This cause is alone enough to reduce the German Bund to almost a
nullity, independently of its wretched internal constitution. It
effects none of the real purposes of a confederation. It has never
bestowed on Germany a uniform system of customs, nor so much as a
uniform coinage; and has served only to give Austria and Prussia a
legal right of pouring in their troops to assist the local
sovereigns in keeping their subjects obedient to despotism: while in
regard to external concerns, the Bund would make all Germany a
dependency of Prussia if there were no Austria, and of Austria if
there were no Prussia: and in the meantime each petty prince has
little choice but to be a partisan of one or the other, or to intrigue
with foreign governments against both.
There are two different modes of organising a Federal Union. The
federal authorities may represent the Governments solely, and their
acts may be obligatory only on the Governments as such; or they may
have the power of enacting laws and issuing orders which are binding
directly on individual citizens. The former is the plan of the
German so-called Confederation, and of the Swiss Constitution previous
to 1847. It was tried in America for a few years immediately following
the War of Independence. The other principle is that of the existing
Constitution of the United States, and has been adopted within the
last dozen years by the Swiss Confederacy.
Pages:
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349