354 



GERMANY. 



ing to make any important concession. It sub- 

 stituted for the Government bill one of its own, 

 which provided for the continuance of all the 

 privileges of the Ritterschaft, and made, in 

 particular, the entire legislation on taxes and 

 every change in the constitution of the grand- 

 duchies contingent upon the assent of both 

 the Ritterschaft and the Landschaft (repre- 

 sentatives of towns) as now constituted. It 

 adopted an address to the two grand-dukes re- 

 questing them to oppose any undue influence, 

 which the Imperial Government and Reichs- 

 tag might endeavor to exercise upon the af- 

 fairs of the duchies. The members of the 

 Landschaft, on the other hand, declared that 

 they were agreed with the grand-dukes and the 

 majority of the population in their fidelity tow- 

 ard the empire ; that they must decline even to 

 take into consideration the proposition of the 

 Ritterschaft; and that they hoped the grand- 

 dukes would find means to carry through a 

 reform of the constitution on the basis of the 

 propositions made in 1874. 



In Bavaria, a general election for a new 

 Diet took place in June, and resulted in the 

 success of seventy-nine candidates of the Pa- 

 triotic (Catholic) and seventy-seven of the 

 Liberal or Unionist party. The new Cham- 

 ber met on September 29th, and the Patriotic 

 party elected by a majority of two the Presi- 

 dent, Vice-President, and other officers. The 

 Diet soon after adopted an address to the King, 

 in which they emphatically declared no confi- 

 dence in the ministry. The latter, therefore, 

 offered its resignation, which the King, how- 

 ever, refused to accept. On the contrary, he 

 assured the ministers that he approved of their 

 conduct, and refused to receive an address sub- 

 sequently voted by the Chamber of Deputies. 

 The foreign relations of the empire were, 

 on the whole, of a pacific character. Only 

 with Belgium serious complications appeared 

 for a time to arise, but the diplomatic negotia- 

 tions finally resulted in an agreement which 

 was entirely satisfactory to both parties (see 

 BELGIUM). 



The relations between Germany and France 

 were at no time seriously disturbed. In April, 

 considerable uneasiness was created by a lead- 

 ing article in a Berlin paper, the Post, which 

 was supposed to represent the views of the 

 Government. The paper thus expressed it- 

 self on the political situation : 



Recent events have unfortunately rendered it but 

 too probable that the Legislative Assembly of France, 

 being afraid that the Republican majority of the 

 next Chamber will eschew war, under the dangerous 

 auspices of MacMahon and the Orleans princes, are 

 anxious to precipitate it, while a strong body of 

 Royalist deputies is there to profit bythe results for 

 the reestabfishment of monarchy. War, according- 

 ly, is coming on, though the clouds gathering on the 

 horizon may yet be in dispersion. The Austrian 

 Conservatives, aided by influential military circles, 

 are endeavoring to turn put the Andrassy cabinet 

 with a view to take part in coming events in Italy. 

 It is certain that she wishes to make the Pope a tool 

 in her hands, to use him for the exercise of Italian 



political influence all over the world. The greater 

 part of the upper classes of Italy are ready to join 

 any ally against Germany, whose anti-Papal attitude 

 is considered by them as anti-Italian and hostile to 

 their national interests. Yet it is by no means cer- 

 tain that the French Government will be able to 

 procure an Austro-Italian alliance just now. If they 

 fail in their endeavors to do so, war will probably be 

 delayed. Things, however, have reached a pass 

 when the German people should be better acquaint- 

 ed with the realities of the situation. It is time to 

 awake slumberers. 



The organ of Prince Bismarck, the North- 

 German Gazette, tried to calm the excitement 

 which the above article had produced. It ac- 

 cepted the explanation of the French press as 

 reassuring, and intimated that the Belgian 

 note was not so much intended to formulate 

 demands as to promote a desirable agitation 

 of international law. But even this official 

 disclaimer produced in wide circles the im- 

 pression that the peace of Europe was not 

 resting on a solid basis. The French Govern- 

 ment positively contradicted the assertion that 

 Germany had recently made representations of 

 a hostile tendency. The semi-official organs 

 of the Government also stated that no cause 

 of conflict existed between Germany and 

 France. 



The relations between the Emperors of Ger- 

 many and Russia remained of the most inti- 

 mate character. In May the Czar made a 

 visit to Berlin, where his reception, as on for- 

 mer occasions, was most enthusiastic. The 

 Czar, accompanied by Prince Gortschakoff, 

 paid a visit to Prince Bismarck. The reports 

 of the European press on this visit agreed in 

 representing the result of the interview as 

 most favorable to the continuance of Eu- 

 ropean peace. It was stated in diplomatic 

 circles that both the Czar and Prince Gort- 

 schakoff, on their arrival at Berlin, were still 

 in doubt as to the real character of the politi- 

 cal situation, and were inclined to regard it as 

 critical. It was only at Berlin that they were 

 fully satisfied, by the positive assurances of 

 the German Government, that there were no 

 troubles to be apprehended. Upon this, by 

 order of the Czar, all the diplomatic agents of 

 the Russian court were immediately tele- 

 graphed to and advised that the prospect was 

 entirely pacific. Russia had first offered its 

 mediatorial offices should there have been any 

 serious complication. The court of St. James's 

 made a similar offer. The Governments of 

 Austria and Italy likewise inquired if their 

 interference would be needed. Thus, while 

 critical events were apprehended, Russia, Aus- 

 tria, England, and Italy, offered to mediate be- 

 tween Germany and France. It is supposed 

 that the Russian propositions were accom- 

 panied with offers of eventual support. Soon 

 after, Prince Gortschakoff telegraphed to all 

 the principal agents of Russia that the contin- 

 uance of peace was insured. The firm attitude 

 adopted by Russia in these conferences was 

 strengthened by reports received from France 



