The Portland daily press., 1888-03-10
EMPEROR WILLIAMS DEATH.
The Aged Monarch Peacefully Ends
His Long Reign.
As Frederick H., the Crown Prince
Becomes Emperor.
cermany's Regret Shared by the
Civilized World.

LEUTHoLD,
The Empress and the Grand Duchess OF
Baden remained with the Emperor Though
out the night. AT o'clock this morning the
Emperor's voice was so strong that 1t could
be heard outside his room.
Eye-witnesses Of the scenes at the death
of the Emperor state that during the last
few hours of his life he suffered no pain.
Shortly after o'clock, all the members OF
the family staying at the palace. the court
dignitaries, generals and ministers OF State,
were summoned to the chamber in which the
Emperor lay dying. The Emperor was In a
half-sitting position, on a camp bedstead.
All the members of the royal family took
places at the bedside. The room was crowd
ed. Prince William stood nearest the EN-
peror. half bending over the couch. He ear
nestly watched the face of the dying mon
arch until he expired. The Emperor died
holding the Empress's hand. He had been
in stupor since o'clock. He was delirious
for brief period at 5 o'clock, during which
he is reported to have exclaimed, II am a
man of peace, but II Russia forces me to war
/ shall faithfully side with my ally, Austria"
The Emperor will be buried in the mausole-
um at Charlottenburg. His remains lie, COW
cred with white cloth, on the bedstead on
which he died. in the imperial chamber. The
body is surrounded with candles. The ex-
preston of the face is extremely peaceful
and placid. The members of the royal fam
lily left the palace at 10 o'clock.
The morning papers sleak of scarcely
anything other than the changes that will
arise on the Emperor's DEATH The North
German Gazette's leading article begins as
follows: During the time of grave and
deep anxiety and sorrow which has so long
oppressed the hearts of the German nation 1t
has been strong consolation that the AL
mighty has bestowed upon the venerable
Emperor such health and strength that, al
though very old and not free from incidental
trouble, he has carried out unfailingly the
duties Of his high Office, as he has done all
his life long amidst threatening dangers"
The Emperor yesterday morning was able
to sign the order proroguing the Reichstag.
otherwise the signing functions have been
assumed by Prince William. All the troops
are kept in the barracks in readiness for the
contingency of taking a new oath Of ale
glance.
Public feeling is greatly Scandalized by the
recklessness of the press in announcing the
death of the Emperor, and by the conduct Of
clergyman in church at Potsdam. who
informed the congregation that prayers for
the recovery of the monarch were useless.
In the Reichstaa.
The Reichstag assembled at 1870 this af-
ternoon amid unusual excitement. 1t had
been agreed that the ringing Of the bell, the
customary signal for the assembling Of the
members, should be stopped and that depu-
ties should enter the hall quietly, and with
out ceremony. All the benches in the House
were speedily filed and the galleries were
crowded. A profound silence reigned A
large number of federal commissaries were
in their places at 1.-THE federal councillors
table from an early hour. Meanwhile the
plenipotentiaries awaited Prince Bismarck
in the lobbies, and, as ssoon as he arrived
went with him to the hall Of the federal
council, where he held private conference.
At 1890, the members of the council en-
cered the Reichstag and took positions to
the lett of the presidential chair. Imme-
diately afterward the president was called
At 1872 Prince Bismarck appeared and the
members rose in body. The Chancellor,
after a pause, said: ''rhe sad duty devolves
upon me of making to you the official COM
munication of what you know already, that
since half past eight o'clock, His Majesty,
Emperor William. has been at rest with his
fathers. In consequence of this event, the
Prussion throne, and with this according to
Article XI of the Imperial Constitution, the
Imperial dignity has fallen upon His Majesty
Frederick Third, King of Prussia. Tele-
graphic intelligence received by me, allows
of the assumption that His Majesty, the
reigning Emperor and King, will leave San
Reno tomorrow arriving in due course in
Berlin.
'sDuring the last dayso his, life received
from the much lamented King, in confirms
ton of that power for work which only left
him with life, the signature which lies be-
fore me, and which empowers me TO close the
Reichstag at the usual time when its lab0rs
are finished. l addressed to the Emperor the
request that he should sign only with the
that he believed himself still able to write
his name in full. In consequence Of this,
the historical document with the last sigma
ture of His Majesty lies before me. Under
the circumstances, | assume 1t would be in
accordance with the wish of the Relchstag,
as well as the representatives OF the Federal
governments, not to separate just now, but
to remain in session until the arrival of His
Majesty, the Emperor. Therefore, do not
make any use Of the Imperial authorization,
beyond depositing it in the archives as his
torical document and requesting ysur presi-
dent to induce the adoption Of resolutions
which will reflect the feeling and conviction
of the ReichStag."
The Chancellor also said: 81 received this
very day from New YOrk,a telegram of sym
pathy, showing what confidence the dynasty
OF the Imperial house has acquired among
all nations. This is a legacy which the
Emperor's long reign bequeaths to the Ger
man people. The confidence which his dy-
nasty has won will be transferred TO the ma
tion despite anything which has happened"
Announced to the Diet.
AT the opening of the lower house of the
Prussian Diet today, Herr Won Puttkamer,
Vice President of the Prussian Ministerial
Council, arose and said: 81 have the sad
duty to make most painful communication
to the House. 1t has pleased God to call His
Majesty the Emperor. in the twenty-eighth
year Of his glorious reign, from his earthly
existence, by peaceful death, at $50 o'clock
this morning. You will not expect me in
this most solemn moment, when sorrow and
care so deeply stir our hearts, to attempt to
depict the feelings with which the whole
nation is filed through the loss of our most
beloved, exalted and venerable ruler may,
however, safely and confidently say on this
day Of sore trial. that the Prussan people
and their representatives will now more than
ever be penetrated by the consciousness that
the sorrows of our exalted sovereign's house
are theirs, and that the deeper the universal
pain at the decease of our ever remembered
King the stronger and more indissolube will
be the link uniting Prussia's people in good
and evil days. leave it to yourselves to
take such resolutions as are suitable to the
gravity of tie situation" Herr Won Keol-
Ter, the President of the House, closed the
sitting with the words: God protect the
royal house and the fatherland."
The Latest from Berlin.
BERLIN, March '9.-Preparations for the
reception Of the new sovereign are actively
going on at the palace. He will travel to
Berlin by special train, which will reach
Turin, Saturday night and Munich at eight
Sunday morning. 1t is expected that one of
His Majesty's first steps will be the granting
amnesty to political offenders. The evening
papers contain what are reported TO be the