Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1884 — THE GERMAN AUTOCRAT. [ARTICLE]

THE GERMAN AUTOCRAT.

The Official Docamenta Delating to the La&er Matter Sent to the House. Secretary Frelinghnywn Refuses to Be* eoire the Resolution Returned by Bismarck. • AH the documenta relative to the Lasker reeolutlon were transmitted by the President to the House of Bepresentativee on the 10th of March, and the reading of them was listened to with breathless interest. Mr. Hlsoock, of New York, immediately offered a resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, reciting that, as a friendly and respectful communication to the Parliament of the German Empire bad been intercepted arbitrarily by a “person” now holding the position of Chancellor of the German Empire, the House cannot but express surprise and regret that it should be even temporarily within the power of a single subject to interfere with such a simple expression of kindly feeling between two great nations; that the House reiterates its expression of sincere regret at the death of Edouard Laaxor and its sympathy with the Parliament of the German Empire. Among the documenta sent to the House by the President relating to the now famoui Lasker reeolutlon are a number of telegrams which passed between Secretary Frelinghuysen and Minister Sargent relative to the return of the resolution by Bismarck, in which Mr. Sargent said that he had been wholly die regarded. Next is a memorandum of a conversation March* 7 between Secretary Freling huysen and Herr Von Eisendecker, the German Minister, in which the latter presented the following dispatch from Bismarck returning the resolution: [Translation.] Friedrichsruhe. Feb. 9,1884.—The Envoy of the United States of America has communicated, with a note dated the Ist Inst., the text of a resolution of the American House of Representatives, dated the 9th of January, in which ths House expresses regret at the death of Dr. Edouard Lasker. Every appreciation which the persona] qualities of a German may receive in a foreign country can not but be pleasing to our national feelings especially when emanating from such an important body as the Amerioan House of Representatives. I should, therefore, have gratefully received Sargent’s oommunication, and should have asked his Majesty the Emperor to empower me to present it to the Reichstag, if the resolution of the 9th of January did not at the same time contain an opinion on the direction and affects of the political action of Representative Lasker whiehjs opposed to mv convictions. In the resolution it is said in relation to the 'deceased that “his firm and constant exposition of free and liberal ideas Aave material/t/ advanced the social, political, and economic con’dition of those people." , From my knowledge of the conrse that the political and economic development of the German people has taken, I can not regard this 'opinion as one in accordance with the facts J have witnessed. I would net venture to oppose my judgment to that of an illustrious assembly like that of the House of Representatives of the 'United States if I had not gained, during ar active participation in German Internationa: politics of more than thirty years, an experience which encourages me to attach also to my opinion certain competency within theaeJimitu, . I can not make up my mind to ask his Majesty the Emperor for the necessary authorization to communicate the resolution of the House ol Representatives of the United States to the Gerjnan Reichstag, because I should therewith have to officially indorse myself, and also to indorse, with his Majesty tbs Emperor, an opinion which Lam unable to recognize as just. Voit Bismabck, , The last document o< the series is a letter from Secretary Frelfnghuysen to Minister Sargent and is as follows. Department of Statb, Washington, March 10,1884.—Sir: I Inclose a copy of the note oi which a copy has been Handed me by the German Minister, and which states that Prince Blsynarok declines to be the medium of communl--cation between the House of Representatives oi the United States and the Reichstag of thevesoIntion on the subject of the death of Mr. Lasker. The resolution was passed by the House with the most courteous motives, tor the single purpose of expressing sympathy with the corresponding branch of government of a friendly nation in the loss of one of its distinguished members, who died within the national jurisdiction of Congress. If any other purpose has been surmised, the indisposition of this republic, as proven by the history of a century, to obtrude upon other nations sound political principles upon which our own prosperity is founded should have counteracted that surmise. In the customary order of transmission the resolution came into the possession of his Excellency, who is pleased to explain the embarrassment under which he conceives he would labor by forwarding it to its destination. The position and the personal convictions to which he alludes are matters affecting his ExceUeney alone, and upon them it is not becoming that I should make any remark further than to say it does not occur to me how the transmission of the reeolutlon would have involved an indorsement of the political views of Mr. Lasker.

My duty of courtesy to the House of Representatives ended with forwarding the resolution through the proper channel to the hands* of the officer charged with the administration of the foreign affairs in Germany. This Government is not disposed to inquire into the relations existing between the different branches of another. The sentiments of the resolution-are now generally known, their merits or demerits oau be Judged, and its non-transmission officially, as It was, intended and claimed on its face to be of friendly intent, while a matter of regret, is not one of concern to either branch of the Government of the United States. You will either forward a copy of this instruction to the Minister tor Foreign Affairs or read it to him and leave him a copy, as you ascertain he prefers. I am, etc., FBEDK. T. FBELINGHt7TBEN. It appears, therefore, that Mr. Ochiltree's resolution of condolence neither reached the German Reichstag, as designed by Congress, nor the American Congress as desired by Autocrat Bismarck, and is to remain in the pocket of the Gorman Minister at Washington. The latter said to an interviewer, in reply to inquiries in regard to the return of the resolution, that he had carried out his instructions. His Government's action in the matter was, he said, two-fold. In the first place ft was compelledf or important reasons, relating to internal politics of Germany, not to send the resolution to the Reichstag, and yet it could not merely retain it, since that might have implied indifference or discourtesy, and the course pursued by the Government was certainly the most courteous that the. situation permitted. The Minister fdlt entirely satisfied, he said, that there was no disrespect or discourtesy intended on either side.