For this reason, and to avoid fruitless controversy, I first imparted to Herr von Kuehlmann the accomplished fact and informed him that we had put ourselves secretly into communication with King Ferdinand.

This event was quite in accordance with the standard of equality in our Federation, by which every member was privileged to act according to the best of his ability and was merely bound to inform the friendly Powers of the proceedings.

It was not our duty to apply to Germany for permission to take such a step.
There was a three-fold reason why I did not share Germany's opinion on this question.

In the first place, my point of view was that it was not our duty to mete out divine justice and to inflict punishment, but, on the contrary, to end the war as quickly as possible.

Therefore my duty was to seize every means possible to prevent a continuance of the war.