He pointed out that by them and by their blood the Prussian State had been built up; the Prussian nobles were, he maintained, not, as so often was said, unpopular; a third of the House belonged to them; they were not necessarily opposed to freedom; they were, at least, the truest defenders of the State.

Let people not confuse patriotism and Liberalism.

Who had done more for the true political independence of the State, that independence without which all freedom was impossible, than the Prussian nobles?
At the end of the Seven Years' War boys had stood at the head of the army, the only survivors of their families.

The privileges of the nobles had been taken from them, but they had not behaved like the democrats; their loyalty to the State had never wavered; they had not even formed a Fronde.

He was not ashamed of the name of Junker: "We will bring the name to glory and honour," were almost the last words he spoke in Parliament.
Bismarck soon became completely at home in the House.