The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-20 00:00:00

merly refused to comply with the demands of the
the
two Powers, and thus within five days from
time when Austria and Prussia assumed an lode"
pendent attitude diplomatic relations between hen?
and Denmark haee been completely seependea'
Now, however hostile the two Great -Powers roeYr
1°
be to Denmark, it is impossible on that ground
explain the extraordinary eagerness they ha°
manifested to make the quarrel with that kingtlie,
d°131.,
a personal one (so to speak) with themselves Tether
surnin
than with the German Confederation. As
that their sole object was to crush Denmark' I:
stands to reason that that object 3,vould be mor,
easily attained with than without the assistana c are
the other German Powers. Austria and Prussi
the most powerful States in the Confederation,
but their military strength is not so overvebelniti
ing as to enable them to despise the 0180
ante which the other German Powers are
in
the
a to grant. We must conseouentli
a little farther to discover the explanation of Ode;
singular course which they have now Parseuieed
Their chief object undoubtedly is to be aria,' "to
to act independently of the Confederation, nriguto
make the casus belli completely independent °A Ili
vexed question of succession. They have fort•eg
intimated that they will not commence host•Rrii..
before the Ist of February ; but although this 'l3 I.
mation would indicate an apparent desire upon th_c'e
part to afford an opportunity for negotiaton,
rastanc.vto
cannot fail to observe that under no circu
could they be in a position to assume the offensi,lat
before the end of the present month. Oa `slst
basis the German Powers would propose that
negotiations should be entered into it is itopossi do
to affirm, though from the nature of the detoo°6,
hitherto made upon Denmark there can be no di„.
culty in conjecturing their object. It is, howelvoi
the attitude assumed by the English Goverunlig.
at the present crisis which, not only for ti'e will
putants themselves but for neutral States, ,ed
possess the greatest interest. It has been sugge:eo
that negotiations should be set on foot of
°f;
basis of the grant by the Danish Government •
common constitution to the Duchies of Schlesol
and Holstein, on condition of the recogniticrisbe
the personal sovereignty in those Duchies 0.1 prf
Danish King. It is, however, scarcely necess•';
for us to say that negotiations on such a ,bitisin
as this must prove fruitless: This wont", 0
fact, be an entire compliance with the Ger°3oo
demands, and it may fairly be presumed '`te-
Denmark would refuse to concede to the soli!: to,
tions of friendly Powers what she has refuse Jere
yield to the threats of the Confederation. that
nave on more than one occasion pointed out
the German Powers have not the shadow' °ot
right to demand what would virtually 011" et
to a disintegration of the Danish monareliPt;oe
would no doubt be well worthy of the consider
of the Danish Government whether, in resPTies.
constitutional privileges, the inhabitants of of
wig and of Holstein—and, for that matter, °` same
entire monarchy—could not be put upon the satbig
footing; and we threw out a suggestion t?
effect a short time since. Bat it is an entirelYtiois
ferent matter to require that an atnalgotci: for
of the Duchies should be made which w°a,-,`"eish
all practical purposes, sever them from the vThe
monarchy. We cannot, therefore, see in this ltitote
posal a means of arriving at a peaceful s°lllthet
The Danes would regard such a course es
cold
suggested as one of political suicide, end "„,eed
reject it accordingly. Again, it may be fairly —gecli
what consideration is offered to Denmark Oriole
a conceseion. If it be the recognition
o sag
sovereignty of Christian IX. in the Duchies'
that such recognition is no consideration %tee
The sovereign rights of the Danish Sovereignl oaf
Duchies are already assured by formal treatl,ortir
unless treaties are henceforth to be treated as WOO
less, it surely cannot be suggested that, Yeasr,,sfe-a or
they have been concluded, bribes must be cc•-""lie,
sacrifices made to secure their observance' ts,
claims of Christian IX. rest upon the Tre,°„lllo
1852, and it is not open to the signataries
treaty to suggest that he must divide his ki°,7o of
in piecemeal in order to enjoy th© barren 10°'
ruling over its fragments.