This, however, had never been taken into consideration.
After my resignation in April, 1918, a deputation from the Constitutional and Central Party in the Herrenhaus waited on the Prime Minister, Dr.von Seidler, and pointed out the importance of a severely constitutional regime, whereupon Dr.von Seidler declared that he took upon himself the full responsibility of the "letter incident." This was quite preposterous.

Dr.von Seidler could not be responsible for events that had occurred a year before--at a time when he was not Minister--apart from its being an established fact that during his tenure of office he was not aware of what had happened, and not until after my resignation did he learn the Imperial views on the situation.
He might just as well have accepted responsibility for the Seven Years War or for the battle of Koeniggraetz.
In 1917 and '18, when I had certain official dealings with the Emperor William, his horror of an unpleasant discussion was so great that it was a matter of extreme difficulty to impart the necessary information to him.

I recollect how once, at the cost of the consideration due to an Emperor, I was compelled to extract a direct statement from him.

I was with the Emperor Charles on the Eastern front, but left him at Lemberg and, joining the Emperor William in his train, travelled with him for a couple of hours.

I had certain things to submit to him, none of which was of an unpleasant nature.