Huntsville gazette., 1888-03-10
EMPEROR WILLIAM

/ Austria was compelled to make peace at
Compo Formio, peace that secured to
France the Ionian islands, Venice, the
| Netherlands and the left bank of the Rhine
Before William was ten years old, Napoleon
had transformed the map of Europe, had
absolutely annihilated the power of Prussia
at the battle of Jena, and thereupon marched
| into Berlin.
On the accession of his elder brother to
| the throne in 1910, as Frederick William
| ", William was made governor of Pome-
rania He afterward sat in the Prussian
diet, and was vigorous supporter of the
Absolutist party When the revolution of
1S4S broke out his palace was seized and he
fed to England Returning after some
months of absence, he was elected to the Ma
tional assembly. He accepted the command
of the troops to put down the rising in the
grand duchy of Baden, and it was by his
reckless disregard of human life there mani
fest, as much to his utterances as in his ac-
tions, that cearned him the nickname of
''Kartdatschen Prinz," and the bitter ami
mostly of all who wanted more liberal
form of government.
In October, 1857, the king having, by rea-
son of frequent attacks of insanity become
incapactated for business, William was COM
sion was renewed from time to time until his
permanent installation in October, 1853
On January 2, 1861, he ascended the
throne, though the ceremony of coronation
did not take place until the 18th Of October
following He himself put the crown upon
bis head, declaring that he "ruled by the
favor of God and of no one else." He fol-
lowed this up in his opening address to his
first parliament, by saying that he "never
could permit the progressive development Of
our inner political life to question or to en-
danger the rights of the crown and the power
of Prussia
These declarations marked policy which
he never for a moment departed from, so far
as he himself was concerned. The first par
Lament he dissolved, despite the protest Of a
large ma jority of its members. But the con-
stitutional party was as obstinate as the
king; succeeding elections only served to in
crease the Liberal majority The strife be-
tween feudal doctrines and modern reform
might have continued indefinitely had he not
concluded thai tho attention of the people
must be directed to something nKe IUp-.
sentative government. At the close of 1868
he adroitly revived the old dispute with
Denmark in regard to Schleswig and Hol-
stein, and forcing Austria into joint action,
managed to keep up the embodiment which
finally brought ON the war of 1865, in which
Prussia became practically the master Of
Ger many The "blood and iron" policy did
what parliamentary processes failed to do:
it reconciled the people to the exercise of
feudal powers under the forms of representa-
tive legislation.
The unifcation of the military powers of
Germany followed upon the victory Of Keen
Sod JroA md fhnt,n y-fh
was supreme. In 1867 King William became
the head of the North German Confedera-
ton and the great conflict with France in
1S70-7l was entered upon under his lead He
commanded in person at the decisive battles
of Gravelotte and Sedan. The surrender of
Napoleon III on September 2, 1870, was fol
lowed in rapid succession by other victories
The enthusiasm of the German nations was
at its highest pitch when on the 4th of De-
cennber the king of Bavaria proposed to the
other sovereigns and to the free cities That
the head of the German confederation should
receive the title of emperor.
The proposition was agreed to and the i'm
perial crown was formally offered to the
king of Prussia. He accepted, and on Janu-
airy Is, 1871, in the presence of brilliant
assembly of German princes and officers of
the army, held in the hall Of mirrors Of the
palace of the French kings at Versailles,
King William was solemnly proclaimed en-
peror of Germany.
1t will be remembered that by the terms of
the treaty of peace the province Of Alsace,
with the exception of Belfort and the Ger
man part Of Lorraine, including Metz and
Tnionville, were ceded to Germany, and the
French agreed to pay war indemnity of
5000, ,000. 900 francs.
Since he was made emperor Wilhelm has
enjoyed the affectionate regard of the Ger
man people As he advanced in years the
mass of Germans came more and more TO
center upon him an almost boundless venera-
tion. He became the personification of Ger
man greatness ami power.
His name will live among those OF Ger
many's great ones as long as Germany itself
will be remembered of men
The death of the emperor of Germany is
almost the sole topic of discussion and the
view taken of the effect of his death upon the
peace of Europe, are as varied as opinions
upon one subject can well be- The opinion
most generally entertained. however, is that
the demise of the kaiser has less influence
across the German frontier in any direction
| than it will have in the empire itself
| Notwithstanding the undisputed fact that
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