When Carlyle heard the news of the great victories of Prussia, he wrote to a friend, “Germany is to stand on her feet henceforth, and face all manner of Napoleons and hungry, sponging dogs, with clear steel in her hand and an honest purpose in her heart.  This seems to me the best news we or Europe have heard for the last forty years or more.”

The triumphal return of the Prussian troops to Berlin was followed on the 24th of February, 1867, by the opening of the first North German parliament,—­three hundred deputies chosen from the various allied States by universal suffrage.  Twenty-two States north of the Main formed themselves into a perpetual league for the protection of the Union and its institutions.  Legislative power was to be invested in two bodies,—­the Reichstag, representing the people; and the Bundesrath, composed of delegates from the allied governments, the perpetual presidency of which was invested in the king of Prussia.  He was also acknowledged as the commander-in-chief of the united armies; and the standing army, on a peace footing, was fixed at one per cent of all the inhabitants.  This constitution was drawn by Bismarck himself, not unwilling, under the unquestioned supremacy of his monarch, to utilize the spirit of the times, and admit the people to a recognized support of the crown.

Thus Germany at last acquired a liberal constitution, though not so free and broad as that of England.  The absolute control of the army and navy, the power to make treaties and declare peace and war, the appointment of all the great officers of state, and the control of education and other great interests still remained with the king.  The functions of the lower House seemed to be mostly confined to furnishing the sinews of war and government,—­the granting of money and the regulation of taxes.  Meanwhile, secret treaties of alliance were concluded with the southern States of Germany, offensive and defensive, in case of war,—­another stroke of diplomatic ability on the part of Bismarck; for the intrigues of Napoleon had been incessant to separate the southern from the northern States,—­in other words, to divide Germany, which the French emperor was sanguine he could do.  With a divided Germany, he believed that he was more than a match for the king of Prussia, as soon as his military preparations should be made.  Could he convert these States into allies, he was ready for war.  He was intent upon securing for France territorial enlargements equal to those of Prussia.  He could no longer expect any thing on the Rhine, and he turned his eyes to Belgium.