The Continental Monthly, Vol. 6, No 3, September 1864: Devoted To Literature And National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 6, No 3, September 1864: Devoted To Literature And National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
leaders in the movement, were not only deposed from their
professorships, but also imprisoned. The celebrated De Wette was removed
from the chair of theology in the University of Berlin, simply because,
on the ground that an erring conscience ought to be obeyed, he had
excused the deed of Sand. In short, the princes intended effectually to
crush the efforts which, though indirectly, were tending to undermine
their thrones. Seemingly they succeeded. But they had only 'scotched the
snake, not killed it.' It is easy to see that these developments must
have shaken Frederick William's purpose. Of all things, the most
unpleasant to a monarch is to be driven by his subjects. In the present
case he saw not only a loosening of the loyalty which he felt to be due
to him, but also a positive transfer of loyalty, if we may so speak,
from the Prussian throne to the German people in general. If he should
now grant a popular constitution, he would seem not only to be yielding
to a pressure, but would be surrendering what he regarded as a sacred
right, into the hands of ungrateful recipients. He therefore set himself
against the popular current, gave up his former plan, and contented
himself with restoring, in some degree, the form of government as it had
existed before the establishment of the absolute monarchy. He gave, in
1823, to the estates of the provinces, a class of men consisting partly
of nobles and owners of knights' manors, partly of representatives of
the cities and of the peasants, the right of _advising_ the crown in
matters specially concerning the several provinces. Nothing further was
done in the matter of modifying the constitution during the reign of
Frederick William III., although he declared his _intention_ of
organizing a national diet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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