Contrary to general expectation, most of the documents men- tioned
in the action were read in Court, the exceptions being letters apparently referring to the next vacancy in the Papacy. The general drift of these documents is given elsewhere, but we may mention here that Prince Bismarck upholds tie Republic in France, as the *clikest Government she could hwe, that he rejects the Bourbons as Ultramontanes and a; likely to be favoured by other monarchs, but next to tie Republic approves the Bonapartiats, as unlikely to seek for the " revanche." His object, he says, on December 23rd, 1871, is to be left alone by France, or at all events, to prevent her
from gaining allies. Throughout he admits that Germany is dis- liked, especially since she was victorious over France. The motto of Germans must be, " Oderint dam metuant." As late, however, as January 18th, 1874, the Chancellor deprecates a collision between France and Italy, as it would draw in Germany, and Germany could not abandon her ally.
