DEATH OF PRINCE BISMARCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 29

DEATH OF PRINCE BISMARCK.

Bkklin", July 31. Prince IJismaick died peacefully at .P o'clock on Saturday night. IjOndox, August 1. The Times, commenting on Prince l*i. marck's ds'ith, says that gieaiest personality in Europe is removed. All the British, Continental, and -Vinericn newspapers recognise the Prince's coi^ul mate statesmanship. The Italian and Amtrian pa-pers are particularly sympathy ie and unstinting in their }>raise. The French papers declare that the i.uaifiy of French defeats disappears with Prince Bismarck.

Signor Crispi, the ex-Italian Premier, ai a letter to the Tribune, says that (je.-i.iauy ought to treat Prince Bismarck's remains in a, similar manner to England's treatment of Mr Gladstone. Europe, he says, hos lost two political gi.mts and men of mighty talents.

Bisruarck-Schonhausen, Prince Otto Erluard Leopold, created Count September 16, 1865, ami Prince (Furst) yon Bismaick March, 1871, was born of an old noble family of the " Mark" (Brandenbuig) at Schonliauscn, April 1, 1815. He was educated at the universities of Gotl'ugen and Grcifswald, spent some tirao in t!ie army, and subsequently settled down as a country gentleman. Brought up in the political faith of the Junkers, or Piussian Tory squirearchy, he became (184G) a member of tin: Provincial Diet of Saxony, and of the Prussian Diet, in which he first attracted attention by his fiery speeches in defence of the old monarchical paity. During the l evolutionary period of 18 IS the seivices he rendered ir> the public debates to the Conservative cause led to his appointment as the representative of Prussia in the Diet of the old German Bund at Frankfort. Austria was then all powerful in the German Blind. From the time of Bismarck s reappearance, however, the voice of Prussia began to have increasing weight. The successful audacity with which he checkmated Austrian intrigue at Frankfort was the source of constant irritation at Vienna, and naturally tended to produce some estrangement between the Austrian and Piussian courts. Herr yon Bismarck was sent aa ambassador to St. Petersburg (1859-62). In May '62 he became Prussian ambassador at Paris. Five mouths later he was made Fiiss Minister of the Prussian Crown. Within the next 10 years he humbled the Austrian Umpire, destroyed the Fiench Empire, and created the new German Empire. He remodelled the map of Europe, dismembering Denmarl; and France. He enlarged ihe frontiers of Prussia by the annexation of various provinces, including the dominions of three dethroned German princes; and succeeded v. placing Germany, which had previously been the weakest and least lespectcd of the s?veax Powers at the head of all the States oi Europe. The German Bund having, afc Herr yon Bismarck's instigation, resolved to invade the iMbc duchies in support of the claims of the Dutce of Augustsnbmp, Austria, Prussia, and Saxon v were entrusted with the execution of the task ; and a war broke out in '6-L with Denmark, resulting in the loss to her of the duchies ot Schleswig-Holstein and Lauenburg. Instead of giving them up to the Duke, Yon Bismarck (now created count) determined, ff possible, to annex them to Prussia. The Austrian a^d Saxon troops were v . recalled, and the quarrel eventually led " (in 18G6) to a war between Prussia and Austria, which was joined by Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse - Cassel, Hesns Darmstadt, and Nassau. The armies of Prussia were victorious ; Austria suffered a crushing defeat at Sadowa (Koniggratz), in BohcKiiiv. Hanover and the South German states were also vanquished, and the war, which was ovex in seven weeks, led to the treaty of Nikolsburg, by which Austria was . permanently excluded from tho German Bund, and Hanover, Nassau, Hesse-Cassel, and Frankfort, as well as Schles* vrig-Holatein and Laxieuburg, were annexed t«

Prussia ; and the North German Confederation; with Prussia at its' head, was established in place of the old Bund, while with the South German States an offensive and defensive alii ance was concluded, giving the King of Prussia sur-rcinc command of all their troops in timo of war. Of the North German Bund Count yon Uismarck was made Chancellor and President of the Federal Council. In addition to the sue cesses, Count yon Bismarck obtained great poulanty for creating a representative branch of the new Federal Government, on the basis of manhood suffrage. The Diet, which first assembled m '67, consisted of delegates representing a p.jlion of 29,000,000 Germans. His next aclijr -piii mi b was to prevent the attempted annox.ilion of Luxembourg by Napoleon 111. In 1 OS Count yon Bismarck withdrew ioi so?ne piojtha from active public life, bill, he was 1:1 po n vcr again before the end of the yta. . Then came tho Franco-German war of 1870, an>i after a campaign consisting of an unbroken series of victories, largely clue to the strategic genius of Count yon Moltlre, King William was able, through his Chancellor, to dictate terms of peace to his helpless assailant Of tho even Is in Prince Bismarck's life subsequent to the Franco-Geiman war, it may be mentioned that he presided at the Congress of Berlin (1S78), the Berlin Conference (1W!O), and the Congo or Colonial Conference (1834). In his domestic legislation Piinco Bismarck has been far less fortunate than m Ins diplomatic negotiations. In his economical policy, after beginning as a Freetrader he adopted a Protectionist policy. He first largely reduced the customs tariff, and 10 years Inter imposed heavier duties than ever While lie thus alienated the Liibeials, his May Laws (afterwards repealed),mtcrfering with the religious liberty of the Catholic priesthood, led to a long and bitter struggle with the Raman Church, and made all its adherents his bitter enemies. Equally severe was His policy with regard to the Social Democrats, his Draconic measures against whom pioduccd the profoundest discontent among the working classes of the ta3"ge cities. The measures lie has sanctioned against the Polish settlers in the eastern provinces of Prussia, formerly belonging to Poland, savour of Harshness. Prince. Bismarck took a prominent part in connection with the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria, and Italy, v-'hich is understood to be directed against, <i possible alliance 'between Russia nnd Fianc, agonist the Geiman Powers. The publication of the late Emperor Frederick's Diaiy, in September, 1888, threw a new light upon some of the Imperial transactions in which Prince Bismarck has been engaged. Much sensation was created both in Germany and elsewhere by the revelation of the diary respecting the authorship of the idea of German Unity. The late Emperor claimed to have proposed this policy, and to have experienced great difficulty in persuading Prince Bismarck of its practicability. The reported resignation of Prince Bismarck as Piussian Prime Minister, as well as Chancellor, was announced (February, 1890), but did not actually occur till March 17, when divergences of opinion between him and the Emperor led to his retirement. His depjrtuie from Berlin on the 29th was made the occasion of a great popular demonstration. He has since resided at his country seat, and many of his utterances have hardly displayed that command over his feelings which might have, been expected. Especially in the earlier months after his retirement considerable friction existed between him and the Emperor, and after his visit to Vienna in June, 1892, on the occasion of Count Herbert Bismarck's marriage with Countess Hoyos, the Reich sanzeiger significantly published the circular instructions sent to the Imperial representatives abroad in May, 1890, just after the Prince had retired. Tli is docament staled that " His Majesty diacriminntes between the Piinco Bismarck of former times and of to-day," and deprecated the attachment of " any practical importance to the rres9 publications claiming lo reproduce Prince Bismaick's views." In 1893, however, ihe Prince fell seriously ill, and the Emperor sent him a telegram of sympathy, and offered him the us> of one of his ca&tles to assist his ■convalescence. This offer the Prince, grateiully and gracefully declined; but. the exchange of courtesies between him and the Emperor served to make very maiiifest the desire of the Gerimn pfople foi a reconciliation This desire was gratified in 1891. The Emperor sent a present of wine to Friediichsruhe, and an autograph letter congratulating h m en his recovery from &n attack of influenza (January 23). Prince Bismarck at once responded to this gracious advance by going to Berlin, and I joaying his *irst visit to tho Emperor since he j left office. The Emperor afterwards returned 'the visit at Friedrioh&ruho. All Germany joined in congratulations on the occasion of the Prince's 50th birthday in 1895. The. year 1805 was signalled by a visit from Li Hung \ Chang, and in October by the revelations made ' [through the I'rince's organs in the press as to the existenc3 of a secret treaty of " benevolent neutrality " between Russia and Germany, which was only dissolved in 1590. ' Two attempts have been made on Prince Bismarck's life: the first by a lunatic, named Blind, on May 7, IS6G, at Berlin; the second on July 13, 1874, by Kullmann, at Kissingen. A Bismarck museum, containing all soits of objects relative to the Chancellor 3 career, has been founded at Berlin. Of the extensive litoiature on Prince Bismarck tho chief original sources in Geiman aie Pos■fort L n ttevs and Despatches ; his Correspondence by Koppen ; his Political Life and Labom p, and his Speeches, by Hahn ; his Biography, by Hezekiel; and the works of M. Buscii entitled " Bismarck and his People." There is au excellent English work, " Prince .Bismarck," by Mr Charles Lowe.—" Ilazeli's Annual."