Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Auersperg (Prince), Adolph Wilhelm Daniel
AUERSPERG (Prince), Adolph Wilhelm Daniel, an Austrian statesman, son of Prince Wilhelm Auersperg, was born July 21, 1821, and began life as a soldier, entering the service at an early age, and continuing in it as a major in the Prince Eugène Dragoons up to a comparatively recent date. His name was definitely struck from the Army List only in the spring of 1870, on his appointment to the governorship of Salzburg. The Minister's political career commenced in February, 1867, when he was returned as member of the Bohemian Diet by the landed interest of that province. Ten months later, on Count Hartig's resignation, he was appointed President of the Bohemian Diet (Oberstland Marschall), continuing in that office till 1870, and distinguishing himself by competent and energetic administration, siding, however, strongly with the Germans. In January, 1869, he was nominated life member of the Upper Chamber, in the discussions of which he has since taken a conspicuous part. His appointment to the governorship of Salzburg (March 17, 1870) caused great dissatisfaction to the allied party of federalists and clericals, who emphatically demanded his dismissal. Throughout his term of office he has remained strictly faithful to the Constitution, and opposed even the slightest deviation from the established laws. He was appointed President of the Austrian Ministry on the retirement of Count Beust, Nov. 25, 1871. The Cabinet of Prince Auersperg, after many fruitless attempts to secure a working majority in the Reichsrath, gave up the task, and the Lower House was dissolved on May 22, 1879. The German Constitutional Party, of which this Cabinet was the representative, and which had almost uninterruptedly been in power for twelve years, had split up into factions, owing chiefly to strong differences of opinion among its members as to the policy of the Government with regard to the Eastern Question, and the maintenance of the Army establishment; and it was found impossible to reunite them. Under these circumstances an appeal to the country was imperative, and arrangements were at once made for a general election. As soon as the result of the elections was known Prince Auersperg's Ministry resigned, and on Aug. 13 Count Taafe, the late Minister of the Interior, was charged with the formation of a new Cabinet.