The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14

UTT WUUTT WT u 81 II I'M TTT--1TT TTT
were we TO return TO absolutism without Minis
terini responsibility. But. according TO the
constitutional Institutions established BY law.
a presidential control Of the Ministry is indis-
pensablc on the basis Of the decree OF 1867.
Regarding this point, as was established
Yesterday at the sitting Of the Ministry Of state.
all my colleagues are now at one with me, and
they have also agreed that none Of my sue
cessors as Minister President could undertake
the responsibility in the absence Of the au-
thority which the decree Of 1862 confers upon
him. TIL need Of this authority will be more
and moro felt by each OF my successors than It
has been by me because none OF them will at
once possess the advantage OF the authority
which has been conferred upon me In Virtue O;
my having held the Presidency for long years
and Of having enjoyed the confidence OF both
the necessity Of calling the attention Of any
one OF my colleagues to the order of 1852. Its
confidence OF the late Empcrors William and
Frederick were sufficient 10 insure my author
ity in the council Of my colleague THIS Ger
or for myself. / am, therefore. compelled TO re-
sort to the order Of the year 1852 IN order to
insure the necessary unity in your MaJesty's
Forth aforementioned reasons | am un-
able to execute the command Of your Majesty,
according 10 which ! myself am to effect and to
countersign the repeal of the order OF 1852 to
which have drawn attention. while ] am.
nevertheless. unable 10 continue to hold the
Presidency Of the Ministry Of State. After the
communications made to me yesterday by Gen.
Won Hahnke and the Geheim ercahinetsrath
Lucanus I can no longer doubt that your Maj
esty knows and believes II to to m impossible Tor
We to e. Ssr ;as. the ss order no and rem AHA E Minister ,bd n ;
mand communicated to me on the 18th inst.
and has led me 20 understand that your Majesty
will accer; nv resignation. which has thereby
become necessary.
From former conversations which l have
had with your Majesty regarding the Question
whether my continuance in Office would not be
in acs?rdance with YOU AaJesty,s desires l
you'd infer that it would he agreeable to your
Majesty were TO resign my position in your
Ma!esty's Prussian service while remaining in
the service OF the empire. In examining this
bly, TO call attention to certain serious conse-
quences that such a separation OF my offices
would entail. / particularly referred TO the ne
cessitv that the Chancellor should he able to
adopt a rigorous attitude in the Reichstag.. l
f for senn. from T5isS = -. here az , the
Ptrial Chancellor would involve. Your
the meantime things should remain as they
We're. But. as l have already had the honor OF
10 bold II" once Of Minister- President alter
your Majesty has repeatedly ordered the cnpitiS
9 94aa.. p'% q T Is5$ is Your l4S2iY Td; In the F Feeeait p 8I fss
pleased at the audience gracious!y granted me-
on the 18th inst, to set such limitsto the extent
measure OF participation in the business Of the
State and in its SUPERVISION or that degree of
| Tttlbm Ia II MIDlSlpTlhl OetlSlOnS ana M III
intercourse with the Reichstag and its mem
hers which / require if ! am to undertake the
constitutional responsibility for my official
a"But. even were it feasible to carry on the
foreign policy INDEPENDENTLY of the domestic
and external policy of the kingdom and so in
dependently Of Prussia. as would he the case il
the imIerlal Chancellor stood in the same in
dependent relation 70 the policy OF Prussia as
in the manipulation Of the PruSsian vote in the
Federal C3uac:l in its relations To the Reich
| "a hnrnt EIAl ~ I - " i'm 9Th "a
the The mater q foreign .I Policy, : I / refer to the le
gard to the trend of our foreign policy as sum
marizsd in the autsograph letter with which
g9pr n 1n 5ss C1 5esssF ia eeoWWp prs 10 the hide re.
take TO execute the directions Of your Majesty.
should be imgeriil!ng all the successes q i'm
! VIEWS q p 5osR y !5iitn Maje ss Sse Iafe pTede ssea 5ne
spite Of unfavorable circumstances. The great
importance OF these successes = since his
I'm view OF, my attachment to the service oi
the imperial house and to your Majesty. and
years 10 circumstances which ! had hitherto
considered to be. permanent, il is very painful
Majesty and to the whole policy q the empire
and Of Prussia. But after ~scrupulous. consid.
which should have TO be prepared to. execute
il ! remained in Office, / can do nothing but
relieve me Of the Offices OF Imperial Chan.
eellor, Of Minister-P President and of ,Prussiar
Minister Of Foreign Affairs with the ,statu.
received during the last few weeks. and from
the Information conveyed TO me yesterday il
the communications emanatinR from the civi
and military Cabinets OF your Majesty. / MAJ
humbly assume that by rendering my resiGna
Majesty, and that l may safely count upon il
being graciously accepted, Ishould have Ions
ago te9dered the resignation Of my Offices z
preston that your Majesty desired TO make us
Of the experience and abilities of a faithful ser
want Of your predecessors. Now that l know
that your Majesty has no longer any use 70
these. / may retire from political life withou
any apprehension that my resolution will b
judged inopportune by public opinion.
VoNB IsMARcK."