Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-11-09
nISMARCK,S OLD FRIEND.
The Career OF n Man Once a Grea
Power in Germany.

The Career of n Man Once a Great
Power In Germany.
From the New York Sun of October Is.l
Lothar Bucher is dead. He was one of
the most remarkable men that modern
Germany has produced He was q schol-
ar, statesman, diplomatist, journalist and
wit-an orator of fiery eloquence, a think
er of careful and honest convictions, a
writer of versatility aad epigrammatic
keenness. Although everybody in Germs-
ny knows of Bucher and his sttainments,
the reputation of this gifted man has new
er spread TO the Euglish- speaking world.
When young he was conspicuous in
Prussian politics. 4 radical from convic-
ton, he made himself 60 obnoxious to the
government iuethe stormy political days of
1850 that he wsssarrested and tried for
violent attacks upon the ruling powers of
Prussia. He pleaded his own cause with
wonderful eloquencs in Z speech which Is
a classic in German political literature.
The court was not one to be touched by
reason or elOquence, however, and on the
last day of the trial Bucher learned from a
friend of high influence that his conviction
was foregone conclusion. Bucher re-
ceived the note while in court He
tucked a bundle of papers under his arm
and walked barehe+ded into the garden
round the court house, as If to gain
breath or two of fresh air. For some
time sfterward he was not seen in Prus-
s!a, for at the courtyard gate he had
stepped into cab, which carried him to
a railway station. Three days later he
was in London. There he earned his
bread as correspondent for German news
papers. Subsequently, he was called back
60 h,- rnl- hr hal net ha
gun his national policy in grand style,
and was placed in the foreign Office.
Bismarck rarely did a more startling act
than he did in making this appointment.
Bucher was known as 'tthe Red" "the
Radical" and "the Socialist" yet he was
made one of the first aids of the man
who, above all others in Prussia, hated
rsdicalism and socialism. But Bismarck
had two of the best reasons, as subse-
quent events showed, for his choice; one,
that no cleverer man than Bucher was to
be found in Prussia; another, as Bis
marck himself said, that Bucner was 30
him, was a veritable old gossip"
In the foreign Office Bucher's work was
beyond the observation of the world.
He wrote the chancellor's most delicate
state papers, controlled his press bureau
and drew up his most important bills,
notably the bills concerning working
mems insurance. He went wherever Bis
marck went, advising, criticising and oc,
casionally executing some delicate mis-
sion. So constant was his attendance
upon the chancellor that he became
known as "Bismarck's right hand" the
"Pooket Bismarck" and "Bismarck's
Shadow" He gradually climbed the lad
der of inoffensive honors, becoming coun-
ai1nr and nriyv Pnnrt Pnnnoilnr Rat the
expected foreign mission never came, and
when Herbert Bismarck entered the for
eign Office Bucher realized that his career
was near its end and he resigned. Bis
marck wrote to him: al let you go, dear
Bucher, on the condition that you will
come again when l need you" Bucher
answered: "When your excellency needs
me 1 will come" When Bismarck fell
Bucher was called to Friedrichsruhe, and
he remained with the ex- chancellor until
| death separated them. In the Friedrichs-
ruhe reception room on all festal occasions
| he sat silent and abstracted in q great
chair in the corner, his thin hands resting
in his lap, his bright eyes resting on the
| ceiling, and his pale, keen face in the re-
| lief of a great shock of gray hair Re-
| Gently he has been compiling Bismsrck's e
memoirs, and the completion of this work
must now be given to less skilled hands.
| Had he lived, Bucher would have been
seventy five years old on October %. New
Stettin was his birthplace, but he WAS q
Berlin child, as the Germans say, for In
that city he received his education, made
his first great speeches and did all the
| work of his riper years.
Prince Bismarck telegraphed to the Ham
| burger Nachrichten:
al have lost my most faithful friend,
Bucher. My family Is desolate."