itical idea, passed on to will and decision. What in
1815 had been only the unimportant fancy of individuals, had become a
formalised demand of the people, around which the minds of men have
been tossed in ascending and descending waves.

Since the year 1840 the longing for political life has obtained
expression in Prussia. There has arisen family discord between the
Hohenzollern and their people, apparently insignificant, but from it
has sprung the constitutional life of Prussia, the beginning of a new
formation of the State, a progress for prince and people. Again it
becomes manifest that it is not always great times and great characters
which produce the most important progress.

But how does it happen that the favourites of their people, the Royal
race on which the hopes and future of Germany depend--that the
Hohenzollerns regard so hesitatingly and distrustfully the new position
which the constitution of their State and the Union party of Germany
offers to them? No royal race has gained their State so completely by
the sword as they have. Their ancestors have grandly nurtured the
people; their ancestors have created the State; their greatness, and
their renown in war originated in the time of the fulness of royal
power. Thus they naturally feel as a loss what we consider as a gain
and an elevation.

The whole political contest of the present day, the struggle against
privileges, the constitutional question, and the German question, are
all in reality only Prussian questions; and the great difficulty of
their solution lies in the position which the Royal house of Prussia
have taken up in regard to them. Whenever the Hohenzollerns shall enter
warmly and willingly into the needs of the time, their State will
attain to its long wanted strength and soundness. From this they will
obtain almost without trouble, as if it came of itself, the conduct of
German interests, the first lead in German life. This is known to
friends and enemies.

We faithfully remember how much we owe to them, and we know well that
the final foundation of our connection with them is indestructible,
even though they may be angry because we are too bold in our demands,
or we may grumble because they are too dilatory in granting them. For
there is an old and hearty friendship betwixt them and the spirit of
the German nation, and it is a manly friendship which may well bear
some rubs. But the German citizen feels with pride, that he values the
hon