The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-03-27
PRINCE BISMARCK.
SKETCH OF THE MAN WHO RESIGNED
THE GERMAN CHANOELLORSHIP.

SKETCH OF THE MAN WHO RESIGNED
THE GERMAN CHANOELLORSHIP.
His Life has Been Full Of Achievement
and Today he is Recognized as the Great
est Man of Our Day and Time.
The resignation of Prince Bismarck
which occurred last week. withdraws
from the fed of international politics
the diplomatic colossus of modern
times. AS his stalwart physique
made him giant in stature among
men, so his intellectual robustness
mace him equally distinguishable
among the statesmen of period which
extends back beyond the recollection
of most people who are living to- day.
In age, Bismarck will be seventy five
years old on the first of April next,
while his diplomatic career began
thirty uine years ago, when he became
chief secretary of a legation. Since
then he has accomplished feat in
craftsmanship and diplomacy which,
stupendous as it appears to us, will be
regarded as even more remarkable
when history comes to estimate its
full effects. 1t required man of"blood
and iron" to make out Of the weak lit
tie German Principalities the great,
strong nation which, from a military
point of view, is marvel.
But Bismarck is practically the
cause of his retirement under the
present circumstances. 1t was he who
gave young Emperor William the
training and nodded his disposition in
such mold that it is utterly impossi-
bic for two such persons as old Bis
marck and young William to get
along together. Both are men of iron
neither will yield. One rules; so
the other must retire. William was
trained to rule alone after Bismarck g
death-not with him.
The full name of the great Chancel-
lor is Otto Edward Leopold Bismarck
Schoenhansen. His father was cap
tain in the Prussian Royal Guard ,and
his mother a daughter of Cabinet
Counsellor Menken. Though his fam
lily had been prominent, chiefly for its
military men, young Otto was de-
signed for the bar, attended the first
United Diet, at Berlin, as district
delegate of the nobility of Saxony.
Rising rapidly in the opinion of his
people, he was, after holding several
positions, appointed in August, 1851,
Prussian ambassador to the Germanic
Diet at Frankfort. Here he soon
manifested decided turn in his inter
national views, and the pretentions Of
Austria were repelled by him with 80
much bitterness that, on the eve of the
Franco-Itallian war of 1859. it IVES
judged prudent to transfer him to St.
Petersburg, where he strengthened
the friendly relations between Russia
and Prussia, and remained there until
the spring of 1862 He then spent a
few months in Paris as Prussian am
bassador
PRIME MINISTER OF PRUSSIA.
In September, 1862, he succeeded
Prince Hohenzollern as Prime Minis
ter. first professionally, and on October
9Th became the virtual head Of the ad-
ministration and Minister of Foreign
affairs. During the long and exciting
conflict betreen the Diet and the Gov
ernment on the subject of the increase
and reform of the army, the new Pre-
mier took strong ground in favor OF
strengthening the military forces and
of the royal prerogative in general
Despite the unfriendly attitude Of
Austria he was unceasing in his eff
forts to affect joint action with that
power in the interest of German unity
aud succeeded in procuring her CO.
operation in the Schleswig g-Holstein
war of 1864, Notwithstanding the
unwilIingness of the German Diet
He concluded new com
mercial treaty With Austria in
1865. Bismarck was created count
the same year, and invested with min
isterial authority over the newly con
quered territories.
The relations with Austria, however
continuing unsatisfactory, Bismarck
concluded an alliance with Italy and
her allies at the Frankfort Diet in
1866. A few weeks campaign suficed
to crush them, and the treaty o1
Prague extinguished Austria as Ger
man power, dissolved the old German
Dict, secured Schleswig- Holstein te
Prussia, and placed Prussia at the
head of North German confedera
tion. The statesman formerly so un
popular and even hated, on whose life
shortly before the outbreak of the wal
an attempt was made by young fan
attic, became the
IDOL OF THE PRUssIAN PEOPLE.
The victory achieved by Bismarck,
diplomacy for the country, and the re
nown won by the army, put an end te
the long parliamentary conflict. and &
national endowment was conferred up
on him by the Chambers. The an
nexation of Hanover, Hesse- -Cassel
Nassau, Frankfort, and Schleswig
Holstein to Prussia, and the establish
ment of the North German Confedera
ton, with the adhesion of Saxony ant
other States, were considered chiefly
due to his admirable tactics. HI
averted war with France on tn,
Luxemburg question by the treaty o
London in 1867, but this new dip
lomatic success, in addition to tn
prestigate gained by her previously
increased the jealousy of France, es
pecially as Napoleon's attempt at
coalition with Austria was baff1ed b,
Bismarck's secret treaties with tn
Sonth German States and hv hi