The new Constitution proposed for Germany is by no means
quite- clear. Baden, South Hesse, and Wiirtemburg enter substantially on the old terms, but in Bavaria the King retains the command of the army in time of peace. Moreover, although the King-Presi- dent of Germany can apparently commence a defensive war at once,.
he must for an offensive one obtain the consent of the Council, in. which he commands only 17 votes out of 58. It is true that allies absolutely at his disposal, like Coburg, Mecklenburg, and the rest,. supply him with the requisite majority ; but he will need much more- than before the support of general opinion, and will be much in the-
position of a President of the Union with a dubious Senate, obliged, to conciliate persons who, unconciliated, might thwart him. We-
cannot but suspect that the arrangement has been the result of a severe fight, in which Count Bismarck has been worsted. Clearly- to keep his Emperor autocratic, he will have to induce the Southern, populations to make their kings vote straight, and to court the- representative body more than he has hitherto done. The present- one needs no courting. In the debate on the war loan, five- Socialists who pleaded for France were silenced by the President, and told by their colleagues that they ought to have their bones. broken ; while a motion has been introduced that three votes in Council ought to be reserved for Alsace and Lorraine. Clearly,. the German Parliament supports Count Bismarck to the full,. sharing his spirit as well as his policy.
Previous page
