The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-20
Reasons for Believing that the Condi-
tion Of the Emperor Is Very Critical.
Measure Proposing Important Changes in Lo-
cal Government in Engiand-A Proposal
to Reconstruct the House Of Lords.
ROYAL MESS AGES.

Landtag and the Reichstag.
BERLIN, March 19.-The royal message
read in the Prussian Landtag n united session,
to-day. It is countersigned by all the Ministers.
1t says:
'We, Frederick. BY the gracs of God King of
Prussia. hereby proclaim and make known that,
is having pleased God. after the demise of EN-
peror and King William, much beloved
father. to call us to the throne of ancestors,
we herewith send TO the Landtag greeting
The sentiments and purposes with which we
enter upon our government. and the PRINCIPLES
which we would exercise our royal Office
have been proclaimed by us to our faithful peo-
pie. Walking in the path of
glorious father, we shall know
other aim of striving than the
happiness and welfare of the fatherland. By
safeguarding all prerogatiyes OF the crown, and
Loyalty cooperating with the national represent
atIves. the King hopes, with Gods help, to attain
his object, which Is the happiness and welfare of
the country. The condition of his health pre-
vents him from taking the oath personally
Desiring declarewithout delay his position
garding the Constitution and laws, although this
could admit of doubt. he now solemnly
dertakes to adhere to the Constitution firmly
and inviolably, and to rule IN conformity with
the laws
The sitting was invested with unusual inter
est. and the galleries overfowed with visitors
AS soon as the members had assembled, Prince
Bismarck. accompanied by all the Ministers of
State, entered the hall and read the message.
When the Chancellor had ceased reading, the
Duke Won Ratibor. President of the Upper
House. said that it HPs not within his province
TO say how each house would reply to the mess
age. He would now simply ask the assemblaee
to mark the Kings faithful attachment and de-
votion, and unite in the cry of ''Long live King
Frederick" The cheer thrice repeated apd
the Diet forthwith adjourned.
The Emperor's message TO the Reichstag was
as follows:
I'VE, Frederick, by the grace of God Emperor
of Germany, King OF Prussia, etc, proclaim that
with the demise of our beloved father under
Gods inscrutable will, she imperial dignity, with
the Prussian crown. has devolved upon US, and
we have taken uD IN ourselves the rights and du-
ties bound up Herewith. We resolved
keep inviolable and firmly uphold the Imperial
Constitution, and In this sense to conecientiously
respect and guard the constitutional rights of
the-indlsidual federal states aud the Rsichstag.
Fully conscious of exalted task it will, after
the example of our ever-remem bered father,
always be endeavor, in conjunction
with the princes and free towns of
the federation. and with the constitutional
operation OF ths Rechstag. to shield justice,
freedom and order throughout the tatherand,
safeguard the honor OF the empire, maintain 8
peace at home and abroad. and foster the well
fare of the people By the unanimous resdi-
with which the Reichstag agreed to the
proposals to strengthen the defensive power of
the fatherland in order to assure the security OF
the empire, the late deeply -lamented Emperor
rsjoicsd and strengthened. He was not
longer permitted to express his thanks
to the Reichstag. All the more. therefore, do
we feel the need of transmitting to the Reichstag
this legacy of its imperial master, who is
resting with God We express our thanks in
recognition of the patriotism and devotion it has
again shown. Trusting confidently to the devo-
tion and tried love for the fatherland of the
whole people and the peoples representatives,
we place the empires future in Gods hands.
"GIven at Charlottenburg, the 10Th day OF
March, 1888. FREDERICK"
The document is countersigned by Bismarck
The message read by Herr Piesdorff the
President of the Reichstag, who requested per-
mission of the House to submit to it. tomorrow.
a aft of address in reply to the message,
expressing devotion to the Emperor This re-
quest was unanimously granted. Herr Piesdorff
then announced that he, with the Vice-presidens
of the House, had, In the of the Reichs-
tag, asked for audience with the Emperor and
Empress, the Empress Augusta, and the Crown
Prince and Crown Princess. which would short
~ be granted. He then expressed, amid re-
peated bursts of applause. the thanks of the
House for the resolutions OF sympathy with
Germany passed by foreign parliaments.
Then Prince Bismarck, rising, said
ut will afford me greater satisfaction if am
permitted to consider myself charged by the
House to communicate the thanks of the
Reichstag to those friendly governments whose
psrliaments have expressed sympathy with the
grief surrounding Such expressions have
come not only from countrymeu in all parts
of the world, the latest receive being from far
German colony in Corea. but from all quarters
of the globe. mostly accom- panied by requests to
lay wreaths and palms on the Emperor's tomb.
Such widespread sympathy on the occasion of
ne. 6esn reeoraed Ris,o9 . mas never
the disappearance of great men, notably the
death of Napoleon the First and Louis the Four
teenth. caused violent shock. But that
md Ing frnrf oiuhk.
and from peoples at the antipodes should be laid
at the tomb of deceased monarch is unpre-
cedented IN history. No monarch ever before
was so respected as to cause all the nations of
the earth to bring TO his grave signs of sorrow.
IApplause. Regarding the special task / de-
sire to undertake.. the expression of
all the states OF thee world The com
municationS received from our nearer
neighbors are esDeeiaily sympathe'ic; for in
stance. those fran Austria, Italy, Portugal, the
Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium and Denmark.
The former relations Of the aforementioned
country TO Germany must have awakened sad
recollections. The great figure Just gone exer-
cised on all sides such healing influence that
not only the Danish government, but both
houses of the Legislature send to the German
people worthy expressions of sympathy TAp-
plause. shall ihanK you empower me to
express thanks to these friendly nations upon
whose sympathy the peace OF the future rests
more firmly than upon written treaties Loud
cheers.
The draft of the address of the lower house of
the Diet in reply to the royal message expresses
thanks for his Maiesty's promise to adhere to
the Constitution and wish for the Emperor's
complete restoration to health and the contnu-
ance of his benefcent rule. After emphasizing
the grief of the House at the death OF Emperor
William, and its ineffaceable gratitude to the
creator and developer of the German empire.
the address declares that the heart OF the nation
beats trusifully in unison with that of his
cessor with she fa;thfulness TO duty so
characteristic OF the house OF Hohenzo.le-n, his
Majesty FASTENED among his faithful people.
God grant him strength to WELD the scepter for
the good of the fatherland." In conclusion, the
address a0drms that Prussia owes her position
as power aud her present strength to the
Of the Hohenzollerns. and declares