Now he knew that just for this reason they would be most loyal to the North German Confederation.
Bismarck's moderation in the hour of victory must not obscure the importance of his triumph.

The question had been tried which should rule--the Crown or the Parliament; the Crown had won not only a physical but a moral victory.

Bismarck had maintained that the House of Representatives could not govern Prussia; the foreign affairs of the State, he had always said, must be carried on by a Minister who was responsible, not to the House, but to the King.

No one could doubt that had the House been able to control him he would not have won these great successes.

From that time the confidence of the German people in Parliamentary government was broken.