three English statesmen
must have ueen OF great benefit to
him. The historian Dallmann had
published "Draft for a Constitution
for Prus- ia" The Prince read this
and discussed it with the English
statesmen. He found he was in the
main in accord with the provisions OF
this plan of government. He held
to great deal of Imperial absolutism
throughout all these discussions, and
wished to save all he could of the
here itary rights OF his house. Many
of these views became modified during
his stay in London. He made close
study OF the modes of government in
England during this time. A Consti-
tutional form OF government was set
up at length and the Prince returned
to Germany to take part in the pro-
ceedings of the first Assembly Of the
Diet.
In 1S49 there was trouble again in
Prussia. The crown of Emperor of
Germany hal been offered the King,
which he had refused. This destroyed
the plan for the unity of Germany.
The army was put in command OF the
Prince of Prussia, and after few
skirmishes the revolutionists fled to
Switzerland and peace was restored.
In 1854 the Prince of Prussia was
made Field-marshal. From this on
he was always consulted about every
step Of importance in the governing OF
the kingdom. The Constitution of
1850 was much changed from time to
time under the reactionary leadership
of Manteuffel. Clerical conflicts were
frequent and the King was in no sense
fitted to cope with the difficulties
which beset the Nation. His mind was
absorbed in architectural plans.
He would have made an excellent
architect. Thus time passed until
1857, when the Prince celebrated the
anniversary of his fiftieth year in the
army. In the summer of this year
the King suffered severe paralytic
stroke. Later in the year His
Majesty had second stroke, which
rendered him unfit to govern. The
Prince was entrusted with the ad-
ministration of public affairs for three
months, at the end of which time the
Kings condition being regarded as
hopeless, the office was confirmed to
the Prince from time to time. A
year later Prince William was made
Regent. The old ministry resigned,
and new cabinet was created under
the presidency of the Prince of
Hohenzollern. The Regent in his
speech gave no uncertain sound as to
his intentions. He referred to the
clerical conflicts which had disturbed
the realm. He declared his intention
of dealing directly with both churches,
and at the same time set forth
his views on secular edu-
cation to the effect that Prussia must
be exalted to the rank of the most in
telligent nation in Europe. He also
disclosed his purpose to at once pro-
ceed in thorough reorganization OF
the Prussian army. The kingdom
was to be put on a military footing
such as no power in Europe could
afford to regard with indifference.
| Early in 1858 the Crown Prince, the
Emperor since yesterday, married the
Princess Royal of England. The
young couple had been betrothed since
1856.
In 1859 occurred the war between
France and Italy, in which Prussia
maintained an armed neutrality. In
| 1860 Congress of German Princes
assembled at Baden Baden. To this
came Napoleon, an unbidden guest.
At the close of the Conference the