illiant
campaign of Sadowa.

The great desire of patriotic Germans was to consolidate Germany,--to
make her strong; and while Prussia, assisted by all the North German
States and by Bavaria, Baden, Wuertemberg, and Darmstadt, was fighting
France, a new Federal, Constitution was formed.

The king of Prussia was chosen German emperor, and the imperial
crown was to be hereditary in his family. There is a Diet, or Federal
Congress, composed of two Houses, the Upper House being limited
to sovereign princes or their representatives, the other, called
the Reichstag, being really the governing power of the nation.
Each State is entitled also to its own legislature.

In the Reichstag, Prussia has nearly two thirds of the votes; and
its power is much greater than that of our Congress at Washington.
The emperor can veto its decisions only when they affect changes
in the constitution. The Diet can dethrone any emperor if he is
considered incapable of governing, or supposed to be dangerous
to the Fatherland.

Practically the power of Prussia seems boundless in the federation;
she enforces her military system on all Germany, and the smaller
States submit to her, for the sake of strength and unity.

On Jan. 18, 1871, a deputation of fifty members of the Reichstag
came to the king of Prussia's headquarters at Versailles to implore
him to accept the imperial crown of Germany. The world's attention
was engrossed by the campaign which was then drawing to a close, and
the offering of the imperial crown to the Prussian sovereign formed
only a dramatic episode in the history of the war. Fortunately, as
the deputies passed Paris, shivering in their furs, while transported
in carriages of all descriptions, the Parisians made no sortie to
intercept them, and they reached Versailles in safety.

The French seemed perfectly indifferent on the occasion. "Do as
you like," seemed to be the feeling. "Have an empire if you think
proper. It is no concern of ours. We are glad to have got rid of
our own."

The day on which the deputies offered their great gift to King
William was clear and bright. Before the prefecture at Versailles
was planted the Prussian royal standard,--a black cross on a ground
of gold and purple. Round the gateway stood all the Prussian soldiers
who were off duty, waiting to see the deputies pass in. There was
no music, but shots boomed from Paris from time to time. There
was to be thenceforward one Germany, and one flag f