uch its
chief executive. The legislative powers were intrusted to two
bodies, the Bundesrat and the Reichstag, the former representing the
various states, the latter their people. The members of the
Bundesrat were appointed by the rulers of the states which they
represented, whereas the members of the Reichstag were elected by
universal manhood suffrage.

This rise of Prussia's power and influence disturbed and displeased,
among all the European states, none more than France. It was only a
few years before Napoleon III saw himself forced, partly through
internal difficulties and partly through his failures in Mexico and
Italy, to challenge William I of Prussia. In this combat the
predominancy in German affairs was no longer at stake, as it had been
between Prussia and Austria; but so powerful had Prussia become that
France felt it necessary to defend the leadership in Central European
affairs which it then claimed. The revolution which had broken out in
1868 in Spain and resulted in the expulsion of Queen Isabella became
the indirect cause of the Franco-Prussian War. After various
unsuccessful attempts on the part of Spanish statesmen to find a king
for their country among the European princes they offered the crown of
Spain to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a relative of the
King of Prussia. Naturally the prospect of having a German prince rule
its western neighbor greatly excited France and led immediately to a
strong protest on its part. But not satisfied with this Napoleon
demanded from King William a promise that he should at no time permit
his cousin to accept the Spanish throne. These demands of the French
were promptly refused by the King of Prussia, and Bismarck and Von
Moltke saw to it that the message as delivered was brusque and
calculated to excite France to anger. Indeed, opinion was so deeply
stirred that Napoleon felt compelled to ask for a declaration of war.
On July 19, 1870, this step was taken.

Undoubtedly Napoleon was influenced in his decision by his
expectation that the south German states would either side openly
with him or else at least refuse to side with Prussia, basing this
hope on their fear that if Prussia should become all powerful in
Germany their own independence would be threatened. His
expectations, however, were not realized. As much through the
wonderful statesmanship of Bismarck, who knew when to give as well
as when to take, as through the awakening of an immensel