The German Empire Is a Community of Sovereigns

Germany is a nervous body incapable of regulating its own members, insecure against external dangers. Controversies and wars among the members themselves have been so common that the German annals are crowded with the bloody pages which describe them. Military preparations must be preceded by so many tedious discussions arising from jealousies, pride, separate views, and clashing pretensions of sovereign bodies. The small body of national troops, which has been judged necessary in time of peace, is defectively kept up, badly paid, infected with local prejudices, and supported by irregular and disproportionate contributions to the treasury.