“Under no circumstances could I any longer submit to the thankless role of Minister-President of Prussia in a Ministry with joint responsibility, if I were not accustomed, from my old affection, to submit to the wishes of my King and Master.  So thankless, so powerless, and so little responsible is that position; one can only be responsible for that which one does of one’s own will; a board is responsible for nothing.”

He always said himself that he would be satisfied with the position of an English Prime Minister.  He was thinking, of course, of the constitutional right which the Prime Minister has, to appoint and dismiss his colleagues, which if he has strength of character will, of course, give him the real control of affairs, and also of the right which he enjoys of being the sole means by which the views of the Ministers are represented to the sovereign.  In Prussia the Minister-President had not acquired by habit these privileges, and the power of the different Ministers was much more equal.  In the new Federation he intended to have a single will directing the whole machine.

The matter is of some interest because of the light it throws on one side of his character.  He was not a man with whom others found it easy to work; he did not easily brook opposition, and he disliked having to explain and justify his policy to anyone besides the King.  He was not able to keep a single one of his colleagues throughout his official career.  Even Roon found it often difficult to continue working with him; he complained of the Hermit of Varzin, “who wishes to do everything himself, and nevertheless issues the strictest prohibition that he is never to be disturbed.”  What suited him best was the position of almost absolute ruler, and he looked on his colleagues rather as subordinates than as equals.

But, it will be objected, if there was to be a single will governing the whole, the government could not be left to the Council; a board comprising the representatives of twenty States could not really administer, and in truth the Council was but the veil; behind it is the all-pervading power of the King of Prussia—­and his Minister.  The ruler of Germany was the Chancellor of the Federation; it was he alone that united and inspired the whole.  Let us enumerate his duties.  He was sole Minister to the President of the Confederation (after 1870 to the Emperor).  The President (who was King of Prussia) could declare peace and war, sign treaties, and appointed all officials, but all his acts required the signature of the Chancellor, who was thereby Foreign Minister of the Confederation and had the whole of the patronage.  More than this, he was at the head of the whole internal administration; from time to time different departments of State were created,—­marine, post-office, finance,—­but the men who stood at the head of each department were not co-ordinate with the Chancellor; they were not his colleagues, but were subordinates to whom he delegated