Otto von Bismarck

From The School of Ambassadors, Jean Jules Jusserand 1925

No one would now relate as a fine trait to the credit of a great man what Moritz Busch admiringly reports of Bismarck's instructions to him when the memoirs of Emperor Frederick began to appear in the "Deutsche Rundschau" : "I myself consider the diary even more genuine than you do," said Bismarck to his trusty confidant ; nevertheless, "first assert it to be a forgery, and express indignation at such a calumny upon the noble dead. Then, when they prove it to be genuine, refute the errors and foolish ideas which it contains, but cautiously."¹ The trusty confidant made these words public in order to increase the admiration of his compatriots for their great man.

The day for such things has gone by, we hope ; evidence is growing that the rules of honesty cannot be of one sort for ordinary men and of another for powerful ones, or for nations. "I know but one code of morality for men," Jefferson had written to Madison, at an earlier date, Paris, August 28, 1789, "whether acting singly or collectively. He who says, I will be a rogue when I act in company with a hundred others, but an honest man when I act alone, will be believed in the former assertion, but not in the latter." The code of Jefferson will more and more triumph and that of Bismarck be more and more contemned.

      ¹Sept. 26 and 28, 1888.   "Bismarck . . . being a Diary kept by Dr. Moritz Busch," London and New York, 1898, 2 vols, I, 428, 435.

New York & London : Putnam's Sons 1925, pp. 67-8.

Bibliographic notes

Author Jusserand, J. J. (Jean Jules), 1855-1932. Title(s) The school for ambassadors, and other essays, by J. J. Jusserand... Publisher New York, London, G. P. Putnam's sons, c1925. Paging vii, 355 p. port. 23 cm. Series Essay index reprint series Notes Bibliographical footnotes.

Busch, Moritz, 1821-1899. Title Bismarck; some secret pages of his history / being a diary kept by Dr. Moritz Busch during twenty-five years' official and private intercourse with the great Chancellor. Publisher London : Macmillan ; New York : The Macmillan Co., 1898. Description 3 v. : ill., ports. ; 23 cm. Note Includes index. Language English