The Deutsche Revue gives some interesting particulars as to Prince
Bismarck's scheme for forming Alsace-Lorraine into a Federal State under the hereditary Sovereignty of each suc- cessive German Crown Prince. In 1878, the subject was discussed between the Alsatian Deputies and the Imperial Chancellor. So long, said Prince Bismarck, as the Emperor remains the Sovereign of the Reichsland and only sends an Imperial Lieutenant to Strassburg, Alsace-Lorraine must con- tinue to be governed from Berlin. " What you want is that the Government .of the Reichsland be carried on in the Reichsland itself ; and, if the Crown Prince resided at Strassburg as your immediate Sovereign, he would have his Ministry there and not here (in Berlin)." By conferring the Sovereignty of Alsace-Lorraine on the Crown Prince, the absorption of the Reichsland into Prussia would be avoided. " The people of Alsace-Lorraine are much more likely to become good Germans than good Prussians." That was a statesmanlike scheme. It was destroyed by the two attempts on the old Emperor's life. After that it had to be put aside. The Emperor felt himself too old to part with his son.
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