The Washington herald., 1906-11-11

Brunswick is a tiny State, Of some l,JOO
square miles, with a population of less
than $4,000 all told-One of those pretty
sovereienties, indeed, that excited the sar-
casm Of Carlyle the ridicUle Of Thack-
eray. and which have furnished the theme
OF so many comic operas. among them
being Ofenbachs Grand Duchess" Yet
IL is this out-of-the-way and sleepy Duchy,
which few American tourists have ever
taken the trouble to visit, that is just
at the present moment the scene Of a con
fict which may be said to have com
menced between seven and eight hundred
years ago, the struggle to-day, as in
those Olden times, being between the Illus
trious House of Guelph-d Este and the
German Empire. True, the latter was per
sonifed in those bygone centuries by the
Hohenstauffens. whose place has been
taken to-day by the HohenzOierns. But
the Guelphs are the same, and now, as
then, are fighting for their throne and to
prevent the empire from dspriving them
of their dOminiOns. The House of Guelph
o Este, which has IN the past occupied
the thrones of Bavaria, Modena, Hanover,
OF Great Britain, and Of Brunswick, is
represented to-day by three princes, a
father and two sons. The former was
born as Crown Prince of Hanover. is
known as the Duke Of Cumberland, a title
which he inherited from his grandfather,
the sourth son Of George III. of England.
and is the lawful heir TO the ducal throne
Of Brunswick, which became vacant by
the death in 1854 Of his kinsman, Duke
William. The Duke of Cumberland. as
sexagenarian, and married to Princess
Thyra, Of Denmark, sister OF the Queen
OF England. of the Kings Of Denmark
and Of Greece. and of the widowed Car
ina, has, as I have mentioned above. TWO
boys, the elder OF whom has long been a
confirmed invalid, while the other, Prince
Ernest, celebrates next week his eigh-
teenth birthday, and in consequence there
Of his majority. For scions of royalty
are supposed TO attain the age Of disCre-
tion, and TO emerge from their minority
full three years earlier than youths con-
structed of an inferior order Of clay
These three princes are the last of the
Guelph-d Estes, and it will therefore rest
with young Prince Ernest to perpetuate q
dynasty. the name of which was won't to
constitute the battle cry in some of the
most ssnguinary and prolonged wars Of
the medieval epoch. Should Prince
Ernest die without issue the line would
become extinct, which could not but prove
a subject for congratulatiCn at Berlin.
For the Guelph party. ever since the
constitution Of the Teutonic Empire in its
present form, has been one Of the most
powerful factors in German politics. so
potent indeed, that Prince Bismarck,
even in the days of his greatest glCry,
was compelled TO negotiate with its leader
for its assistance. 10 secure the enact
ment Of government measures by the
Reichstag, party which remains the
principal champion of the particUlarism
of the minor States against the policy Of
Capitalization and absorption By the Ger
man Empire II is not that the Guelph
party Is lacking In TeutCn patriotism. or
that It objects to the alliance Of all the
various sovereignties of Germany into
the federation known as the German
Empire But it insists that each State
should retain its independence, without
any interference by Prussia, or by the
latter's ruler. who. as president Of the
confederation, bears the title of German
Emperor.
Now the chief Of the Guelphs. that IS
TO say, the Duke Of Cumberland, to whom
most Of the members Of the Guelph party
accord their allegiance, and from whom
they derive their political inspiration, has
always declined to recognize Prussia's
annexation of his fathers kingdom OF
Hanover at the close Of the war of 1856.
It is said that he is bound by a deathbed
promise 10 the old ex-King never TO
abandon his claims to the crown of Han
over, and that were he inclined 10 forget
the pledge, he would be reminded of its
Tr~
makes her home with him in Austria Be
this true or not it is a fact that there
are a very large number of people in the
former kingdom of Hanover belonging Il
The aristocracy, the bOurgeoisie, and even
the peasantry, who still look to him as
their lawful sovereign. They. represent
families whose members fought CALAMITY
for Germany against France in the war
Of 1870, but who resent Prussian d0mina-
ton, who send messages Of loyal affec-
tiOn and OF answering allegiance 70 the
duke on the anniversary of his birth, and
Of his wedding day. and who receive IN
return expressions of bis appreciation of
their fidelity 10 his house on the occasion
OF their family festivals. The Guelphs,
therefore, while they do not constitute
any danger 20 the German empire, can
not be regarded with anything but dis
Quietude by Prussia
II is on this account that when in 1854
the throne of Brunswick became vacant
through the death of old Duke William.
leaving the Duke of Cumberland next
in line Of succession, Prussia opposed
his being allowed TO take possession
thereof until he had formally acknowi-
edged not merely his adherence TO the
Constitution of the German Empire, but
also his willingness 10. accept the exist
ing order Of things within its borders. by
pToclaiming his recognition Of the annex
alton by Prussia Of the kingdom Of
Hanover, and his abandonment Of all pre-
tensions to its crown. This the Duke
refused to do, and the late Prince Bis
maTck thereupOn appealed to Bundesrath
composed Of the plenipotenuaries of the
various sovereigns Of The Confedera ton
and obtained from them a vote that the
Duke Of Cumberland could not be allowed
10 occupy the throne of Brunswick as
long as he maintained his pretensions 10
The crown of Hanover This decision
was communicated by the Chancellor to
the government and legislature OF the
Duchy of Brunswick, who thereupon, IN
accordance with the terms of the ducaI
constitution, elected a regent to iii the
throne until such times as their de jure
sovereign, the Duke Of Cumberland, was
prepared to qualify himself for the crown
in accordance with the requirements OF
the Bundesrath. Their choice fell upon
the enormously wealthy Prince Albert
Of Prussia, who died a couple Of months
ago.
Before proceedings to e3ect another re-
gent the legislature and government Of
Brunswick communicated with the Duke
of Cumberland asking him whether he
was willing now, after the lapse of two
and twenty years. 20 furnish the assur-
Il. Il
Duke. after consulting his principal ad-
Lnrnratc aaarnseol y latlar. Ia Tie CLn-,-