Mr. Bancroft to Mr. Fish
Sir: Before leaving Versailles the Emperor of Germany addressed a letter to the President of the United States, informing him of the new title which he had assumed on the occasion of the union of the Southern German States with the Northern. The German minister at Washington was also instructed to communicate to the President the cordial response of the German government to the words of sympathy in which the President announced to Congress the union of Germany. To this I can add that the state paper has attracted attention from one end of Europe to the other, and that I am constantly receiving evidences of the satisfaction which it has excited in every class of Germany, from extreme liberals to extreme conservatives. The new empire contains a little more than forty millions of people, who are almost exclusively of one nationality; even in the new provinces of Alsace and Lorraine 1,350,000 are Germans, and only about 300,000 are of French descent. In Posen, in the eastern part of the empire, a majority of the people are Polish; and about half a million of Jews are scattered through the country, but these all speak the German language and have for centuries been resident in Germany.
This unity of nationality already gives evidence that it will control the policy of the empire. It is held in memory that in centuries long gone by the German Emperor professed to be the successor of the Roman, and as such was constantly involved in foreign, especially Italian, wars, to the ruin of the country. No plans of future conquest are now cherished, but, instead of it, the culture and development of the homogeneous population are the great ends which are proposed. The unity of nationality shows itself already as a guarantee of a policy of peace. I have met no one who wants territory occupied by men of another race and language. Another guarantee of peace is the character of the army, composed as it is of the people, and, as with us, disinclined to any war except for self-defense. Still another guarantee is found in the federal constitution of the empire, the several governments having reserved to themselves the right of being consulted before war can be declared.
The President in his message to Congress expressed his confidence that the body which represents the people would be marked by a love of liberty, and it has proved so. The Grand Duchy of Baden is entitled to twelve representatives in the German Diet, and, though the majority of the people of Baden are Catholics, the national party has elected ten of the representatives, the ultramontanes only two. The victory of the liberal national party in Wurtemburg is still more remarkable. Three years ago it did not elect to the German customs parliament one single national member, while in the present election, out of seventeen to which Wurtemburg is entitled, all are national and liberal except two. Bavaria was looked upon by the ultramontanes as their stronghold, and in Bavaria, where the Catholics compared with the Protestants, are as five to two, the ultramontanes and the separatists combined are left in a decided minority. Thus South Germany comes into the German Parliament with all of its states on the side of union, and with a great majority for the development of the country on the principle of freedom. Yesterday the Parliament of Germany had its first sitting. The day [Page 380] began with divine service in the royal chapel, after which the speech of the Emperor was delivered in a large hall in the palace to the members of the two houses of Parliament, of whom nearly every one seemed to be present. It was addressed to them as the representatives of the German people, who have at last attained to consciousness of life and unity; and the object of the constitution was declared to be the protection of justice in Germany and the fostering of the welfare of the German people. Next to the recognition of the union of Germany as the result of the efforts of the nation, the most remarkable point in the speech is the pledge which it gives for the maintenance of peace, for respect for the rights of all other powers, whether strong or weak, and for emulation in the victories of peace. Before the day closed the Emperor, as King of Prussia, not as Emperor of Germany, raised Count Bismarck to the rank of prince.
I remain, &c., &c.,