The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-03-16

most careful preparation, he given a seat
and a voice in the Council Of State. In 1870,
and after the accession OF his childless brother,
Frederick William the Fourth, to the throne,
the subject Of this sketch became known as the
heir apparent and Prince of Prussia. About
the same time he was appointed Governor OF
Pomerania, and two years later, during the alb
sence OF his brother in England, the conduct of
The civil us well as the military affairs of the
Kingdom was intrusted to him.
In March, 1913, when the insurrection broke
out IN Berlin, he withdrew for awhile to En-
gland in order to escape the popular odium
then fastened upon him OF being an absolutist.
In the summer OF the following year he re-
turned to Prussia and commanded the army
which was sent to put down the insurrection in
Baden and the Palatinate, task which, diff
cult as it proved, he accomplished in six weeks.
1t was While on his way from Niedus Ingelheim
to Baden, June 12 1S49, that an unsuccessful
attempt was made to assassinate him. In Oc
tOber of the same year he was appointed Mill
tary Governor in Westphalia and on the Rhine,
with his headquarters at COblentz, also Gov
ernor of the federal Fortress Mayence or
Mentz- About the same time, too, he was
made Grand Master of the Free Masons, in
which order he, during his whole life, took the
niveiest interest.
Meanwhile his answering loyalty to his
brother, the King, well his recognized
ability as counselor, was such that on all i'm
pOrtant matters his opinions were sought, and
not infreQuently his advice taken. or his sug-
gestions adopted. In 1857, when the King was
taken i'll, Prince William acted in his stead; in
October, 1873, he was formally installed as Re.
gent, and was finally crowned King January 2
1861. Prior to his ascending the throne Prince
William had been recognized as the silent head
Of the party which striving to effect tho
union Of Germany, and accordingly in him were
centered the fondest hopes Of every German
patriot. How completely those hopes were re-
allied, the history of the reign will tell. His
policy from the outset, while far from satisfy
ing the extreme Liberals of his subjects, yet
showed the grandness of the mans aims and
ideas, and Indicated plainly the reforms he con
templated bringing about. July II, 1861, the
student Oshar Becker, a Liberalist extremely
fanatical in his views, made futile attempt to
assassinate the King, while he was walking on
the Promenade at Baden Baden. He urged as
an excuse for the deed the utter incapacity of
William to effect the union of Germany, the &C
| complishment Of which, however. may now be
pointed to one Of the notable acts Of long
and splendid reign.
In 1852 he placed Bismarck at the head Of
his Cabinet as Minister of Foreign Affairs,
and two years later, after procuring the CO.
operation Of Austria in the Schleswig- -Holstein
war achieved splend victory for Prussia H s
sagacity in selecting able statesmen and skilled
/ Generals, was only equaled by his unyielding
support, sustaining them against all opposi-
tion. His unbounded confidence in Bismarck,
as wen as in Won Room and Molt6e, fully
/ confirmed by the rapid and brilliant successes
/ attending his forces in the war against Austria
| This wsr, in which he personally took an active
! part, extinguished Austria as German Power
and pla- ed him at the head Of the new North
German confederation with Sehleswig-Hol
stein, Hanover, Hesse-Cassel, Nassau and
! Frankfort added to his Frussfan douninions.
/ On the Path Of February, 1867, he opened the
! Constituent Reichstag and on July of the
same year made Bismarck Chancellor
} In June, 1867. in company with his nephew.
Alexander the Second Of Russia he visited
/ Paris, and while sojourning in that city was
/ received as the honOred guest Of Napoleon the
Third. then on the throne Of France. From that
time on the friendly relations between Prussia
and Russia were strengthened, especially as
J the two Chancelors-I5ismarck and Gortscha-
kon-were as much in accord as were their re-
speCttve sOyereigns As VIII be seen later on,
this mutual feeling between the two powers
was no small factor in the ultimate victory over
France and in the final realization OF German
unity. 1t has been claimed by some writers that
King William in his determination to have his
dynasty maintain its position as the protector
/ Of the Protestant faith. sought to
crush out Roman Catholicism. The facts
are, + appears, that his efforts we're not direct
/ Cd against the freedom nor the existence Of the
! Catholic Church, but only against dominant
1 party in that church, which sought to stife
! popular education. forbid free thought, and
! with the consequences necessarily following
/ seriously aHect the happiness and welfare Of
/ his people.
me candidacy Of Prince Lee opoId, Of Hohen-
! zolIern, for the throne of Spain, and the King
/ objections against further interview with the
/ French Ambassador, Count Benedict, at his
| court became the pretext upon which the
/ French Government declared war against Prus
Il sin. although 9he real reason lay IN the fact
d that Napoleon was far nom satisfied with the