The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-18

polypus In the throat, the Chancellor said that
IL would be no wonder II he did not recover.
as she 1.-THE Crown Princessl never allows him
to have moro than eleven degrees CReaumurl
OF warmth in his room. and Obliged him at Ems
to 20 into the cold and windy mountain dis
tricts. and to cross the Rhine in storm and rain"
vi.
II is we'll known that after the accession Of
Crown Prince Frederick to tho imperial and
royal crown Bismarck retained his office Of
Chancellor. He gave offence. however, to the
new Empress by successfully opposing the
marriage Of her daughter the Princess Vlcto-
ria to Alexander Of Battenberg. at one time
Prince OF Bulgaria. The latter. IL seems, had
made the acquaintance OF the Queen Of Eng
lands granddaughter during his European
tour. On April z. 1853. Bismarck explained to
Busch the position which no had taken toward
the affair: II have ~latterly been worried by the
people at Charlottenburg-by the women. The
doctors insist that l should go to the country.
but 1 cannot leave. for who knows what they
would do when my back Is turned - the
women who want to have a share In the Gov
ernment-the English womenl You have seen
In the papers that / am thinking OF retiring
on account OF conflicts and court influence
not with the Emperor. who Is much more
reasonable and shares my views. The ques-
tion now 10 as to the marriage OF the Batten-
berger to Princess Victoria, which the Queen
OF England has in view. Three years and
more ago. under the old master. It was ac-
lively promoted by her daughter. the present
Empress, at first in secret. As soon as I then
heard OF 1t I made representations to the
Emperor, verbally aud In writing. He allowed
himself to be convinced by the reasons l adj
duced. and refused to give his consent. al
though she 1.-THE Crown Princessl said that her
daughter loved him. or course he is a hand
some man, with a fine presence; but l believe
her nature Is such that she would accept any
other sutton, providing he were manly. More
over, that Is entirely beside the question.
We must look at the political objections and
dangers. The old Queen tvictorial is fond OF
matchmaking, like all old women. and she may
have selected Prince Alexander for her grand
aughter because he Is a brother OF her son-in-
law. the husband OF her favorite daughter.
Beatrice. But. obviously. her main objects are
political-a permanent estrangement between
ourselves and R~ussia-and il she we're to come
here for the Princess's birthday there would
be the greatest danger that she would get her
way. In family matters she is not accustomed
to contradiction, and would Immediately bring
the parson with her in her travelling bag and
the bridegroom in her trunk. and the marriage
would come of at once. Probably the Batten-
berger. too. would have been here by this time
IL 1 had not stepped in, for they are in a mighty
hurry over there in London"
Busch then inquired what was the actual
condition OF Emperor Frederick; was IL really
cancer. and how long was he likely to last.
The Chancellor replied: Cancer. and Berg
mann has already given his opinion some time
ago; it is n question Of three weeks or three
months. Externally 1t is not very noticeable.
He holds himself upright and walks with a
quick step. But his face The pointed with his
fingers between the cheek bones and the nose)
has. during the last few days. become thinner.
and he looks tired and depressed from the ex-
element. They actually ill-treated. abused and
martyred him when he declined to countenance
the Battenberg marriage. He is glad that l have
come to his assistance. as she This daughterl
is too much for him in argument 1t is true
that. SO far. only a postponement has been
secured. If the marriage. nevertheless, takes
place. l can no longer remain in office. for 1
should then have lost all confidence in the
future. That young and impetuous woman's
will would prevail more or less in other
things. too. while l should lose at st.
Petersburg that reliance on my straight
forwardness which ] have so laboriously re-
gained with the Emperor Alexander III. in
spite OF all sorts Of Indictments against me.
1t is true that at Charlottenburg they are
most anxious to retain me-she 1.-THE En-
press Frederick also. They wrap me up in
cottonwood and velvet. That also found ex-
preston in the %rescript but as the recognition
was OF too generous n character. it aroused in
my mind less pleasure and hope than doubt as
to its sincerity, and as to whether something
was not concealed behind It. If can merely
postpone. and not entirely prevent, these Eng
lish influences upon our policy, il my remon-
strances are no longer successful and my voice
not listened to. why should 1 continue to tor
ment and overwork MYSELF will not be a
mere cloak for the follies of other people. II it
were still the old Emperor with whom 1 was
called to blunder along in this way-but to al
low myself to be made use of by this English
woman for her whims. for foreign interests.
with danger and detriment to ourselves ~
Then. in the form Of a dialogue between the
Chancellor and his Boswell. some interesting
"reminiscences were given. Busch: The En-
peror Wilhelm l. was. after all. a splendid old
gentleman. a real king, with n high sense OF
duty and well intentioned. and who knew how
to appreciate you" Bismarck: "A Trustworthy
comrade. who would not leave one in the
lurch." Busch: 1T ia true that he sometimes
made your life a burden and did not always
treat you we'll" Bismarck: Yes, but that
was not done through Ill will. but through
MISUNDERSTANDING and through insufficient
knowledge Of the matter In hand. When any
thing Of Importance was going on he usually
| DbBuu ny tdklUR JIo WTOnR TOuu, DuL III Un0
end he always allowed himself to be put
straight again. Thus. during the period Of
conflict. when he could no longer get any Min
lister. he wished to abdicate. When I was sum-
moned to him at BabelsberG. he had the act Of
abdication ready signed. He said: IT Icannot
find any Ministers who will govern as 1 think
right. then my son had better try his hand I
assured him that I was prepared to be the
Minister wanted. Even againstthe majority p
he asked. Yes. even against the majority I
| replied. We'll. then. that's all right he said.
and tore up the deed and with 1t a whole sheet
OF concessions to the Liberals. which he had
previously read to me-" Busch again re-
minded the Chancellor of what happened when
he travelled to JuterboRk to meet Wilhelm l..
during the period OF conflict with the Prussian
Parliament Q982-68l: The ladies at Baden
had filed him with apprehensions as to All i'm
pending revolution. and he already saw the