[149] The Prussian troops commanded by General Blum, had marched upon Miloslaw which they captured after a desperate combat; but an advance guard which was pursuing the Poles when approaching a wood, was received by so sustained a fire, that the Prussians fled, rushed upon their own infantry which was following them, broke their ranks and swept the whole force away in rout. The Poles pursued the Prussians in turn, drove them out of Miloslaw and captured two of their guns.
_Sagan, May 8, 1848._--To-day the electors chosen a week ago are to appoint the Prussian representatives. I think that undue hopes are being set upon constitutional assemblies, and I fear the result may show a general state of delusion. At Vienna the resignation of Count Ficquelmont was one of the most unpleasant incidents in the whole drama:[150] some students entered his house, declaring that they would no longer have him as Minister; he obeyed and would have run great risks as he walked to his son-in-law's house if Prince Clary and two students had not acted as his protectors.
[150] On May 4 Count Ficquelmont, Minister of Foreign Affairs at Vienna, was forced to resign by a tumultuous demonstration of the students who regarded him as a pupil of Metternich.
_Sagan, May 21, 1848._--The scenes at Paris on the 15th were frightful.[151] May Heaven grant that the Moderate Party will use its triumph energetically, and that it may not be too often called upon to celebrate such victories.
[151] For several days manifestations in favour of Poland had been proceeding at Paris. On May 15 a band of insurgents attacked and invaded the National Assembly, but order was quickly restored.
To-morrow the constitutional assembly at Berlin is to open. It is so strangely composed that any beneficial result will be truly miraculous.
_Sagan, May 25, 1848._--My mind is full of Rome and of the Pope;[152] I can think of nothing else. I think that if I had been the Holy Father I should have set sail for America with a few faithful cardinals, the poor persecuted monks and nuns and all the money and holy vessels that could be collected: I should have founded a settlement upon the model of that in Paraguay and could thence have governed European catholicism in full independence, just as the American Catholics have been governed for so long. I think the Romans would speedily have cried out for the recall of the Pope; in any case he would be at least sheltered from actual indignity and would not be obliged to sacrifice innocent people and the property of the church. Possibly my idea is absurd, but at all events there would be something magnificent about it; whereas the present scenes display nothing but humiliation and degradation.