Scene 1. July 14, 1851. -- After a "private understanding with Kinkel to make common cause" had fallen through, Ruge, Goegg, Sigel, Fickler and Ronge invited the distinguished men of all shades of opinion to a meeting in Fickler's home on July 14th. Twenty-six people appeared.
Fickler proposed that a "private circle" of German refugees should be formed and this in turn would give birth to a "business committee for the advancement of revolutionary objectives". This was opposed mainly by Kinkel and six of his supporters. After a violent debate lasting several hours Fickler's motion was passed (16 votes to 10). Kinkel and the minority declared themselves unable to participate any further and took their departure.
Scene 2. July 20th. -- The above majority constituted itself as a society. Joined, among others, by Tausenau, who had been introduced by Fickler.
If Ronge was the Luther and Kinkel the Melanchton then Tausenau is the Abraham a Sancta Clara [67] of the Gemman democrats. If the two augurs in Cicero could not look each other in the face without laughing then Mr. Tausenau cannot catch sight of his own earnest features in the mirror without bursting into laughter. If Ruge had discovered in the Badeners people whom he impressed, Fate now had its revenge when it introduced him to the Austrian Tausenau, a man who impressed him.
At the suggestion of Goegg and Tausenau the negotiations were postponed in order to try once again to bring about a union with Kinkel's faction.
Scene 3. July 27th. -- Session in the Cranbourne Hotel. The "distinguished" Emigration there to a man. Kinkel's group appeared but not with the intention of joining the society already in existence;on the contrary, they pressed for the formation of an "open discussion club without a business committee and without definite objectives". Schurz who acted as Kinkel's mentor throughout all these parliamentary negotiations, proposed:
"The present company should form itself into a private political society with the name German Émigré Club and should accept as new members other citizens from among the German refugees on the nomination of a member and after a majority vote in favour."Passed unanimously. The society resolved to meet every Friday.
"The passing of this motion was welcomed with general applause and with the cry: 'Long live the German republic!!!' Everyone felt that they had done their duty by being generally open-minded and that they had achieved something positive serving the cause of revolution." (Goegg, Weekly edition of the Deutsche Schnellpost , August 20, 1851.)Eduard Meyen was so delighted with this success that he waxed ecstatic in his lithographed report:
"The whole Emigration now form a coherent phalanx up to and including Bucher and with the sole exception of the incorrigible Marx clique."This same notice of Meyen's can be found also in the Berliner lithographische Korrespondenz.
In this way, thanks to a general open-mindedness and to the accompaniment of three cheers for the German Republic the great ÉmigréClub which was to hold such inspiring meetings and which was to dissolve in satisfaction a few weeks after Kinkel's departure for America, came into being. Its dissolution did not of course prevent it from playing an important part as a living entity in America.
Scene 4. August 1st. -- Second meeting in the Cranbourne Hotel.
"Unfortunately we must already report today that the expectations raised by the formation of this club have been sadly disappointed." (Goegg, loc.
cit. , August 27th.)
Kinkel introduced six Prussian refugees and six Prussian visitors to the Great Exhibition into the club without obtaining a majority decision. Damm (President, former president of the Baden Constituent Assembly) expressed his astonishment at this treacherous infringement of the statutes. ["Damm is here!" "Who is here?" "Damm is here!" "Who?" "Damm, Damm, surely you know Damm?"]
Kinkel explained: "The Club is only a loosely organised society with no other purpose than for people to get to know each other and to have discussions that are open to everyone. It is therefore desirable for visitors to be admitted to the Club in large numbers."Student Schurz attempted to cover up quickly for the Professor's lack of tact by moving an amendment to permit the admission of visitors.
Motion passed. Abraham a Sancta Clara Tausenau rose and put the two following motions with a perfectly straight face:
"1. A commission (the committee) 'should be set up to report weekly on current affairs, particularly in Germany. These reports are to be preserved in the archive of the Club and published at an appropriate time. 2. There should be a commission (the committee) to deposit in the archive all possible details concerning violations of the law and acts of cruelty towards the supporters of democracy committed by the servants of the reaction during the last three years and at the present time.'
"Reichenbach opposed this vigorously: 'He saw suspicious motives lurking behind these seemingly harmless proposals and also the wish to use the election of the members of this commission as a device to give the Club an official character not desired by himself or his friends.'
"Schimmelpfennig and Schurz: 'These commissions could arrogate powers unto themselves that might be of a conspiratorial nature and gradually lead to an official committee.'
"Meyer: 'I want words, not deeds.'"
According to Goegg's account the majority seemed inclined to accept the motion; Machiavelli Schurz proposed an adjournment. Abraham a Sancta Clara Tausenau agreed to the proposal so as not to seem unfriendly. Kinkel expressed the opinion that the vote should be postponed until the next meeting chiefly because his supporters were in the minority that evening and so he and his friends would be unable in the circumstances to regard the vote as "binding on their conscience". Adjournment agreed.
