Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . ew that the Volsci from overthe Rhine would not be slow to come when theoccasion offered. It was, he said, a melancholy result of the cen-turies of disunion. There were traitors in the country ;they did not hide themselves ; they carried their headserect ; they found public defenders even in the walls ofParliament. Then he continued : Everywhere wherecorruption is found there a form of life begins which noone can touch with clean kid gloves. In view of thesefacts you speak to me of espionage. In my nature I amnot born to be a spy, but I believ
Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . ew that the Volsci from overthe Rhine would not be slow to come when theoccasion offered. It was, he said, a melancholy result of the cen-turies of disunion. There were traitors in the country ;they did not hide themselves ; they carried their headserect ; they found public defenders even in the walls ofParliament. Then he continued : Everywhere wherecorruption is found there a form of life begins which noone can touch with clean kid gloves. In view of thesefacts you speak to me of espionage. In my nature I amnot born to be a spy, but I believe we deserve yourthanks if we condescend to follow malignant reptilesinto their cave to observe their actions. This is the origin of the expression the reptilePress, for the name was given by the people not tothose against whom the efforts of the Governmentwere directed, but to the paid organs to which, ifreport is true, so large a portion of the Guelph fundwas given. But we must pass on to the events by which thework of 1866 was to be CHAPTER XIII. THE OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH 870. EVER since the conclusion of peace, the dangerof a conflict between France and Germanyhad been apparent. It was not only the grow-ing discontent and suspicion of the French nation andthe French army, who truly felt that the suprem-acy of France had been shaken by the growth ofthis new power ; it was not only that the deep-rootedhatred of France which prevailed in Germany hadbeen stirred by Napoleons action, and that the Ger-mans had received confidence from the consciousnessof their own strength. Had there been nothing morethan this, year after year might have gone by and, ashas happened since and had happened before, a waralways anticipated might have been always may be sure that Bismarck would not have goneto war unless he believed it to be necessary and de-sirable, and he would not have thought this unlessthere was something to be gained. He has oftenshewn, befor
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