The Karlsbad resolutions in reference to unions, and especially the
Burschenschaft, say:--"The long existing laws against both secret and
unauthorized unions in the universities, shall be maintained in their
greatest force and stringency, and particularly shall be the more
vigorously exercised towards the union instituted within these few
years, under the name of a universal Burschenschaft: as at the
foundation of this union lies the totally inadmissible presupposition
of a lasting association and correspondence between the different
universities. The government inspectors shall make it a duty to
exercise an especial watchfulness in regard to this point. The
governments are agreed upon this, that individuals who, after the
publication of these resolutions, shall be found to have remained
members of such secret or unauthorized unions, or shall have entered
into such, shall not be permitted to hold any public office." Thus, the
act of Sand, as is uniformly the case with wild and fanatical deeds of
violence, had the very contrary effect to that which he purposed, and
instead of serving and establishing the Burschenschaft, hastened its
public denouncement and suppression. In all the German states, the
freedom of the press was, moreover, abolished, so that in no German
state could a manuscript be submitted to the press without censorship.
Finally, also, a central commission of inquiry was established in
Maintz for the finding out of all demagogical schemes. The Prussian
government in particular went to work with pre-eminent energy and
vigour, and, by its persecution of many distinguished men, forfeited a
portion of that public respect which it had acquired through its
strenuous exertions for the liberation of Germany from the French, and
through other popular endeavours.
The repose of Germany during the political storms which in the
following years shook foreign countries, at length put an end to the
government alarms from demagogical agitations. The political
inquisitions and persecutions ceased by degrees; the punishment
suspended over the erring, became so much the milder as fewer
aberrations, in consequence of the established regulations, arose to
demand the care of the administrations. If therefore the impulse which
the German spirit had acquired in the Liberation War had caused it to
rush over its appropriate limits, the German nature yet returned
speedily to its inherent morality and propriety; and by its unshakable
loyalty to its hereditary princes, and relations, verified that old
praise,--that in Germany good morals have more power than elsewhere
good laws.
* * *
At the breaking up of the Burschenschaft at Jena, the 26th of November,
1819, the following song was sung; which we therefore give as one of
the most celebrated.
WE BUILDED OURSELVES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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