No. 268.
Mr. White
to Mr. Evarts.
Berlin, April 12, 1880. (Received April 30.)
Sir: The news has doubtless reached you that on Tuesday last Prince Bismarck officially tendered to the Emperor his resignation of the chancellorship. As everything concerning the chancellor is of general interest, I hasten to inform you of the circumstances which, according to official communications to the newspapers, have led him to take this step.
At the sitting of the federal council on the 3d instant, the question of imposing a tax in the form of a stamp on post-office orders and remittances came up for discussion. A considerable number of the delegates, [Page 406] it appears, were absent$ but the representatives of Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria, holding twenty-eight votes and representing thirty-three millions of the population of the empire, were present, and voted for the proposed tax. Opposed to it were the representatives of all the remaining states, possessing thirty votes, which, however, represented but seven and a half millions of the population. When, therefore, the question came to a vote, Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria were outvoted by a majority of two, and the proposal was, for the time, lost.
This occurrence is quite within the letter of the constitution. The small states and principalities can, in the federal council, outvote the representatives of the large and powerful kingdoms of Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria, though this is the first instance of such a vote being given, at least on a matter of importance. It now seems the wish of the chancellor to have it understood that in seizing this occasion to send in his resignation he desired to call public attention to what he considers a very grave fault in the constitution and one which needs speedy remedy.
The semi-official journals also complain of the unparliamentary system of voting which the members of the federal council have adopted. These have the right to delegate their votes to others, and thus a system of absenteeism has arisen extremely unfavorable to adequate consideration of the measures which the council is called to discuss. At the sitting of the 3d instant no fewer than thirteen states of the twenty-five forming the empire were represented by proxy, so that two of the representatives present possessed sixteen of the total of fifty-eight votes.
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There is a very general expression throughout the German press in favor of some reform to prevent the recurrence of such a complication as that of the 3d instant. This is greatly strengthened by the Emperor’s reply to the chancellor, which appeared on Friday, and of which I inclose a copy with translation, declining to accept the resignation, and leaving it to the chancellor to propose such constitutional measures as may be necessary.
So far as relates to the immediate measure concerned, that of taxing post-office orders, there is no doubt that the vote will be modified to meet the chancellor’s views. A solution of the difficulties arising from voting by proxy is also easily possible; but the remaining question is a serious one, for it involves the breaking down of safeguards in the existing constitution which have been thought essential to the proper independence of the lesser states.
There is very little doubt that the German people, as a whole, would, by an immense majority, be willing to allow the representation in the federal council to be based upon population; but such a decision would hardly be acquiesced in by the ruling classes in the smaller states without very great pressure. This difficulty is already foreshadowed in the newspapers, no two of which seem to agree upon a remedy.
But there seems no doubt that matters will be so arranged that the chancellor may retain his office.
I have, &c.,