The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-07
EMPEROR WILLIAM
STARTLES EUROPE BY A CHAR
ACTERIsTIC SPEECH.

Convention Of German CathOlfcs-Lese
Msjeste Trials Frequent-Arrested for
Criticising the Emperor's Pantaloons.
Excisses of Army Officers.
Copyright by the Associated Press)
Berlin, September 4.-Emperor VIII
Hams Coblentz rhodOmontade has been
received abroad with derision. Even
the Roman press cannot swallow the
emperor's vice-regency Of heaven, and
is describing the blast at Coblentz as
the blaring of war horn Of the an
cient German gods. Austria manifests
considerable uneasiness on the subject
and throughout Germany a more sig
nificant note of danger has been sound
ed The emperor's speech is generally
interpreted as meaning that his majeS-
ty is determined not to yield to the
wishes of parliament and the newspa-
pers, though hardly daring to say so
openly, clearly intimate that the en-
peror's idea of his mission does not
agree with his excellent position.
While his majesty may be responsible
to nobody but God, it is added, the re-
sponsibility for the emperor rests upon
the ministers, whose work the nation
intends to control, no matter how Om-
nipotent or omniscient his majesty pro-
claims himself.
The thoughtful and liberal minded in
Germany feel much abased and, nat
urally, the conservative and the whole
of the reactionary press are loudly ac-
claiming the speech. The liberal news
papers are hosting the danger signal.
The VOrwaertz on Thursday drew a
parallel between the Roman emperors
Of the Byzantine period and the 'Other
half-mad autQcrats," saying: The en-
peror evidently contemplates, for the
good of the fatherland, to reign here
after in violation Of the peoples consti-
tutional rights"
Even so loyal and moderate paper
as the National Zeitung, guardedly,
but decidedly, takes the emperor to
task, reminding him that, under the
constitution, his own duties and pre-
negatives and those Of the cabinet and
the reichstag are bounded by certain
limitations, which no one can trans
gress with impunity, adding: His lat
est speech is unwelcOme confirmation
of the rumOrs which have been current
for months regarding the emperor's in
tentiOnS.'
A number of the leading papers pro-
test that these imperial speeches and
political toasts have been becoming
altogether too frequent of late, and
they farther hold that they are in
juring the authority and dignity of the
crown, The Tageblatt declaring that
his majesty is reintrOducing the men,
tai unwisdom of Frederick William w.
s~s-
emperor is said to be preparing to make
another speech, in the exchange Of
toasts between himself and the king Of
Italy, at Hamburg, as a counter-blast
to the CrOnstadt glorificatiOn and as a
fresh consolidation Of the dreibund.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press here understands, on good au-
thOrity, that the time for Prince Ho-
henlohe to step out Of office has been
fixed for October, soon after the bun
desrath resumes it's session, and that
the emperor will no longer try to hold
the prince, since the latter on July End
declared through The North German
Gazette his inability to accede to any
bill for the reform Of military proceed
F. ure which is not in accord with the
chancellors promise to the reichstag;
namely, in cOnsonance with modern
ideas of justice and humanity. But it is
change his mind at the last moment
His present intention is to make Baror
Won BuelOw the next chancellor, and iT
political circles the impression prevails
that Baron Won Theilmann, the late
German ambassador at Washington
and present secretary Of the treasury
4 will be made secretary of state for for.
y eign affairs.
At the national convention of German
10 inc ho1 Of T 1ch1
ria, resolutions were passed regarding
the restriction of the temporal power
of the pope The convention was large
ly attended from all parts of Germany
The military excesses of the pas
week or two have been much com
mented upon. At Carlsruhe, during tn
course of an Orgie held by the officer
of the One Hundred and Eleventh regi
ment. First Lieutenant Knoll was sud
denly and murderously ASSAULTED
with a sabre by 1zajOr Won jacob, tn
cause being a toast. A general figh
ensued, lasting an hour. Two non
commissioned officers of the guards ar
tillery regiment at Spandau wantonl.
attacked and nearly killed with sabre
two civilians with whom they quar-
relied in a street.
Lese majestic trials have been yer,
prevalent recently. There We're thre
at Dusseldorf during the past week
AT Magdeburg a socialist editor wa
arrested for speaking disrespectfull
of the pantaloons worn by the empero
:. at the unveiling of a monument there
~ Mr.. j. G. White, of ST Paul, who ha
been stopping at a hotel in Baden-Ba
den, has had two letters of credit
amounting to $4,000 and Sc, 600 in cas-
stolen from him.
The German authorities have seize
$50 pounds OF, trichnoied pork. whic
they claimed is of American origin, a
Aix-la -Chapelle. The United State
consul there, acting upon hint receiv
ed from the United States embassy, in
vestigated the matter and demonstrat
ed that the pork had been packed il
American packages already cancele
and that the meat really came fror
Belgium.
Sedan Day was observed indiferentl
this year in Berlin and elsewhere, som
&,