The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-06 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

Times.—At the preeee time the Meetly of Ho.
stein mey be considered to have passed entiret3 ete
of the hands of the Danes. Not only have the
Royal troops retired beyond the Schleswig fron-
tier, but the officials engaged in the local aciannis
tration have either been obliged to follow them
or to acknowledge the Prince of Augustenburg, and
conduct their business in his name. The Federal
Execution has led to what every man of sense must
have foreseen, the transfer of the Ducal throne to
the new claimant. As the Danish troops retire the
party favourable to him engage actively in the work
of revolution, and even those who do not favour a
change think it well to acquiesce in a cause which
is evidently supported by the whole German Fede-
ration, and apparently abandoned by the Danes
themselves. Prince Frederick actually remains on
Holstein soil after having caused himself to be pro-
claimed in defiance of the assertion of the Diet that
the decision rests entirely with them; yet though
he thus takes the matter into his own hands, a mo-
tion requesting him to leave the Duehies is rejected
at Frankfort, and the Diet consequently accepts a
complicity in his acts. Although the Corps of
Execution occupies only a small portion of the soil
of Holstein, yet the protection it affords to the
revolutionary party is general. At Kiel are situated
the headquarters of the Prince's supporters, and
from that city the emissaries of the party are sent
out to carry on the agitation against the Govern-
ment, not only in Holstein,. but in Schleswig. But
it is in Holstein only that any open measures can
be ventured upon. There the field is clear for the
malcontents through the entire abandonment of the
country by the King's forces. The Danes have now,
probably, not a single man in Holstein. They have
retired beyond the Eider, and even abandoned the
positions of Frederickstadt and Rendsburg. This
sacrifice has cost them much in pride, and pos-
sibly in territory. The result may be the loss of
Holstein, in which the will of the people if
decisively expressed for the Prince of Augusten-
burg may seem to nullify any former claims. But,
unless we are much mistaken, the concessions of
Denmark will stop at the Eider. The Danes have
now raised a considerable army, and are posted to
strong positions along the southern frontier of
Schleswig. The foreign Powers which have advised
Denmark to yield so tar in order to avoid a conflict
have not thought it possible to urge upon the
King's Government the surrender of Schleswig.
The Danes have always asserted that Schleswig is
in no way connected with Germany, but indissolu-
bly united to Denmark by historical traditions and
by a public act in the early part of the last ceni ury.
And though it has been recommended by Lord
Wodehouse and by the Russian Envoy that the de-
mands of Germany, based on alleged agreements
with Denmark twelve years ago, should be so far
conceded as that the King should withdraw the
common Constitution, yet it would be going beyond
what justice demands were we to press on the Danes
the abandonment of Schleswig to the invaders,
especially since it is now clear that Federal Execu-
tion simply means the occupation of the country for
the purpose of allowing the Prince of Augusten•
burg's partisans to eject the King's officiate, and
force the people into demonstrations against the
succession that has been recognised by Europe.
Whatever course the King may take with respect
to the revocation of the Constitution, it is not
likely that either England or Russia will urge upon
him a military abandonment of the northern Duchy,
or that he would acquiesce in such advice. We
must, then, look forward to-an abatement of the
German pretensions or war. It has been announced
that Prussia and Austria propose to summon the
King to undo the work of November, and in case of
non-compliance will enter the Duchy of Schleswig
and treat it as Holstein has been treated. In case
this is attempted it is the intention of the Danes to
resist to the utmost of their power. At present the
forces of the two leading States have taken little
part in the operations. The Austrians are only
just across the Holstein frontier; the Prussians
have not yet entered. It is the Saxons and Henove•
rians who have taken possession wherever the
Danes have retreated, and who now connive at
the proceedings of the Augustenburg party. The
troops of these two States, though only amounting
to 12,000, are probably by this time opposed to
the Danes on the northern frontier of Holstein.
Were they to try to force an entrance by them-
selves there could be little doubtof the result. The
Danes are superior in numbers, and if they were
not, the history of a former contest shows that they
are quite able to repel a German attack made by an
equal force. But should an appeal to arms be made
at last we may be pretty sure that the minor States,
which now provide so large a part of the enthu-
siasm, would soon fall into the background. On
Prussia chiefly would rest the task os" really conquer-
ing Schleswig against the resistance of the Danish
Monarchy. On the issue of such a conteet it is in
vain to speculate. All that can be said is that the
invasion of a little State like Denmark by a first-
rate Power, in defiance of international engage•
ments entered into so recently, is an act which, in
the present state of Europe, must have the most
mischievous consequences. Even though the Mines
were eventually overpowered, the injury done eo
Prussia and Germany by so insolent a triumph
would be incalculable. A series of battles, in which
a people numerically feeble resisted a monarchy so
unpopular throughout Europe as the Prussian,might
arouse more speedily than Germans look for that
sympathy of which the Emperor Napoleon spoke in
his letter to the Prince of Augustenburg. As to
ourselves, and, we believe the Russian Government
also, it would ;certainly take away any impulse
which may still exist towards aiding Prussia in any
future difficulties. But we have no desire to use the
ambition of others as an argument to persuade Prus-
sia and the German States into conduct. We would
rather rely on the justice of the former and its sense
of its responsibility as a great Power. As for the
minor German States it is useless to reason with
them. Those Sovereigns have found it to their
interest to obtain a cheap popularity by rousing or
obeying the political passions of their subjects.
They know that they can never be called to account
and that stronger States must bear the brunt of
any contest which they may provoke. Bat if
Prussia will do her duty this useless war may be
avoided. It is also incumbent on the French Go-
vernment to do its best to prevent what is now
threatened. There are those who say the Emperor
Napoleon is not sorry to see the German Powers
showing themselves to the world as invaders, and
raising up in Europe an ill feeling towards them-
selves. Such persons will have it that to the irri-
tation against England for refusing the Congress
is joined a perception that war of any kind will be
to the advantage of a power which hopes for
gains by conquest. If Prussia be content to trouble
the waters that the French ruler may fish, he is not
likely to stop her in such a course. But we cannot
assume that a European Sovereign has such sinister
views; and we must hope that when it is proved
that the advance of German aggression will really
lead to war on the Schleswig frontier, the Western
Powers will be found united to prevent such a
calamity.
POST.—The present position of the Mexican
campaign has been clearly delineated in the Moni-
tour, which has afforded us considerab e information
in advance of the public intelligence brought by the
last; mail. After an inactivity caused chiefly by the
season of the year, the French had resumed, in two
directions simultaneously, a march to which the
feeble opposition of tee Republican arms no longer
imparts the character of real hostilities. The French
authorities in Mexico, with the view of reinforcing
their army on the spot, had succeeded in establish-
ing a considerable native corps under their own
standard. Thus strengthened independently of
fresh European regiments, General Bazaine divided
the bulk of his combined force into two advancing
divisions. At the head of one of these, the latest
intelligence left him making an uncontested pro-
gress through the Western States lying between
the city of Mexico and the Pacific coast. The other
division 15,000 strong, of whom 5,000 were native
auxiliaries,were advancing north ward,being already
in possession of Queretaro, about 150 miles north of
Mexico. Having gained this important centre,
they had pushed on to the neighbourhood of Gua-
naxuato, some 80 miles nearer. In advance of Gua-
naxuato, hawever, it appeared that such ragged re-
giments of the Republicans as remained were
stationing themselves, with desperate temerity, as
though prepared to dispute the possession of that.
city. The mail, unfortunately, left a few days teo
early to bring intelligence of the result of the atti-
tude they had taken up ; but if they stood to their
ground it was probable that the opportunity would
be given to the French of crushing the last relic of
opposition in the north of Mexico. We find thet
the direct intelligence from Guanaxuato, by way
of Tampico, is that the French were expected to
enter that city within a few days from
the date of it—that is, by the Ist of December
last at the latest; and from Guanaxuato to San
Luis, where Jaurez had affected to establish the
headquarters he has since he en obliged to abandon,
is no more than a few days' march. From this brief
tracing of the movements of the French forces, it
will be seen that the character of the French domi-
nion in Mexico is now undergoing a great and at
length a rapid change. Until very lately the French
forces were masters only of the comparatively small
territory between Vera Cruz and the capital. They
have now pushed out both to the west and to the
north. Towards the Pacific it is probable that the
great eentre of Guadalaxara is now in their hands,
as well as the important outpost of Valladolid ; and
these positions in the hands of the French, the
WesterntStates fall almost necessarily under their
authority. Nor does it appear that the party of
Jwirez bast hed tnv fellneeino in that Pert of the