We must always remember that he was not responsible for it.

It had originated at a time when he was absent from Germany, and had very little influence on the conduct of affairs.

Had he been Minister two years before, there probably would have been no conflict at all.

The responsibility for it lies partly with the leaders of the Liberal party, who, as we know from memoirs that have since been published, were acting against their own convictions, in opposing the military demands of the Government, for they feared that otherwise the party would not follow them.

Much of the responsibility also rests with the Ministry of the _new era_; they had mismanaged affairs; the mismanagement arose from the want of union among them, for the Liberal majority were in many matters opposed to the King and the throne.