GERMANY. 



311 



of others and protect its own was justified in 

 trusting that peace would be maintained. Herr 

 Simpson was again elected President, the Duke 

 of Ujest first and Herr Benningsen second 

 Vice-President. Several important measures 

 were proposed by the "Bundesrath," or diplo- 

 matic committee, the members of which are 

 the representatives of the different Govern- 

 ments composing the Confederation, while the 

 Reichsrath consists of the deputies of the 

 people, elected by universal suffrage and by 

 ballot. It is a privilege of the Bundesrath to 

 prepare each year beforehand the measures to 

 be laid before the Diet for discussion, but the 

 latter Assembly has also the right, according 

 to the Constitution, to present to the Bundes- 

 rath for their approval such measures as it 

 may judge opportune. 



Count Bismarck was tw.ice defeated in the 

 Parliament in opposing liberal measures. Hav- 

 ing, first, opposed as inopportune a motion in 

 favor of freedom of speech in the several Diets 

 of the Confederation, or the inviolability of 

 members of the Diets, the motion was carried 

 by 140 votes to 51. Another resolution, de- 

 manding the appointment of a responsible 

 Federal ministry, for war, navy, finances, and 

 commerce, was strenuously opposed by "Count 

 Bismarck, but it was adopted by 111 votes 

 against 100. 



The Parliament adopted the transfer (pro- 

 posed by the Federal Chancellor) of the Prus- 

 sian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Federal 

 Budget, and the establishment of the Federal 

 Supreme Court of Commerce at Leipsic. It 

 passed also a Federal electoral law, and sanc- 

 tioned the equality of all religious confessions 

 before the law. The most important work of 

 the session was the enactment of regulations 

 concerning trade. All the demands for the 

 Federal Budget were granted (among others a 

 new credit for the establishment of the navy), 

 but the Prussian deficit of more than ten mill- 

 ions was at once remanded to the Prussian 

 Diet. The much-abused franking privilege was 

 likewise limited. 



Count Bismarck sides with his King in being 

 averse to a reduction in the military establish- 

 ment, as he considers that North Germany has 

 no other guarantee against the designs of 

 France and Austria. " England and America," 

 he says, " are engaged in a family quarrel, and 

 the opposition would not hear of an alliance 

 with Russia. Under such circumstances North 

 Germany, being left to herself, cannot diminish 

 her military force. The French nation does 

 not desire war, it is true, but it is of an inflam- 

 mable temperament, and, should war break 

 out, it would rush into it with a violence of 

 which the disunited and phlegmatic German 

 factions have no idea." 



The Zollverein Parliament was opened on 

 June 3, 1869, and closed its session on June 

 23. Its work is referred to in the following 

 throne speech, by which the King of Prussia 

 closed the session : 



Honorable Gentlemen : By unremitting activity you 

 have completed the discussion of the bills laid before 

 you by the allied Governments. The commercial 

 treaties with Switzerland and Japan have obtained 

 your consent. The unanimity with which you gave 

 it proves that you look upon these treaties one of 

 which is to facilitate neighborly relations of a mani- 

 fold and daily traffic, while the other will procure a 

 broader basis to our navigation and commerce in the 

 distant East as a further step in the developement 

 of the Zollverein's international relations. 



With equal harmony y^ou have agreed to the Zoll- 

 verein tariff and the bill respecting the customs 

 boundary in the free port of Hamburg. Your amend- 

 ments to both these bills have been accepted by the 

 Zollverein Council. The allied Governments have 

 been able, to their great satisfaction, fully to concur 

 with you respecting not only the necessary reforms 

 of the tariff of the Customs Union, but also as to the 

 means of carrying out these reforms. I hope that the 

 important organic law which is to take the place of 

 that existing for the last thirty years will adapt 

 itself satisfactorily and durably to the demands of 

 the rapid and manifold developments of traffic and 

 the financial interests of the Customs Union. The 

 changes you have resolved upon with respect to the 

 duty on sugar an industry ol the highest importance 

 regarding the economical affairs of the Union do 

 not deviate from the views which prompted the 

 allied Governments to lay the bill before you. Its 

 result will be a moderation of the duty on the aggre- 

 gate consumption, and at the same time an increase 

 of revenue for the Union, covering part of a deficit 

 caused by numerous repeals and reduction of duties 

 during the last years. 



The revision of the Customs Union tariff has, I re- 

 gret to say, not been concluded. I do not give up 

 the hope that, respecting the financial objects of the 

 Union, the differences of opinion which have pre- 

 vented the completion of this work will be adjusted 

 in the course of time, and I discharge you, honorable 

 gentlemen, with the desire and confidence that this 

 year, too, your meeting may have contributed to 

 strengthen the ties of common institutions connect- 

 ing all German countries. 



On the same day the King closed the ses- 

 sion of the North-German Parliament by the 

 following resume of its resolutions and 

 measures, as well as of the general policy of 

 the Government : 



Honorable Gentlemen: You have arrived at the 

 close of a session full of activity, which will result 

 favorably to the progress of the confederation and 

 the welfare of North Germany. By passing the elec- 

 tion bill you have finally settled the form of voting 

 for representatives of the Eeichsrath on the basis of 

 the Constitution, and uniformly throughout the Bund. 



The draft of the trade bill has been discussed by 

 you with a carefulness corresponding to the impor- 

 tance and multifariousness of its contents. By the 

 consent of the Bund Council to your resolutions and 

 a mutual compromise on many particulars upon 

 which opinions have differed, you have achieved a 

 work which opens new paths to free motion of indus- 

 trial activity, and common to all citizens of the con- 

 federation. Conformity in the army institutions of 

 the North-German Bund and the Grand-duchy of 

 Baden has allowed the ratification of a convention 

 which, by granting the mutual right of change of 

 abode, affords essential relief to the citizens of both 

 states in the discharge of military duty. The postal 

 treaties with Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, the 

 Papal dominions, and Koumania, which you have 

 passed, are a valuable supplement to the improve- 

 ments in international postal traffic in connection 

 with the reforms of pur own postage-rates. You have 

 also consented to literary and consular conventions 

 as supplements to the commercial treaties with Italy 



