ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Tan Aligemeine Zeitung lends authenticity to a remarkable document which had already appeared in a Swiss paper, the Evolution. It purports to be a manifesto of " The German Democrats " abroad, in meeting assembled, and to be a programme of the policy which they will pursue. It sneers at the "half-revolutions " of France, Germany and Italy, now undisguisedly resulting in a virtual return to the styles of government as they existed before February, 1848 ; it adopts the Red Republic as manifested in Paris during the days of June. The German Democrats • denounce the sham Democrats of Frankfurt, the Neutralists of Switzer- land, the Middle-class Republicans of Europe, the Philosophical politi- cians, and the smaller Socialists ; they declare for a complete system of Communism—abolition of landed property, State care of industry and produce, universal education, and extinction of religion! It would be easy to sneer at this extravagant paper ; but those who are best informed know how Communism has spread under the surface throughout Europe.
(From the Spectator of June 16th, 1849.)
Previous page
