376 



GERMANY. 



GOICOURIA, DOMINGO DE. 



arrived at upon, a similar basis with Bavaria, 

 and it was hoped that the negotiations with 

 Wurteuiberg would also have a favorable re- 

 sult. 



The treaty uniting the kingdom of Bavaria 

 with the North-German Confederation was 

 signed on November 23d, subject to the ratifi- 

 cation of the Chambers. 



On the 28th of November, the North-Ger- 

 man Parliament granted the extraordinary 

 war-credit demanded by the Government, by a 

 vote of 178 yeas to 9 nays. On the same day, 

 Minister Delbriick announced to the House the 

 ratification by the Federal Council of the 

 treaty providing for the entrance of the king- 

 dom of Wurtemberg into the Confederation. 



Early in December, Parliament voted an ad- 

 dress to the King of Prussia, inviting him to 

 assume the title of Emperor of Germany, with 

 the assent of the other German sovereigns. 

 A deputation of members was sent immedi- 

 ately to the royal headquarters before Paris, 

 to present it to his Majesty. On December 

 6th the King of Bavaria, in a letter to King 

 William, urged him to accept the offer, while 

 the sovereigns of the other states also gave 

 their assent. 



On December 18th the King received the 

 deputation of the Parliament of the North- 

 German Confederation at Versailles, and ad- 

 dressed them as follows : 



GENTLEMEN : In receiving you here on foreign ter- 

 ritory, far distant from the German frontier,_ I am 

 prompted to express my gratitude to that Providence 

 whose wonderful dispensation has brought us to- 

 gether in this ancient royal residence. God has 

 given us victories which we hardly dared to hope or 

 to ask for. When, last summer, I asked your sup- 

 port in this great war, you gave me that support to 

 its fullest extent. I thank you in my name and in 

 that of the army and nation. 



The victorious armies among which you have 

 sought me have found, in the sacrificing _spirit of 

 the country, encouragement and support amid battles 

 and privations. 



The means voted for the continuation of the war 

 by the late Diet have given a new proof that the na- 

 tion is determined to exert all its energies. The po- 

 litical life of the Germans will develop itself all the 

 more because the basis offered to the South-German 

 allies is of their own free choice. I hope those states 

 yet to be consulted will follow the same path. 



The summons addressed to me by the King of Ba- 

 varia to reestablish the imperial dignity of the ancient 

 German empire has deeply moved me, and not my 

 own feeling's nor even my own judgment has deter- 

 mined my decision only. In the unanimous voice of 

 the Gei 

 nation, 



can obey with God's blessing, 

 has informed me that the assent of all the German 

 princes and free cities has been secured, and that the 

 official ratification will shortly follow. Sure that the 

 painful sacrifices which we are undergoing, and which 

 touch my heart as yours, will not be in vain, we will 

 not lay aside our arms until Germany's frontier has 

 nothing to fear from future attacks. 



The North-German Diet has been called upon to 

 cooperate in the work of the unification of Germany. 

 I thank it for its almost unanimous assent to the 

 treaties giving organic expressions to the unity of the 

 nation. 



On the 21st, the Diet of Hesse-Darmstadt 



approved the Federal treaties, and voted a far- 

 ther war-credit of 3,662,000 florins. 



The proposition to consolidate the issues of 

 the new loan of 100,000,000 thalers ($69,000,- 

 000) was accepted on December 2d. On the 

 6th of the same month, the bankers of Berlin 

 paid in 34,000,000 thalers ($23,460,000), and 

 announced their readiness to take 17,000,000 

 thalers more. Government decided to offer 

 only about 3,000,000 outside of Germany. 

 Bonds of the loan Avere issued of the denomi- 

 nations of 100, 500, and 1,000 thalers, dated 

 November 1, 1870. In London, on December 

 llth, their price was 95 J plus interest accrued 

 at the dates of the instalments, which, includ- 

 ing deposits, were to be made, the first on De- 

 cember 22d, the second on January 20, 1871, 

 and the third on February 28, 1871. 



In an article on the position assumed by 

 Denmark toward Germany, the semi-official 

 North- German Gazette of April 14th alluded 

 to some debates in the Danish Chambers on 

 the naval budget, saying that these debates 

 were in keeping with the attitude of Denmark 

 with reference to article five of the Treaty of 

 Prague. The obligations entered into toward 

 Austria by Prussia in the treaty of peace were 

 easy of fulfilment, but Denmark insisted upon 

 the cession of North Schleswig as far as Flens- 

 burg, a territory which would embrace Alsen 

 and Diippel. This demand could not be con- 

 ceded. The Djennebrucht or Apenrade line 

 would admit a discussion. From the debates 

 in the Danish Rigsdag, says the Gazette, it was 

 apparent that anxiety existed on the subject 

 of an attack and bombardment of Copenha- 

 gen by a North-German fleet, and this fear 

 was openly expressed in the secret sitting 

 of the Chamber. It was therefore evident 

 that at Copenhagen conjectures were in- 

 dulged in with regard to eventualities which 

 might force Germany to undertake, in self- 

 defence, hostilities against the Danish capital. 

 It seemed as if reliance was placed upon allies 

 who could keep the high-sea against the 

 North-German fleet, and that with this idea 

 efforts had been made to induce these allies to 

 keep up as large a force as possible, both on 

 land and sea. The Gazette thought there was 

 no hope of reconciliation with Denmark, and 

 that nothing could be gained by making the 

 attempt. 



GOICOURIA, General DOMINGO DE, a Cu- 

 ban revolutionist of great energy and execu- 

 tive ability, born in Cuba, in 1799 ; garroted 

 at Principe Fort, Havana, by order of a drum- 

 head court-martial, May 7, 1870. An enthu- 

 siastic patriot, he had early favored measures 

 for the liberation of Cuba from the Spanish 

 yoke, and was driven from the island by the 

 Spanish Government nearly thirty years pre- 

 vious, in consequence of his liberal tendencies. 

 He had made his home in Mississippi, and 

 there he cooperated with Lopez in his disas- 

 trous filibustering expeditions in 1849-'o2, 

 though he did not go to Cuba in person. Ho 



