This was the task of the Constituent Assembly, which since the spring of 1848 had with the permission of the Governments been sitting at Frankfort.

Would they be able to succeed where the diplomatists of Vienna had failed?
They had at least good-will, but it was to be shewn that something more than honest endeavour was necessary.

There were three great difficulties with which they had to contend.

The first was the Republican party, the men who would accept no government but a Republic, and who wished to found the new state by insurrection.

They were a small minority of the German people; several attempts at insurrection organised by them were suppressed, and they were outvoted in the Assembly.