Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . n to invite him to recon-sider his refusal. The King had the day beforemoved from Karlsbad to Baden and was therefore inthe immediate neighbourhood of Frankfort. It wasvery difficult for him not to accept this special invi-tation. How can I refuse, he said, when thirtyPrinces invite me and they send the message by aKing! Personally he wished to go, though he agreed withBismarck that it would be wiser to stay away ; allhis relations pressed him to go. It would havebeen pleasant for once to meet in friendly conclaveall his fellow Princes. Bismar
Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . n to invite him to recon-sider his refusal. The King had the day beforemoved from Karlsbad to Baden and was therefore inthe immediate neighbourhood of Frankfort. It wasvery difficult for him not to accept this special invi-tation. How can I refuse, he said, when thirtyPrinces invite me and they send the message by aKing! Personally he wished to go, though he agreed withBismarck that it would be wiser to stay away ; allhis relations pressed him to go. It would havebeen pleasant for once to meet in friendly conclaveall his fellow Princes. Bismarck, however, was de-termined that it should not be. He also had goneto Baden-Baden; the King consulted him beforesending the answer. After a long and exhaustingstruggle, Bismarck gained his point and a refusalwas sent. He had threatened to resign if his advicewere not taken. As soon as the letter was sealedand despatched, Bismarck turned to a tray withglasses which stood on the table and smashed themin pieces. Are you ill ? asked a friend who was. EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH. 1864] Schleswig-Holstem. 195 in the room. No, was the answer; I was, but Iam better now. I felt I must break much were his nerves affected by the struggle. The Congress went on without the representativeof Prussia. The Kings and Princes discussed theproposals in secret session. They enjoyed this un-accustomed freedom; for the first time they hadbeen able to discuss the affairs of their own countrywithout the intervention of their Ministers. TheMinisters had, of course, come to Frankfort, butthey found themselves excluded from all participa-tion in affairs. With what admiration and jealousymust they have looked on Bismarck, but there wasnone of them who had done for his Prince what Bis-marck had for the King of Prussia. Perhaps it was his intention at once to press for-ward the struggle with Austria for supremacy inGermany. If so, he was to be disappointed. A newdifficulty was now appearing in the d
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbismarckottofrstvon1
