MACHIAVELLI AND BISMARCK.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2041, 6 August 1885, Page 4

MACHIA VELLI AND BISMARCK.

(From the Edinburgh Review.) TIICVSK who placp any confidence in the Chancellor's protects of indifference as to the Oiiental question, will do well to mark the diffcreut phasrs of expression through which he passed until he secured Schlcswig Holstoin for Piussia. At lir»t lie condemned the SchlcswigHolstein moveincnt in indignant terms ns revolutionary, and, ns long as ho wanted to keep England in good humour at the time of the Polish insurrection, affected to speak of it as a]ma)o(t( of Austria's and the little German States. He even offered to prevent the Federal execution in the Duchies if Denmark would accept the mediation of England, and so get England to separate from France and decline the congress proposed by Napoleon 111. He thus killed two birds w ith one stone, created a coldness between France and England, and got England to keep quiet on the Polish question. After this, Bismarck nad no objection to the Federal execution, and then occurred anotliiT of his astonishing strokes of good luck -the sudden death of Frederick VII. of Denmark, on November 15, 1860, which gave a fresh impetus to the German longings to the Duchies. This event roused the Prussian Chancellor to nici edible activity ; he became all things to all men ; he cajoled England and Fiance ; made use of the Bund as a cat'spaw, and then set it coolly 'aside ; overawed ths smaller states, and •uppressed the candidate of their choice ; got Austria to join him in & work of spoilation, and then framed a pretext for quarrelling about the division of the spoil, and despoiling the spoiler. This was his first step toward enlarging the frontiers of Prussia. Dr. Busach himself, lets us know what Bismarck thinks of this diplomatic campaign of his, and he has reason to be proud; for if Machia velli and Frederick 11. wrrc both to return to life they would declare that no statesman ever profited so much by their teachiug and example. "He said to v* at Varziu in 1877 : " That is the diplomatic campaign of which I am proudest.' Baron yon Ilolstein asked : ' You wanted the Duchies fiom the very beginning!' 'Yes,' replied the prince, 'certainly I did, immediately after the King of Denmark's death. But it was a difficult job. Everybody was against me — several coteries at Court, Austria, the petty German States, and the English who grudged us the harbour of Kiel. Crowds of the Liberals were opposed to it who all of a sudden discorered that the rights of the Princes were matters of importance— in reality, it was only their hatred and envy of me — and even the Schleswig-Holsteiners themselves did not want it. I had to contend with all these, and I know n»t whom besides."