The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-03 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The war and the negotiation which
Denmark has been carrying on against Austria,
Prussia, and Federal. Germany for now nearly 12
months have at lest come to an eud, and we are at
liberty to close with indignation and disgust one of
tte darkest pages in the annals of modem Europe.
Ths Danes must look back with very bitter feelings
of self-reproach and of indignation to the events
which have transpired since the commencement of
the month of November in last year. The Monarchy
then stood erect ; if not endowed with wealth, nor
powerful from the numbers of its people, it was at
any rate strong in its heroic traditions, in the
prestige of a long line of Sovereigns succeeding
one another with uninterrupted regularity, in
the success of its arms against its insurgent
subjects in the great battle of Idstedt in 1850,
and in the recent marriage which promises to piece
one of her Princesses upon the Throne of Great
Britain. Now she is crushed by overwhelming
force, plundered of her provinces, compelled to pay
an enormous contribution, and confined to a few
islands and to the barren peninsula of Jutland. The
result is due partly to her own errors, partly to
adverse fortune, and partly and in by far the
greater measure to the bad faith, the cruelty, and
rapacity of the two great German Powers. A year
ago she was just about to experience that first mis-
fortune which brought all the elements of mischief
which were lurking around her into the fullest
vigour and most destructive activity. On the 16th
of last November the old King Frederick died; he
was a Dane, possessing the confidence of his people,
and able to restrain them by personal popularity
and the prestige of ancient authority. His suc-
cessor, descended from a different line, more Ger-
man than Danish, and suspected, though, so far as
it appears with little reason, of preferring the in.
terests of Germany to those of Denmark, succeeded
under circumstances which entitled him to every
consideration, both at the hands of his own people
and of the German Powers, who were then pressing
on Denmark with angry menaces a settlement in
their own sense of the Schleswig-Holstein question.
But that consideration which he certainly was en-
titled to from both the unfortunate King obtained
from neither. Only two days after his accession he
was compelled by popular demonstrations, which
seemed to leave him little choice between acceding
to the wishes of his subjects and immediate deposi-
tion, to give his assent to a Constitution, not indeed
in violation of the Treaty of 1852, but of the under-
standing between Denmark and the German
Powers by which that treaty was preceded. For
an act thus extorted the King could hardly, under
the circumstances, be held responsible. A gene.
roils or even an ordinarily fair enemy would
have felt for the situation of a man who was
reaping a harvest of evil which he had not
sown, and would have waited to see whether,
when he became confirmed on his throne, King
Christian would not have found means to retract
the concession wrung from him at the first moment
by popular violence. But he had not to deal with
generous and fair enemies. Just six weeks after he
had succeeded to the throne, on the 27th of last
December, the long threatened Federal execution
against Holstein was put into effect, and the coun-
try was invaded, not, as was pretended, in a hostile
spirit, but simply to enforce the judicial authority
of the German Bund over a refractory member of
the Confederacy. Such a proceeding closely re-
sembles a distress for rent, which gives no property
in the goods distrained, but only invests the land-
lord with a pledge that he will not lose his money.
So far there was great harshness, but no falsehood
or violation of legality. From this point every step
taken by the German Powers has been stained
with fraud or violence. The ice having been
broken by the entry into the Duchies under the
pretence of legality, the Federal force, which had
served its purpose, was rudely pushed aside, and
Austria and Prussia stepped boldly on the scene to
act for themselves. Oo the Ist of February they
entered Schleswig without, so far as we can see,
any shadow of justification for such a step, under
the worn-out pretext, if pretext that can be called
which is really nothing but a confession of the in-
tention to plunder, of holding it as a material gua-
rantee. Then followed a war in which all the ad-
vantage of numbers and of the quality of arms was
so clearly on the one side as to preclude the possi-
bility of acquiring the smallest amount of military
glory by the largest quantity of military success.
Next followed the invasion of Jutland, which, as it
could not be excused on the worn-out ground of
material guarantee, was coloured as being made
for strategical considerations. At Duppel the
Danes, worn out with fatigue and entirely over-
matched by the Prussian artillery, soon ceased to
offer effective resistance, and the place was stormed
with much ease, which did not, however, prevent
the most extravagant exultation and the employ-
ment of the utmost limit of the most extreme rights
of war against the conquered. It is needless to
dwell on the armistice, on the brief renewal of hos-
tilities, and the ultimate submission of Denmark
to a power which she found it impossible to
resist. Since then she has experienced an
agony protracted through dreary months of
negociation, if that may b© called negocia-
tion which consists of the most exorbitant
and outrageous demands on the one side, and fruit-
lest appeals to justice and the law and usages of
civilised nations on the other. Peace has at last
been signed—such peace as is made between the
unhappy inmates of an Italian diligence and their
paleaerese when they have given up their pur.pa,
their watches, their rings, their bracelets, their
earrings, their studs, and their silver pencil cases,
and have thoroughly convinced their importunate
negotiators on the other side, by submitting to a
minute inspection, that nothing remains for the one
to lose or the other to gain. Denmark loses Schles-
wig and Holstein ; she pays eight millions and a
half of dollars, which must be wrung from a people
already ruined by unheard-of military exactions;
and she is called upon, contrary to the law of
nations, to expiate a wrong by paying compensation
to Prussian shipowners for having exercised the
undoubted right of a belligerent to capture enemy's
ships in time of war. We aro well used to see the
strong oppress the weak, but we never remember
an instance in which so much cruelty was blended
with so much perfidy, and the rights of nations so
glaringly violated by proceedings originating in a
pretended appeal to law and justice. It is incon-
ceivable how such an amount of territorial aggran-
dizement as has been obtained by the German
Powers—how any amount of popularity and influ-
ence could be thought worth buying at such a price.
Prussia has indeed obtained the petty Duchy of
Leuenburg ; and Germany, we suppose, must be con-
sidered to have gained, somehow or other, all that
Denmark has lost; but such acquisitions are dearly
purchased by the triumph of a policy which osten-
tatiously tramples under foot every consideration of
right and justice, and reduces what was once the law
of Europe, understood and acted on between all
nations, small and great, to the simple question of
the longest sword. If Prussia is quite sure that she
will always have power on her side, that she will
never encounter any adversary stronger than her-
self, that she has established so firm a military
superiority over every other nation of the Conti-
nent as to be able to despise those considerations
of justice and mercy which are ever invoked by the
weak against the violence of the strong, she may be
wise in the course she is now taking. But if his-
tory, and above all her own history, admonishes
her how little trust is to be reposed in the perma-
nent possession of that strength which she is now
abusing, she may do wisely to consider what mercy
she has in her turn to expect, should she be so un-
fortunate as to wage an unsuccessful war. The
treatment she received from Napoleon, and the out-
rage inflicted by it on the opinion of Europe, have
been counted among the most prominent causes of
his fall ; and Prussia in her treatment of Denmark
has as much exceeded the severity of Napoleon to
herself as she falls short of him in all those attri-
butes of military power which were unable to pro-
tect him from signal reverses and almost unexampled
misfortunes.

POTS.—The rumour that another bloody battle
has been fought in the Shenandoah Valley, which
reached us by the last American mail, is now con-
firmed, and the official report of General Sheridan
places beyond a doubt the authenticity of a telex
gram recently received in Manchester from a private
source, the genuineness of which has for the past
few days been warmly canvassed. Whether the
Confederates have sustained a serious defeat may
be open to question, but it is at least indubitable
that the Federal General claims to have routed his
opponents and to have captured a large number of
guns. The immense advantages arising from tele-
grarhie communication are to some extent neutra-
lised by the uncertainty attaching to informatio❑
which is acquired with no less rapidity than it is
transmitted. A piece of intelligence can be flashed
across a kingdom in less time than it would take
to institute the necessary inquiries to establish its
accuracy when possibly incorrect, and hence arises
the natural temptation to announce first and inves-
tigate afterwards. This observation especially
applies to the reports of the operations of hostile
armies. The news of a victory or a defeat travels
fast, and furnishes food for comment long before its
truth or falsity is satisfactorily established.
But in our thirst for intelligence at the present
day we are not satisfied unless the mails
which cross the Atlantic contain the latest
rumours transmitted from the capital to the
most distant headland which the steamers sight
ere they bid farewell to the American continent.
We are therefore constantly compelled to await a
subsequent mail before venturing to express a con.
fident opinion on the intelligence which reaches us,
and are compelled to reserve our judgment until the

latest rumours circulating in New York or Washing°
ton have been confirmed or-disproved. Nur is tbi°
the only disadventage at which we are placed in
commenting upon the substance of the Antericse,
meils. It is natural that the respective generals ell
contending armies should give somewhat different
accounts of the engagements which may take pled
bettet en them, and for such discrepancies every one
must be prepared ; but it happens that the Federo!
Government and the Federal Generals have maw
such an invariable practice of.giving the most Men'
dacious reports of the bat•les in which their trooo
have been engaged, that, unless where a defeat
admitted, or attendant circumstances confirm 01,6
etnnouncement of a victory, one is compelled 1
await the receipt of the Southern version before at
taching that credence to the statement wit,iehb;
under other circumstances, would be accorded. .111
Government at Richmond is precluded from trail
mitting its war news to Europe simultaneously Wit,
that of the rival Government at Washington, nal
not unfrequently happens that the boasted victoli
of the North are, after a short interval demonstrst
to be damaging defeats. Many considerations lead Veil
to the conclusion that the recent alleged success
Gen, Sheridan will be found to belong to this chill
It will be recollected that, after the appointalen
of Longstreet to the command of tne Confederste
army in the Shenandoah Valley, Sheridan deette°
it expedient to retrace his steps, and whilst re:
treating devastated the whole region through whin"l
he passed. According to the latest intelligence ~
had reached Strasburg, and having at this pol
secured a position which he believed he could bolt
against any attack on the part of the Confederate°
he seems to have left the headquarters of his ark
and gone to Winchester, a town some twenty nuj'e
farther north. On the morning of the 19th
October Longstreet, taking advantage of a heed
,
fog, attacked the Federal position with comPle'L
success. The Federals were taken by surprise, tbe',
left flank was turned, and they fled in the great
disorder. The temporary earthworks which ha„
been thrown up for the defence of their positie;
were carried by assault, and 24 guns fell into ttli
hands of the assailants. By the time the Fedel-
General had repaired from Winchester to the poi
which he ought never to have quitted, his army WI
been driven more than four miles up the valley tri,
point between the villages of Middleton and Net/
town, and here he succeeded in rallying his for
and making a stand against the advancing Confearo
rates. It was then 1 o'clock in the afternoon. 1:11,
hours later he, in his turn, assumed the offeuelci
and, if his report is to be relied upon, repulsed e
adversaries, regaining his lost ground, and capt°,:i
ing 50 guns, inclusive of those previously taken:l
the Confederates. The Federals had one gene'll
killed and three wounded, whilst their loss in oleo
is estimated at 5,000. A Confederate General sco
also amongst the slain, and Sheridan claims to Phi
captured 1,500 prisoners. For the details of
engagement we must still wait; but we shall;
much surprised if it does not appear that the Feud
ral army has not sustained much greater darnedl
than it has been enabled to inflict. There is lit'ff
worthy of note in the military operations elsewbee
throughout the Confederacy. There is absolute;
no news from the James River, the repulse ouj
Wiled by Grant at the beginning of October halm
to all appearances satisfied him of the inutility
attempting to carry the defences around Richnli
with the forces at present at his disposal. 01
continues to mauceuvre in northern Alabama,
Sherman still occupies Atlanta. despite the repeiTo
predictions of his opponents that its evacust`o
would be inevitable. In Missouri Price pureo
tt
his triumphant career, and has added Glasgov!o
the list of towns which have already fallen 1110
his hands. No more State elections bale
taken place; but the Republican and Demoersee
parties are untiring in their efforts to secure.rei
prize at the great contest which will be deetfol
in the course of the present month. The electilo
Mr Lincoln is believed to be almost certain. '0
President does not, however, neglect to canvas
far as he is able, the immense constituency on Wilio o
votes he must depend for the renewal of his le
to
of office. There is something very strange to °of
eyes in the Chief of the State making a stud
oration ; but it is in America as much a matte
course as for a member of the House of Coal°
here to make a speech at the banquet of an /et
cultural meeting, or in the town-hall of the bar° tvo
which sends him to Parliament. It seems Ole
recent speech made by Mr. Seward has been 0010
preted as meaning that, in the event of Mr Lisdot
not being re-elected, he would, during the rental oith
of his term of office, endeavour, so far as he
to embarrass, if not to ruin the Government • w go,
others have inferred, from the fact of the
enConventionoe n
Democratic
atoi
ct
cbn
ae
dgi
da t
el definitivelywr nominated,e
the
at once seize the reins of government without
tie
ing until the time when, in conformity with IK
Constitution, the present occupant would vacate 00
presidential chair. Mr. Lincoln has taken oeeu,!opt
to assure his fellow-citizens that all apprehert°4ol
on either score are groundless, because, as he °et
the will of the people, when constitutionally i tot
pressed, must be law for all. If the people °
tbV
North, however, have no better ground then the
for believing that neither party will abused
power entrusted to it, their guarantee for the rott
servation of order and the protection of the interi fie
of the State is extremely insignificant. So far e 000
are in a position to judge, we should say that Aeeril
considerable time has elapsed since the Fe. lab
population nave had an opportunity- of exprte
their will in a eanatitatinaa I manner, arta r'•iilt°
very long time must still elapse before they Wi
enabled to do so.