Year: 1874

We would not follow the continental habit
of several years ago, which attributed every
incident in diplomacy or politics to Lord
Palmerston, in giving to Prince Bismarck
more credit OF discredit than belongs to him
for the influence exerted by Germany in every
European court. But it is nevertheless diff
cult to deny that in every important question
now agitating the public mind in Madrid,
Rome, Paris, or LondOn-and we might add
st. Petersburg if there were any public mind
there to agitate-the plans and purposes OF
the German Chancellor form one of the most
important considerations The mere rumor or
his promised cOuntenance to Sefrano was OF
the utmost value in inducing the Otherpowersto
recognize the anomalous Government of which
the Marshal is the head. The Government OF
Victor Emanuel feel 80 satisfied with the way
in which the Cabinet of Berlin is fighting
their battles, that they do not care to give the
ecclesiastical question any especial prominence
in their electoral campaigns. Austria is per-
fectly uuiescent for the same reason. In
France there is no reason nor measure in the
suspicion and jealousy which make of Prince
Bismarck monster of wickedness and power,
and convert their sentiment toward him into
a sort of devil-worship. 1t is not to be won
dered at therefore that the recent exhibition
of his peremptory influence in England should
be regarded across the channel as confirma-
ton of the French view of his baleful omnipo
tence.


Mr.. Disraeli in his speech at the Lord
Mayors dinner, in the expansion of the post
prandial hour, made references to the happy
condition of the British labOrer of the sort
which in this country are usually held apprO-
pirate to the Fourth Of July. He said "the
working classes of Great Britain inherited
"rights and privileges not yet possessed by
the nobility of other lands. They had no
{" fear of arbitrary arrests and domiciiary
"visits" These words were of course uni
versally held to apply to the recent arrest of
Count Won Arnim. He is the most conspicuous
member of "the nobility of other lands" who
has been lately subjected to domiciliary
"visits" at the orders of arbitrary minister's"
The allusion was not in good taste, and was
rather what might have been expected of
statesman of the Cramer or Chamber school
than from one Of the mature age and
lifelong experience of Mr.. Disraeli. The
fact of the hour and the occasion did not
excuse it. If elderly statesmen cannot trust
their heads and tongues after dinner, they
should dine at home and make their speech
in letter of regret. Mr.. Disraeli evidently
thought i'll of the speech when he saw it in
print, and denied that he referred to Count
Won Arnim. There is nothing to show whether
he did this of his own motion or whether he
was induced to do it by an Interpolation
from the German ambassador. At all events.
the Government at Berlin took prompt notice
of the denial, and caused the North German
Gazette to say that "the explanation is graft
"fying to all those who are desirous Of pre-
"ventng misunderstanding between England
"and Germany" 1t would be hard to express
qualification with grimmer irony than this.


The veteran premier can afford to smile at
the assaults of the Partisan press, which dis
play all the disgust Of Sir Lucius O'Trigger at
seeing so pretty quarrel spoiled. 1t does not
lie within their capacity to judge an English
Minister, and nothing they can say will
especially disturb him. But it is not probable
that the incident can fail to damage some-
what his prestige in his own party. If he did
not refer to Count Won Arnim, his language
was singularly ill-chosen and unfortunate. and
constituted blunder which 1t wolld be dan
gerous to repeat. If he did mean what
his words conveyed, his explanation will
iniure him more than his mistake, in the esti-
nation of the majority of Euglishmen No
one likes to see the representative Of his
country wanting in persistent courage, and
there will be no lack of Englishmen to say
that il Disraeli had been genuine Anglo
Saxon he would have stoodby bis words, Even il