THE LATE EMPEROR'S DIARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1995, 23 November 1888, Page 2

THE LATE EMPEROR'S DIARY

FRENCH OPINION.

(From oub own Cobbbbpondbnt. )

Psria, Ootober 1.

The "Deutsohe Rundschau " published last week the first part of what professes to ba the diary of the late Emperor Frederick, selections from whioh have been widely circulated by the European press. There' seemi to be HVtie v dbabt aa to the authenticity of these extirac s although the souroe through which they wera made public, is for the present Involved m mystery, and notwithstanding that the Iron Chancellor has pronounced them to be apocryphal. There is thus far nothing m- the extraots, which does otherwise than rtflict great honor on? the depirted monaroh. They show him to be not only a great soldier, butalao. a great statesman, and at the. same time a friend of liberal government. Acoording to ibese extracts it is to the ' Emperor Frederick and not to Prince Bismarck, that Germany owes her unity. These' extraots havo produced an immense effaot among a certain class of French politicians. Believing m spite of themselves that the genius of the German" .Chancellor .had . create! Germany . at Sadowa and Sedan, they are delighted to nod that the terrible Oaanoellor is rather a creation of their exolced imagination than a grim reality. Henae arises a doubt as to the durabl i y of the German empire, and a hope that Prince Bismarok will follow the example of < O6unt i yen Moitke. The very expression of suo'h a hope is evidence that whether Prinoe Biamarck was first or second architeot of the Germain empire, it is he whom French Radlcila admit ia their hear's to be its firmest and strongest support. (> La Justice," M. Olemanceau'a organ writes : " What is beyond' doubt is that the diary of the son of William I. 1 is a terrible revelation, The Chancellor was thought to be the principal founder of the German Empire. We must not, however, Imagine that m this affair Prinoe Blsmaaok performed the character of the fifth wheel to a coach. The diplomatist who oonduoted Austria to Sadowa and France to' Sedan has a marked place m the organisation of the German Empire. What is crtaln is that a part of tbe authority of the Chancellor has vanished, and that those who have never acoepied the German Empire as durable, are Inspired with a new hope. For aomo time past all baß not marched as oue would wish m the policy of tbe German Chancellor. Perhaps ira behold the beginning of a aeries of unlucky events m the career of one whose combinations have o >8t the world so dearly. Perhaps William 11. will acoept the resignation of a statesman whom neither William, nor Frederick 111. dared to dismiss. n Let us ftd-3 that Prince Blsmargk's reportion for cynical candour was ne/er more amply illustrated than m tbe important communloation from his pea m regard to the diary of tbe late Emperor. When the Franco-German war broke out m 1870, Europe was called upon to testify that the French Empire and the Emperor were responsible for It. To-day we learn that the war was " necessary," and M. Bismarok would have resigned his office if It bad been avoided. Thus, after the I Oh»noellor's declaration, it can no longer be doubted that the nomination of a Hoheoiollern to the throne of Spain was made with the deliberate intention of causing a rupture between France and Germany, and that had not the Bffront to Beuedetti served Its purpose, the Chancellor would have brought about w»r by other means. :