Year: 1874




Great Romance or Modern Politics.


When Lord Byron said that he 'awoke one
morning and found himself famous" he used
form of expression which but family repre-
sents the sudden and surprising prominence
lately given to the name of Won Arnim. TO
the general public it was, six weeks ago, an
utterly unknown name, although it has long
been familiar to the students of German
literature, from its close association with the
history of Goethe, the greatest German poet,
and the greatest poet in any language since
Shakespeare. The fantastic love of Elizabeth
Won Arnim, better known in literature as
Bettina Won Arnim, for Goethe. and the
singular volumes which she published,
giving Goethes correspondence with a
child"-meening herself-has made the
name o familiar one in the republic Of
letters But in politics and public affairs it
first emerged into prominence in connection
with the recent affair which attracts the
attention of Europe and the world. There
has been no such recent instance Of the
sudden lifting Of name into worldwide
renown. To be dignifed as the opponent of
Bismarck, to be made the theme Of all
tongues and all pens, to excite more active
personal curiosity than has been aroused in
European politics for half century, is at
least notoriety, if it be not fame, and may
partially compensate Count Armin for all he
has suffered in his strange persecution and
imprisonment. Nor is Won Arnim less power
full because of his Imprisonment and the
charges that are preferred against him, but,
on the contrary. unless he is utterly crushed
in the trial, these misfortunes will extend his
influence. The pride of the diplomatic SER
vice of Europe has been reused by the rude
manner of his arrest, and his cause has been
earnestly sustained. The extracts we give to-
day from the London Times, the Kreuz Zeitung
and the Magdebuger Zeitung, show how the
case is regarded from the diplomatic point
of view. It is obvious, however that some
thing more important is involved in Count
Arnims case than breach of diplomatic
discipline. If it were only question of form
and routine, if nothing were involved in IL
beyond the proper custody of diplomatic
documents, it would be simple question Of
OOA41CCu0 0CAAAoA POAAstOSS onu UAOAO WOUA0 NO
no reason why it should agitate Europe and
the world 1t probably touches on questions
which stir the public mind of Europe to
its profoundest depths Bismarck is engaged
in q great struggle with the Papacy. This is,
at present, the dominant question in German
politics. 1t is supposed that the distracted
documents bear on this great question, and
that if Count Arnim should give them to the
public they would seriously compromise Bis
marck in the Catholic controversy. II this
conjecture is we'll founded there is an easy
solution of the deep interest which the Ger
man Chancellor takes in the prosecution
of Won Arnim. If it were mere
private matter, affecting only the per-
sonal standing of Count Arnfm as
German diplomat anxious to protect himself
against the censures of his official chief, it
would be too trivial to engage the attention of
the civilized world. But instead Of that we
find that the radical and the conservative
parties Of Germany are the real combatants,
and that not only Europe, but America, recog-
nizes the importance of the question which Bis
marck has boldly raised.