The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-12 00:00:00

jealousy of some of the minor GE rman Princes by
tier arbitrary and self-re lying co urse of action. For
the moment she may not venture ,to proceed further.
Provided that she can et tnblis h her deputy upon
the throne of Schleswig. bolt stein ; that she can
obtain the real, ahough not the nominal posses-
sion of Kiel as a port, a nd other strong places
as fortresses; that she cant y a show of moderation
procure the retire:neot of th e Federal troops ; that
she can avert any intimate , connection in process
of formation between the Cot irt of Paris and the
malcontents of Germany, she will gain a substan-
tial victory. The easo of Lau enburg is widely difs
ferent from that of the other duchies. That little
territory may be approptiated by Prussia without
exciting a similar outcry. Thy !re would in such en
appropriation be involved no v iolation of the prancie
plea of Legirimacy tneintaine I by the whole body
of German Sovereigns and by Russia ;no infringe'
merit of the rights claimed l is, the Royal lirse of
Augustenburg or Glucksbnr ;, and their rivals, the
ducal house of Holstein-Got to rp. Lauenburg has
before this been made a sul ):jet :t of barter. Glee
governed by its own du k es, incorporated with
Hanover in 1689, it was de t ton ed from that kings'
dom in 1815, in exchange fo r a portion of Ponlem
rania. To take to herself this little duchy vvonld
be consistent with the gen etal policy of Prussia,
without provoking the inlet -poaition of dacgerous
enemies. German Leg itimit to could not say mu ch
upon the subject ; probably the Confederati on
would murmur, but on e of their n tembers, Hutto' er,
having previously let Lauentstari go to Denims rk,
with ttie assent of tht rest of Europe, must, We
should think, confine t heir dislik e of the proct;ede
ink; to simple words. .Still it wa a not for nothing,
we may be sure, that the ces Mon c f the duchies. vess
made to Austria arid P russia —that they were
placed at the disposal of tha grey t German rowers,
and not of the Confederati on. Whether Austria
will assent to a Prussian api iropr lation of Locus
burg we cannot say, ,bat our I lopes can hardly equ'l
nor apprehensions. A conte mpora ry, the gorge's
Post, has done his duty in poi nting out to his cvun"
tcymen what the effect of this acquisitio n would be
upon the rest of Germany. l'he duchy itself a
country of lakes and plains, tad nitturally so fertile
that it has yielded to the Sov.erasig us of DenMerk
revenue beyond what might be e. spected from its
size. Although it contains only 50 ,000 inhabitants
its geographical position would rem ler is, an import'"
aut addition to the power of P meal a. It would be
as a wedge in the midst of the two AL .ckienburgst
Hanover, Flamburgh. Lubec' r, and I louiteio,
by
which it is bounded. From this lit tle province
Prussia could pursue her favou rite. polscy of inte"
Terence with the minor States c f G ernaany, having
an eye to their subsequent abi orpe ion—she could
intimidate the ft ee citizens of Hat aburgh, at the
same time that sh e exercised a pros sure upon t",
new Duke of Schleswig-Holsesiii, td could lac"
out to Hanoverians the spectacle of part of Wile
old country, similarly to bilesi and ,a moiety
01
Saxony, having become an integral p ortion of tea
Prussian dominions. We arc fa r from deeming 6
multiplication of German principalities essential to
the peace of Europe, or compatil)le wit h the ~„naa;
tenance of good police in Germs ny ias Pa" "
few years ago, a poacher, we are awaro, could c
o'
mit his depredations with impunity n pon the co
fines of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, M eckienbusgs
pollee
Strelitz, and Prussia, as when chased b the o
of one he could take refuge in either o;! other tsvom
States. We are not advocates for the se princely
sanctuaries, these constant pro vocatives to donst,stilde
warfare. and foreign ambition. But t hough we In° a
this opinion, we cannot overlook the fact that t heat
againstis upon theth e pinadrtepoofnPdernacsesioaf
We are the more concerned that Austria, through
aotrkh9errPeGt.tle re.mi atrei nen
the short-sighteduess of her statesm en , forfeits
legitimate position in the empire. I3u t without 6,v
from Vienna the Confederation will do no goouvv`:fi
extending execution to Lattenbui .g.
simply bring their follower to the duel*? -
here-
which thay could wish to exclude hi m ; for Wither
ever a German Federal army can bu found
the Prussian eagle will shortly of terwards ,ping
his flight.