Year: 1870




power had equally great effect in destroying s intel
ectual and moral ell-being But In political ca
pscity have fully come up TO the French,
though slowly. The Revolution Of 1850 appeared
to give them An immense advantage over u.s. We
have TO thank txfor oosenlng usl from many chains.
which otherwiselwoud have weighed upon rs far into
the future but in France since the Reyou


On has not been OF character 10 ghten US out OF
competition Limited governments appear to have come
into being only 10 be undermined 10 sink into anarchy,
as this in its turn into despotsn. Whether Consttu
tiona Monarchy in which you, no less than myself,
recognize tho only durable form OF Government for
Europe Exceptional conditions can ever strike


s roots deep France appears to be doubtful to your
self I'm your admirable essay the subject at least is
your wish rather than your hope That am not blind to
the MANY good qualities OF the French nation; that
recognize I'm IL an essential and indispensable number Of
the European national family, beninoent leayen In
their mingng; IL is little necessary that should as
sure YOU as that you should assure me OF the ike uner
yerted estimation OF the German people and their merits
on your side But nations as well as ndiViduss nave,
as the reverse side their merits not less conspicuous
faults and in relation 10 these faults two nations
have for centuries enjoyed very different nay totally
opposite training We Germans in the hard school OF ca
amty and dishonor in which your countrymen In great
measure we're our relentless and chastener
have learned recognize our essential ana hereditary
faults under their form0ur visonarness our SLOW



OF all national We have taken ourselves TO task
We have sriyen against these fangs, and sought more
and more to rid ourselves Of them On the other hanu,
the national faults Of the French, pampered by sue
cesson OF French monarchs for long time lnten
sed by success and not cured even by misfortune Inc
craving glitter and fame the tendency 10 grasp at
these rather by sounding adventurous achievements with
out than by silent efforts Within the 10 stand al
the head Of nations and the thirst to patronze and plum
der Them all these faults which lie in the Gallo nature as
those above named do in the German were fostered 10
such an extent by Louis XIV, by the rst ana Dy-et
us hope-the last Napoleon, that the national character
has suffered the deepest injury Glory in particular
which one OF your ministers has recently called the First
word in the French language is rather its worst and most
pernicous; one which the nation would do well to strike
ont OF its dictionary Hong time 10 come IL s the
golden calf round which the nation has for centuries
kept UP its dance; it is the Mooch at whose
altar it has sacrificed and is even now
again sacrificing its own sons. and the
sons Of neghboring nations; 1t Is the ignts FafuW
which has lured it from fields Of prosperous labor
into the wilderness and often TO the brink Of the
precipce And while those earlier monarchs, NapoeOnL
especially themselves possessed by this national
demon, and therefore went into their unjust wars
with something OF sincerity with the present Napoleon
1t is the conscious cunning desire TO lead the nation
astray Of selfseekng TO draw their attention
away from their moral and political destitutiOn within;
that and Shifting natlOnal passion
for glitter fame and depreciation. Against Russia in
the Crimea against Austria Italy he successful
In Mexico he met with sensible disaster. Against Prus
sis he let the right moment slip. AT the beginning OF
this year the world could for moment believe that he
in good faith leaving this path and turning to that OF
internal reform in she sense Of rational freedom and
administrative amendment, till his backward spring to
the Pebscitum convinced all the world that he
was still his old self From that time too, Germany had
everything TO fear rather should say everything to
hopo That unity which he desired TO fustrate Is ours
The unheard-of claim which lay in his demand on the
King of Prussia comprehensive and intolerable
TO the peasant in the march as to the kings and
dukes south OF the Main. The spirit OF 1914 swept like
a storm through every German land, and already the
first events OF the have given us pledge that
nation who fights only for that which 1t feels both the
right and the power in ITSELF cannot fail OF its end This
end for which struggle simply the equal recognition
OF European peoples the security that for the future


restless neighbor shall at his pleasure disturb
the works OF peace and rob US OF the fruits OF our
labor. For this we desire guarantee, and only when
this il given, speak OF friendly understanding,
OF harmonious combination OF the two neghbor1ng
peoples in all the abors of civilization and humanity;
but not till that time when the French people shall find
its false road closed TO it, will 1t be able TO open ts ear to
voices Ike your which for long time past have
called 1t to the true road, the road Of honest effort Of
selfcOntrOl, and morality.


Ihaye written in greater detail than pleases me, ndi
ydualy, and indeed, than is becoming; but German
affairs and aspirations easily rise before the foreigner
mist and to make them little clear some min
uteness unavoidable. You WILL perhaps think it even
less becoming that these lines to you in print not
In writing, In ordinary times would certainly have
asked your consent to their publications; but things
now the right moment would have passed before my
request could reach you and your come to my
hands and think that is not i'll done IT, in this crisis,
two Of the two nations, each in his nation in
dependent and far from political matters freely though
without passion address another the and
the meaning Of the For utterance will 10
only then to have its true worth IL gives you
sion TO yourself in like manner from your
point Of view.