80 



Prince Bismarck and his Policy. 



The old constitution placed the Prussian state upon 

 two powers, viz : 



The crowD as the sanctioning and executive power ; and 

 the united representatives as the consulting, agreeing and 

 vetoing power. Electors were subjected to property quali- 

 fications, and the indirect election was filtered by political 

 opinion. 



This constitution was disliked by the people, but Bis- 

 marck sustained it as it had emanated from the king, and 

 promised to be more stable than the changeful tendencies 

 of socialism. 



Outside of the fatherland two events had occurred, 

 which changed the political aspect of Europe. The Holy 

 Alliance had partly been rent. Its chief bearer, Metter- 

 nich, had retired, and the youthful emperor had inaugu- 

 rated a new policy. The French republic was near its 

 end. Louis ISTapoleon had been elected its first president, 

 and Csesarism loomed up in the distance. On January 

 28, 1848, Christian YIII., of Denmark died, and his suc- 

 cessor, Fred. VII., promulgated immediately after his as- 

 cension, a constitution, which made Schleswig-Holstein 

 Danish. 



Bismarck watched with sad forebodings not only the 

 state of affairs in Prussia, but also abroad. 



The assembly opened in Berlin, Feb. 26, 1848. His 

 own party received him with enthusiasm. The bloody 

 democracy had lost its power; many of his most bitter 

 opponents like Virchow, Auerswald, etc., sided with him. 



When Bismarck appeared to friends and foes alike as 

 changeful in his political opinions, it was owing to his 

 quicker perception of principles which were opposed to 

 his own ideas at the time; and in all such cases the in- 

 terests of the fatherland were paramount to his own. 

 His one aim was the welfare of the crown and nation, 

 and often, when circumstances required it, he seemed more 



