The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-09 00:00:00

stated that he was bound for Copenhagen to offer
the ship to the Danish Government, but, as there
was reason to suppose her intended for Dantsic or
some other Prussian port, the Commander of the
Heimdal thought it best to bring the suspicious
stranger into this port.

DECLARAT lON OF THE HOLSTEIN

ESTATES.

KIEL, April 5.
A large majority of the members of the Holstein
Estates (40 out of 49) met to-day in extraordinary
Session, and unanimously passed the following de-
claration :

" We, the undersigned Deputies to the Holstein
Assembly of Estates at present consisting of 49
members, solemnly declare, with regard to the Con-
ference f European Powers about to assemble in
London, as follows :
"We protest against every decision may be come

to at the above Con terence, respecting the future
of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, and
in especial with regard to the person of the suc-
cessor to the throne vacated by the death of the King
Duke Frederick VII., without the opinion of the
country being first taken as to the hereditary right
of his successor. We further declai e every recogni-
tion of any such successor by the European Powers
without the previous consent of the country as not
legally valid and binding upon the same.
" We declare, moreover, hereby as the rights of
this country before God and man :
"1. That the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein
are independent States, inseparably connected with
each other for ever.

" 2. That by lineal succession and primogeniture
the male line of the Oldenburg Royal House is ex-
clusively called to the throne.
"3. That Christian IX., King of Denmark, is
therefore in no way rightfully entitled to the throne
of the Duchies, being excluded by agnates of nearer
claims, but that the London Treaty of May 8, 1552,
together with the Danish succession law of the 31st
of July, 1853, are not legally binding upen the
Duchies ; the former because foreign Powers in no
way possess the right of disposition over a country
not belonging to them, and the latter because not
ratified by the assent of the Schleswig and Holstein
Assembly of Estates, the agnates, end the Germanic
Confederation.
"4. The nearest claimant among the now living
Princes of the House of Oldenburg, after the re-
nunciation of his father, is Duke Frederick of
Schleswig•Holstein-Sonderborg-Augustenburg,who
has already declared that he has assumed the Go•
vernment as Duke Frederick VIII. of Schleswig
and Holstein.
" We further declare that the voice of the coun-
try, agreeing herewith, has unmistakably expressed
its desire, in numerous petitions to the General
Federal Diet, and in addresses of devotion and
deputations to Duke Frederick VIII. from the
Schleswig-Holstein nobility, the University, the
clergy, the teachers, and the towns and rural districts
of Holstein as well as Schleswig, to recognise Duke
Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein•Sonderborg-Au-
gustenburg as the sole and only rightful successor
to the throne, and has testified the readiness of the
people to sacrifice life and property in his service as
their legitimate Sovereign.
"Finally, we here by protest most solemnly against
every arrangement of the European Powers by which
au illegal ruler shall be forced upon the Duchie.,,
contrary to their expressed wishes, and by which
the connexion with the kingdom of Denmark defini-
tively severed by the death of Frederick VII. shall
be restored by force. We cast upon the originators
of any such arrangement the responsibility of the
inevitable disadvantages and dangers to the tran•
quillity and peace of our country, of Germany, and
of Europe.
"Kiel, April 5, 1864,"
(The signatures follow.)