The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-25 00:00:00

Diet have taken up at such an assembly if the vic•
torious armies of Austria and Prussia were not in
Schleswig ? And if we weigh the considerations
and scruples which have prevented mere participa-
tion in the action already in progress, how can
we extract from them the confidence which is in.
dispensably necessary if we are to combine our
policy with that of the Diet ? Although we
thankfully acknowledge that individual Govern-
ments have joined us with correct and patriotic ap.
preciation of the common object, it has yet been
rarely that we have been able to obtain a majority at
the Diet in this sense ; and we have experienced
with regret that we have been compelled to rely
upon our strength and that of Austria for the main-
tenance, not only of our own, but of acknowledged
German interests, and the protection of German
shipping, and that the slightest support requested
from our Federal allies was refused, in consequence
of mistrust and theoretical deductions; and yet we
are able to maintain that the cause which we and
Austria at present advocate has not yet suffered from
this unnatural and lamentable dissension between a
majority of Federal Governments and the two greater
German Powers. We cannot, however, avoid ex-
pressing the urgent desire, for the sake of the future
of Germany, that the German Governments will not
fail to recognie• the existence of this position, and
will weigh the disadvantages which it must bring
with it to all German relations and material inte-
rests. The Federal Governments cannot deny that
the course they have pursued has not furthered their
own aims. It is in their power alone to restore the
correct and natural condition of affairs; and we con-
fidently hope that upon calm consideration this ex.
perience will not be lost upon them.
"I beg to request your Excellency to bring these
considerations to the knowledge of the Government
to which you are accredited, and empowered you
for that purpose to read this despatch.

"THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS."

THE WAR IN DENMARK,

(From the limes Special Correspondent lately with the
Allied Armies.)

BERLIN, May 22.
The hope, never bright, that the London Confer
ence would succeed in settling the Danish question,
fades and grows daily fainter, so far as the Berlin
public is concerned. How will the quarrel end, to
what terms of composition will it be possible to
bring all parties concerned, are questions which
everybody asks and nobody ventures to answer.
The keenest politicians, the most wily diplomatists,
are at fault and will not risk an opinion. The mezzo
termine long looked upon as that to which all might
be brought to consent, the personal union with
Denmark of a Schleswig and Holstein " for ever
undivided." is now rejected by both parties. The
only thing upon which Germans and Danes can be
got to agree is its rejection for totally opposite rea-
sons. The Danes deem it too much ; the Germane
too little. If the German Powers and the neutrals
could come to an agreement as to what settlement
ought to be made, it is presumable that Danish
tenacity in refusal would not be allowed to bar the
termination of a state of things which keeps Eu-
rope in agitation, and may yet, if great care be not
taken, lead to wars far more serious than that just
now suspended. Here nobody seems wiling to
credit the possibility of a recommence,meot of the
conflict between Denmark, ncw tut doc'n to two
islands and to a nook of North Jutland, and the
two great German Powers. I am quite sure neither
the Prussian nor the Austrian army lately engaged
desire it ; they feel there is no renewn ttS be gained
by the prosecution of so unequal a conflict. Neither
it it desired in Berlin; least of all, I imagine, can
it be wished for in Vienna. A prolongation of the
armistice is much talked of and thought very likely.
As for the Conference, such deliberations have been
known to last for years. Should hostilities be re-
sumed, one hears frequently asked, will England
go to war on Danmark ? Do not the same reasons
exist to hinder her doing so that withheld her from
preventing the war altogether ? I suppose nobody
doubts that if England, when the Germans entered
Holstein, had 8:01 a squadron to the Baltic and had
declared the passage of the Eider a cases belli, the
Eider would never have been passed. It is pretty
well known why oho did not do this ; it must be s
matter of opinion how far the mistrust was war-
ranted that restrained her from adopting that de-
Icided course which, whatever its perils, would cer-
tainly have prevented the invasion of Denmark.
Speculation now is busy as to what will be the
first thing done when the Conference meets again.
There are persons who think it by no means im-
probable that M. de Beust will bring forward a pro-
posal to constitute Lauenburg, Holstein, and South
Schleswig into an independent State—Leuenburg
to given up by Danmark in lien of North Schleswig.
What would Prussia ray to this ? The project might
be agreeable enough in the highest quarter, always
supposing that the Crown of the new German State
should be worn by Prince Frederick of Augusten-
burg, whose chances, be it observed, are at this mo-
ment looking better than they for some time past
have done. The present Prussian Ministry could
not support the scheme without incurring the charge
of gross inconsistency ; but consistency is not always,
de riyeun with adventurous statesmen, and such a
move would win for the Cabinet a great number of
supporters—in fact, would give it a great party in
the country. I do not, however, mean to imply
that such a course is likely to be adopted by the
Bismark Government. It would be in strong oppo
sition to the latent project of annexation to Prussia
attributed t 3 the present Premier, and by him con-
stantly denied. Apropos of that aheged plan, the
Arnim address hangs fire, so far as its presentation to
the King goes. I have not yet heard of the depu-
tation being received by his Majesty. Meanwhile, it
has caused a decided schism in the Csnservative or
absolutist party. The Kreuz Zeitung declares itself
most decidedly against annexation, as well as
against the Augustenburg, and upholds the Austro-
Prussian alliance as the only means of keeping down
the democratic and revolutionary element ia Ger-
many. The Schleswig•Holattia press also strenu-
ously opposes annexation to Prussia, but desires
the closest possible connection with that country of
the newly modelled Duchy that is to be—close con-
nection in military and naval matters, and a Cus.
toms' union ; Schleswig-Holstein ports for Prussian
ships; the fortified line of the Eider and the Schlei
to be occupied by Prussian troops whenever neces
sary ; Prussian commerce facilitated by a canal con-
necting the Baltic and the North Sea. To carry out
this last project preliminary steps have already been
taken towards the formation of a company. The
late Minister Von der Heydt's name heads the list
of the committee, whose members are chiefly Berlin
bankers and merchants. From Eckernforde to
Hamm is the most promising line, and the one
that would probably be selected.
Letters which I have received from North Schles-
wig within the last day or two do not show a state
of tnings favourable to the realisation either of that
union of the Duchies with Prussia which the Cross
Jour-no/opposes, or of that enduring alliance between
Prussia and Austria which the same paper ardently
desires. "In consequence of the rumours :float,"
says one of my correspondents,
"Of ambitious designs imputed to the Bismark Go-
vernment, a remarkab!e and amusing change has taken
place in the language of the ultra-Schleswig-Holstein party
whose members already begin to rave as much against
Prussia as they formerly did against Denmark. lam not
sure if this be not in some degree due to the presence of the
Austrians, who seem to be popular alike with Danish and
German Schleswigers, and who may not improbably have
fanned the flame of suspicion against Prussia. This
feeling towards the Prussians is most extraordinary and
unmistakeable; indeed, they take no pains to conceal it,
but rather make it a favourite topic of conversation. I have
heard Austrian officers say within the last few days that
they would prefer a war with Prussia to one with any ether
country,"
The removal of functionaries dell classes who are
known or suspected of being favourable to the
Danes continues throughout Schleswig, under the
auspices of the civil commissioners. About a week
ago Pastor Helweg and Probst Hansen were dis-
missed from their duties at Hadersleben Church.
The former was accused of preaching against the
Germans. The offence of Hansen, who has always
avoided taking any part in political affairs, was that
he refused to induct a clergyman named Massen
into the living of Tiedstrup (one of the most lucra-
tive in that part of the country), to which he had