The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-24 00:00:00

Danish language has thera been, as far as might be
in any way practicable, set aside altogether as a
tongue so far illegal that it is known to be, nay, for
that matter, is virtually announced to be under a
sort of a taboo—the grand guttural German
language being substituted for it. Nor is
this all Jutland itself, as Europe generally
knows but too well, has been invaded, has had its
frontiers overrun, and though there was a rumour
for a brief interval to the effect that the Prussians
had been, on second thoughts, withdrawn from
Jutland; that rumour turned out only all too soon
to have been wholly without any foundation. There,
in Jutland, as previously in Schleswig, and before
that in Holstein, the German invaders have
taken up a distinct position. And it is
while such, in truth, is the actual situa-
tion of things, yonder in the Danish seat of war,
that Austria and Prussia consent auspiciously to
the proposed opening of a Conference—without an
armistice l The territorial integrity of the Danish
monarchy under the present dynasty is to be main-
tained, no doubt. Austria and Prussia, in point of

fdct,premise as much while agreeing to this proposed
Conference without an armistice. Yes, the territorial

integrity is to be maintained—but, the invasion of
the Danish territory is to be maintained also; the wai
is to be continued. The arguments of the diploma-
tists at the council board of the Conference are liable,
all the while the Conference is sitting, to be in.
erfered with, interrupted,, rendered nugatory,
rendered it may even prove to be, at any moment
during the existence of be Conference, absolutely
ridiculous—by the sheer force of the feats of wai
accomplished by the rival commanders-in-chief.
The futility of Conferences holden daring a war,
holden. while war is in actual progress, holden
in other words without the all essential prelimi-
nary of an armistice—the futility of Conferences of
that dubious character, has long and long ago come
to be proverbial. It is for all the world like—what
shall we say ? Well, let us say, it is like arguin
as coolly as may be in any way practicable, as ,o the
probability of being able to put a stop to a confla-
gr already commenced—arguing thus (as far as
may be in any way practicable) coolly while the
floors under our feet and the walls around us are
hot and crackling with the advancing flames. Nay,
it is a more wilfully irrational proceeding in its way
than even that would be, It is arguing at a council
board, the lights at which are stuck in open barrels
of gunpowder. So auspicious, under the actual
circumstances, is this acceptance by the Austrians
and Prussians of a Conference—without an armistice.

Clouds of ominous portent are gathering thickly
round the present Administration. Not only is their
immediate course beset with difficulties—not only
have they fallen into contempt abroad, and arrayed
against them, the general feeling of the public at
large and the patriotic sense of both Houses—not
only ara they perplexed by their own vacillation
and inconsistency which causes them alternately to
do too little and too much—but they have the satis-
faction of seeing their opponents slowly but surely
gaining strength, rallying their forces, raising their
standards, and preparing their plans for the coming
car.npaign. The Conservative reaction is no longer
a vision or a theory, but an actual fact, indicated
no less certainiy in the altered tone of the adherents
of that party than in the e:ection returns. Instead
of mourning over ancient losses, they now busy
themselves in reckoning up prospective gains ;
instead of anathematising the injustice which drove
them from office, they discourse, half triumphantly,
half scornfully, on the mistakes and errors of their
rivals. The dislodgement of the present unlucky
occupants of the Ministerial benches is confidently
spoken of, and it deserves to be especially remarked
as indicative of the causes of their rapid declension
in popular favour, that the grounds of their coming
dismissal are by no means purely Conservative.
Oar foreign policy, that ingenious science of nat.d-
-g and muddling by which Earl RUSSELL has
contriveddlin to abandon De amark, to crouch to
America, to fan the flame of war betwean Russia
and Poland, without running the risk of being
scorched himself, to incense France, to encourage
Prussia on the road to ruin, to proclaim universal
peace, while Englishmen were fighting in Japan,
China, India, and New Zealand—this new RUSSELL
code is undoubtedly foremost among the reasons for

the Ministerial decline. Bat with regard to
domestic matters they do not escape scathless. Re-
form, that wonder-working word, which was at one
time the strength and the war-cry of the Whigs,
has long since become their weakness and their
bugbear. At one time the cry of Reform was suffi-
cient to rally all the wavering supporters of the
House of RUSSELL. At present it points the
sharpest arrow which can be aimed at our ennobled
Foreign Secretary. The advice to " rest and be
thankful!' may be very welcome and appropriate
when the mountain top is gained, bat the guide
who proffers it by word and example when only
half way up is likely to be looked upon with irrita-
tion and suspicion. Toe public, disgusted with the
Liberalism which avoids the question of the fran-
chise, and unconditionally rejects ttle ballot, is