The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-17


and that Bismarck's reply was that II ,ot,,.,
| would be a cdsus bell. then Prussia ,.,.,s,
wage war. When Benedict arrived "
Paris with the news that his rroposoi w., W
| been summariy rejected. he found finn, " W
| wind had changed. Napoleon had rc,urrcl ~
| Paris and informed Goltz. tho prnssinn ,. W
bassador. that Benedetti's demand for bho ,''
territory had boon the outcome of n misnra.n
standing In which hc had been cntanr,cI .,vr
ing his illness by Drouyn dc l.huys Tho ,a.-
| tor Immediately presented his rcsipno,,n,
| and Denedetti. on his return to Berlin W.
charged to inform the Prussian Goycrn,,oa,
that the proposal OF July ~ was TO be rocar1as
as not having been made.
While absolutely nothing was yIc,dod J..
| Prussia to France. certain concessions uo, ~.
| made to Russia. Tho Gar Alexander " ra.
| troubled by the intended deposition of Who'll,
| dynnsties in the cases OF Hanover Iicssa'
| Cassel. and Nassau. When the Cars Wow.
| were telegraphed to Bismarck he replied that
| II Russia persisted in opposing prussia's Cow
templated annexations ho would resort =,
really revolutionary methods. would proclaim
the Imperial Constitution OF 1s4o. and call ON
the South German States to send delegates 3,
a collective Parliament II tho Car, on ,bs
other hand. would withdraw his oppositi,n IA
the annexation Of Hanover. Electoral Hosea
and Nassau. Prussia would grant favotahl.
conditions to Wurtemburg and Darmstndt
whose dynasties were closely connected win
the Nomnnoffs Ho also charged the rr,,ss,n
Ambassador at St Petersburg to intimate that
Prussia had no interest in tho continuance a,
the limitations imposed upon Russn by tho
peace OF Paris with regard TO the Black ssa
Tho Gar was not much pleased by Bismarcks
threat to evoke tho revolutionary spirit a,
lttk In wutt 1,.Ir III.
against the Prussian programme.
W.
It was on July 90. 1866. that the rrcn,inarv
draft OF a peace was signed. and on tho follow.
ing 18th OF August the Prussian Governments
introduced In the Landtag an indemnity bill
framed In Bismarck's interest. II was TINA
that King Williams Prime Minister. having
thought to good purpose for the State. should
take some thought for himself. For years
Bismarck had been governing Prussia in do.
nance OF the Constitution. lowing taxes not.
withdrawing repeated votes Of want of conf.
dence passed by tho popular branch Of the
legislature. and no did but state truth gen.
orally recognized whom no said that he Ind
staked his head upon tho issue of the war
with Austria. The indemnity bill was unani.
mously passed by the Prussinn House OF
Peers. but in the lower House 1t had
encountered scventy-flvo opponents. includ.
ing tho whole Party Of Progress vir.
chow explained that no and his friends
had known OF q better way leading to German
unity than Bismarck's. namely. tho way OF
freedom. In spite however. OF the inneyible
resistance Of the Progressists tho bill passed
the Landtag by majority OF 155. and thus tho
four years contest over the Constitution end
Cd The question whether Ministers should
DO permitted to retain office after their budget
had been rejected was left to the future to de.
terrnine. The majority OF tho peoples rorrs.
sentatlves were willing to trust tho Kings
promise that 1T should not happen again."
and although quarter OF century has passed
the promise has been kept Throughout that
period Prussia has enjoyed constitutional
the principle OF Ministerial ac.
to the Landtag having been inva.
riably recognized. Tho Reichstag. however,
the assembly in which tho whole German peo.
ing the fundamental feature Of parliamcn.
tary regime.
This volume Of Won sybers history is mon
ument to Bismarck. To appreciate the mag.
nitude OF his achievements and the unpa:.
alleled difficulties under which he labored. it
Is Indispensable tokeep in view the fact that
In the duel to the death with Austria Bismarck
did not have the Prussian nation behind him.
but was himself ut open and rancorous war.
fare with tho peoples representatives. That
Is why. as regards obstacles surmounted, he
should rather he compared with Stratford. who
failed. than with Richelieu. who succeeded.
NJ " n