Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-03-14
Death of the EmDeror Of GERMANY.

ana largely through his wise discretion, his
vigor of mind and body to the close of an
extremely long life, the veneration and re-
spect with which he was regarded through.
out the world, and the possible conse.
quenees of his demise. Few careers have
been more successful. Born on March %,
1877, he accompanied the Prussian armies
hat aided in the overthrow of the first
Napoleon. He did not ascend the throne
till January 2, 1861, but be signalized his
accession by inaugurating policies and meas
ures that made possible the formation of
the German empire, and made that empire
the most powerful in the world. With the
assistance of Won Room he paved the way
for victory by the reorganization of the
army. In 1862 he placed Bismarck at the
head of his cabinet as minister of foreign
affairs. Having secured in 1864 Austria's
cooperation, he was successful in the
Schleswig- Holstein war, and two years
later, in alliance with Italy, conquered at
Sadowa, with the result of extinguishing
Austria as a German power. In those two
wars, in which he took an active part, he
added Lauenburg, Schleswig Holstein, Han
over, Resse Cassel, Nassau and Frankfort
to his dominions, and later he became the
head Of the new North German Confeder-
alton. His sagacity in selecting able min
listers and generals was shown in the events
of tbis ,aoriod HE aopG5anaa IN, P;oy,o rolr
Won Room and Moltke, despite the opposi-
ton sngendered by their strong characters,
was principal factor of the large results
then and afterwards achieved. On July l.,
1867, he made Bismarck chancellor. Dur
ing the month preceding, he visited Napo.
leon IIIin company with the Gear Alex
ander II on the occasion of the Paris ex-
position. His personal influence with the
Gar Alexander, who was his nephew, and
with his successor, contributed greatly at
critical periods to the maintenance of peace
on Germany's eastern border. Early in
1870, the Spanish throne being vacant,
King William favored the candidature Of
Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern and Napo.
leon III opposed it. The Prince was in.
duced to renounce his candidature, bui
when Benedict, the French ambassador,
following the King to Ems, insisted, with
some pertinacity, upon pledge that one
Hohenzollern should ascend the Spanish
throne, an adjutant was directed by the
King to inform the ambassador that no fur
| ther communications from him were desir
ed. The French Emperor had long beer
jealous of the growing power of his eastern
neighbor. The repulse suffered by his am
bsssador was not, therefore, wholly unwel
come, if unforeseen, as it afforded pretext
| for an effort to reduce Prussia to it's former
Dimensions. But the French declaration O.
war in July, 1870, brought the South Ger
man States to the Kings side. William
was with the German armies from the be
ginning to the end of the war. He com
mauded in person at Gravelotte, and OF
Sept. 2, 1879, at Sedan, received the sur
render of Napoleon III. In the following
month he occupied the palace of the former
French kings at Versailles, and on January
IL, 1871, was there proclaimed Emperor o
Germany, the new empire embracing The
South German States that had previously
held aloof. Alsace- Lorraine was incorpo
rated in the empire by proclamation il
juno, after the ratification Of a treaty Of
peace. After the close of the France. Ger
man war the Emperor Williams public
acts were not of = striking nature, but it il
beyond question that be exerted a powerful
influence in aid OF Bismarck S policy of con-
solidatiDg the newly created empire and in
preserving the peace of Europe. In the
"Knlturkampf," Or warfare upon the au.
thority of the Pope in Germany, the EN-.
peror, it is said, took strong personal in
terest, and contributed greatly to the over
throw Of the temporal power of the Roman
pontiff. lie knew how to defend his rights
as he understood them. The declaration
of war with Denmark in 1864, and with
Austria in 1866, and appropriation of money
from the treasury to carry on his campaigns
independently Of the Parliament, showed
that he could exceed them on occasion
His comparatively recent rescript inform,
ing the Reichstag that it did not possess
sovereign functions, but had only limited
share in the government Of the empire, will
not soon DO forgotten By the German radi
Gals. Such communications were not fire.
quent, however, ard reviews of his magnifi
cent troops at tue annual maneuvers, meet
ipgs Mt Intervals with the Empsrors Of Aus
tria aud Russia, and occasional appear
ances in public to rcassure his faithful sub
jects of his continued well. being were hi
chief duties. Special Significance will b.
added to his death, OF course, by the con
dition Of the Crown Prince, and the mill
tary turn Of raiud Of the prospective hei
to the throne. Whatever the personality
tenanoe Of peace will DO lost, and Germany
must make up its mind to situation con
tanning several new and dangerous els
ments. tt is 20 be borne IN mind, however
that the irm hands that have guided the
conduct Of German sG'sirs so successful,
for many years past are still at the helm
and viii, 10 doubt, keep The ship of state
to its accustomed course"
| -@--e--
| SULLIVAN MEETS HIS MATCH. 1.-The great
prize fight for the championship of tbs
world and IS, 900, between John L. Sullivan
of Boston, Mass, and Charles Mitchell, Of
London, was decided Saturday at Creil
about mile from Chantilly, in France,
Forty-one people were present, and there
was no Interference by the police Thirty.
nine rounds we're fought, under London
prize ring rules, when the battle terminal
ed in draw. Upon returning to Senlis
Sullivan and Mitchell and the people pres
ent at the fight were arrested but were re-
| leased LATER