The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-27 00:00:00

STATE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH called attention to the
changes which had takes place in foreign affairs since
parliament met. Those changes, be urged, affected not
only the integrity of the Danish monarchy, which a few
yeses ago was thoeght ansetial to the peace of Europe,
bat the validity of treaties, the security of the smaller
powers, and the progress of constitutional principles ow the
Centineut. He regretted the decision of the government and
the legislator, not to give active aid to Denmark. The
policy now adopted was one which ought not to be followed
by any country which desired to be great. Referring to
the motives of the German powers in their conduct
towards Denmark, he urged that Prussia was desirous of
snorting the progress of coostitutiosal principles in Den-
mark ; and on this point if there was 110 holy alliance, there
was an understanding between the despotic powers of the
Contiosat to interpose between the advance of liberty
Gamest their subjects. He criticised the diplomacy of the
government, characterising their interference everywhere
as unpleasant in its loos. He regarded the Coalmines es
little better than a fame, which resulted io tisnsferrieg
Slesirig to Germany, and the destruction of the balance of
power in Europe, while principles had been established
which rendered the maintenance of treaties barest ter

imporable.
Earl RUSSELL said the noble earthed, with Miasmal ability
and eloquence, addressed their lordships upon a very important
subject; but he admitted in the beginning of his speech that
he did not agree either with the government or with the
opposition' and he might also have added, that he did not
agree with the country. He did not lidded to enter fully
into this question, swims that the matter had beam fully
debated io both houses of parliament, and they bad come to
their conclusioom upon IL But there were some statements
of the noble earl which appeared to him to require so mach
correction in order to reduce them to the actual state of
facts that he could not avoid Docking some if them. The
noble earl throughout his speech spoke ci Denmark as if it
ware a *mushy of homogeneous parts, and as if these great
powers had invaded it for the porpoise of taking from it out
of three parts. Now, the difficulty of this question through.
out had been that Denmark being a small country wee
peopled by more than two different nose, and that the nee
which possessed the supreme power sad the capital, and en-
tirely controlled the government of the *hole country, was
at issue with another race which occupied a part of those
provinces. Bat there was soother difficulty still, and com-
plications boned this, namely, that while the majority
could exercise unjustly and oppressively, if it chose,
its power over the aserity, that minority
bad the power of appealing to the nations oo its frontiers,
containing more than forty millions of inhabitants, whose
feelings and pastime sympathised with those of that mino-
rity. In that situation of affairs die great powers of Europe
made a treaty which he had taken the liberty of calling on
a former 003•Ii00 an artificial treaty. It was the best that
Gould then be done, but it depended for its favourable opera.
tine on the temper, moderation, sad good seas of those who
had to rule in Denmark, se well ma In the mercy and for.
hoarsen of those under them. It might be remembered
that at the beginning of this corniest, in 1848, wham Preis
invaded Denmark sod Austria appealed to arms, they only
retired from the provinces of the King ci Deana with the
engagements by which they were justified in interfenng in '
the internal government of Holstein and Shawls.
They were justified in regard to Holsters by the general
law of the Germanic confederation, sad they were justified
in regard toSleswig by thole special arrangements which were
made by treaty. When the dial:vision took place between
the Germanic confederation and the King of Deemerk, the
bystanders who were parties to the treaty of 1852 were
oblged to ask themselves if Denmark had bees entirely
blameless in this matter, and whether she lied fulfilled all
the promises she had made. For his own part, after io.
guinea into ad considering the subject, he could neither
say that Denmark was blameless, nor that eke had (Walled
all the premier by which her government bad boned herself
to the German confederation. Therefore the questa° cease
to, this, that we should not be justified in purely and
simply defending Denmark. While holding out the right
band to defend her, it would be mammary we should with the
left had have compelled her to fulfil her priming sod
govern wording to her engagements, and treat her German
subjects with the same justice and fairness with which she
treated her Danish subjects. The ipteetioa wee one of
ex-
treme diacedty and complexity. It wag sot a question
whether we should go to war or not, hat that we should not
draw the sword union we were cooviDeed we were in the
right, for roles@ we were fighting in a just cause it was not
at all probable that parliament would grant the raceseary
supplies. When he said that Denmark had *of acted per.
fenly right is this matter be did not moan to defend the
great pogrom of Germany against the accusations of the
noble earl. He thought that if they bad been willing
to submit this matter to the decision of the power.
of Europe who were nut so immediately intim
vested it might have been settled by negotietioo. But
unfortunately while Denmark had for eleven years
parsiatently and continually pat herself io the wrong, Ger-
many had determined she would latex to no reason, and
ere-rld not accept any promises of redress, but !hafted into
we,, determined to settle the quanta by the arbitrament
of mar. They thought themselves in the right, and they
trees precipitated into a war. The question whether when
Femme and Kassa withdrew, we aosM have interposed,
and ti; our own mans have ril;feeded Damark, bad bees
dammed in both houses a parliament, art the House of
Coalmine had peesseted ea eddying to her Majesty, in
which they expressed their satisfaction at ha Majesty's
govenercent having.deckled ra abstaining frees armed inter-
femme in the war which was saw going on between Ger-
many ad Demnark- Had. therefore, her Majesty's 'enrol-
ment eddied upon the Houle of Gamow to enter into this
war, tha asould not have supported them is that essolotion.
The nada earl had and that the homier of Earthed
bad been fathead in this matter ; hut be *eked their
ships in what respect the honour of England bad been is
any way ieselved in this affair. We were not hand to
moist DIS/Matil man the treaty of 1852, neither aid the
honour of iberountry at all involve ea in any oblipeine to
midst Denmark in this war. He felt convinced, also, that
if ever a case acme io OA& the honour of Baena re.
raked a war, the Howard Cemmoes weld cheerfully sad
unanimously rapport the homier ad digaity of the conetry.
The *able earl bad spoken of the effect which the war is
fileswig and Haste", had had open the libertim of Conway,
and be had also referred to the sonetitutiernal question is
Prawns. It was gate tine that there bad bees fora eansider-
able period a coolest between the mown sad the House if
Oxman is Praia& with respect to a paint of vital ease•
queace-nuansely, the coostitational liberty of that enti ;
and it weeld almost seem as if we could repeat what Barb
said io thataloquent speech of hie nasty years ego upon
the pacification of America. He said, "Slavery is a weed
that grows everywhere—they may have it in Spain. then
Olaf have it in Prussia." Now, he (Lord Rumelß, for olio,
itggia be loth to think that the people of Pruett is the