Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-05-09
THE EMPRESS'S REVENGE.
AN INCIDENT CONNECTED WITH
BlSMARC<S FALL FROM POWER.

AN INCIDENT CONNECTED WITH
BISMARCpS FALL FROM POWER.
Her Refusal Accompanied by n Re-
minder That 1t Was He Who Had
Estranged Her From Her Son-The
Widow OF Frederick the Noble Re
msmbers tho Sights Put Upon Hor by
the Man of Blood and Iron.
The New York Sun publishes the fol-
lowing account Of the circumstances
which brought about the resignation of
Prince Bismarck, first printed in the
London Times, and vouched for as ac-
curate:
France now begins for the first time
to understand the cause of Bismarck's
fall, and the circumstances, unknown
till of late, which accompanied it AL
these revelations are such that the ex-
chancellor's bitterest enemies hardly
venture to discuss what a shadow he
cast in his descent from power.
"The iron rule of Bismarck had of late
l:een an obstacle an embarrassment and
a cause of irritation to every body and a
constant difficulty in the dispatch of
public affairs. Latterly he had seen
none of the ministers of whom he was
the chief, had listened to none of their
objections and gave positive and definite
orders, as if the opinions of his associates
in the government were of no value. He
was almost inaccessible, and received
those only whom his caprice invited
round him. He tolerated no objections,
listened with condescending smile
which condemned beforehand the idea
submitted to him by his young master,
the emperor
He even ceased really to work, while
complaining bitterly if the slightest de-
cision was come to without consulting
him, and yet professed himself over.
whelmed with labor whenever docu-
mcnts were sent to him to sign. He had
become terror to all who were obliged
to come near him. Nobody ventured to
contradict him: even the Emperor
William II saw him only occasionally,
either because his majesty was afraid of
disturbing or of irritating him.
"At last the moment came when his
pupil-now his master-confronted the
fact that he was not master, but only
chief servant The long restrained inn
perial discomfort broke into open quarrel
on a minor question, and poured forth
in such torrent that the chancellor,
taken by surprise and disconnected, sud-
denly said:
"'Then 1 can only offer your majesty
my resignation
"The emperor was silent and Bismarck
withdrew. Two hours afterward, the
resignation not having arrived, the em-
peror sent an aide de camp. The chan
cellor greeted him very affably, being
convinced that the emperor wished him
10 return and to reconsider his idea of
resignation; but, to Bismarck's horror
and surprise, the aide de camp had been
sent to demand his written resignation.
The prince, very uneasy, made the lame
excuse of not having yet drawn it up,
and deferred the matter till the morrow.
Next morning the aide de camp reap
peared. This time Bismarck was
calmer, but again made the same ex-
cuse, saying that before preparing a
written resignation he was bound to pay
visit
Accordingly he did pay visit which,
incredible as it may appear, we can vouch
lOI, W do W tuc Eli upi cSS IItuOllCh- 4co,
in panic at his fall, this man, who but
the day before had been the great cham
cellor, now stopped before her whom he
had so long humbled and explained the
danger to the empire involved in his
fall and the fatal consequences which
the young emperor risked in thus over
turning the founder of the empire. He
begged her majesty to intervene and
prevent the disaster to Germany, and
the remorse that her sovereign would
feel at this unmerited humiliation of his
most faithful servant
"The empress heard him out She
saw humiliating himself before her the
man who had hated implacably her hus-
band and herself, and who had sown
distrust between father and son. No
doubt she enjoyed the spectacle of see.
ing at her feet this bitter enemy, now
dismissed by the very son whom he had
reckoned on making his tool against
her, and in single sentence, becoming
an empress, mother, and a woman,
she returned to this cringing diplomatist
all the insults he had heaped upon her.
~ much regret being quite powerless.
l should have been extremely glad to
intervene with my son in your favor,
but you SO employed all your power in
estranging his heart from us, making
his mind foreign to mine, that l can
only witness your fall without being
able to ward it off. When you are no
longer there my son will, perhaps, draw
nearer to me, but then it will be too late
for me to help you
"The prince withdrew with downcast
head, and returning home found the
aide de camp, who for the fourth time
had come for his resignation, which the
fallen statesman handed to him."