The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-22 00:00:00

by their naworthy fulfilment of the duties of their

position ? As if the preceding passages were not
enough, the writer goes on to affirm that they de-
serve great consideration for not having insisted
upon the cession of a part of the kingdom of Den.

mark, although they held in their hands " a large
and important province." We then learn that it is
through the fault of the Danish Government that
these exictions have been rendered necessary, bat

surely that is a very unnecessary piece of intelli
Bence. Herr VON BISMARK cannot imagine tha

any one will have the effrontery to say that it is
the fault of the Prussians. By his showing they
are immaculate models of clemency in war, patterns
of moderation in negotiation, and throughout all
things only animated by the desire of rendering
justice to all parties—such is the Berlin version of
the story. The English reading of the riddle may
differ slightly to the foregoing conclusions, and
E srl RUSSELL has not proved himself an unfit

scho:ar in his construing of it. He begins well by
saying that " Her MAJESTY'S Government would
have preferred a total silence to the task of com.
mentiog upon the conditions of the peace." Sarely
this is a significant hint that eves the obtuseness of

Prussian vanity cannot fail to comprehend, and i

speaks volumes ae to the opinions entertained over
here as to the conduct of the German Powers.lHow-

ever, says the noble lord,as they are challenged by M

BISMARK. to admit the-moderation and forbearance
of the great German Powers, they must not hesitate
to_express their opinions upon the subject. There•

upon he speaks out and declares that it is the con

♦fiction of her MAJESTY'S Government that the war
waged by Austria and Prussia against Denmark
was an unjust one, and had not for its groundwork
any of those causes which alone can sanction the
prosecution of hostilities. As to the national feel-

logs referred to by Herr BISMARK, Earl RUSSELL
very truly states that no infringement has been
made in this respect, and that vrbereas becore, Ceps-
plaints were made that the language of Denmark
was forced upon the German subjects of a Danish
Sovereign, it cannot with equal truth be averred
that the language of Germany is forced upon the
Danish subjects of a German Sovereign. His lord-
ship gives a hint as to the want of good faith every-
where apparent in the proceedings of M. DE BIS-
MARK and his friends by saying that the suggestion
made by the Prussian Plenipotentiary has not been
carried out, which alluded to the retention of the
districts north of Flensburg by the Danish CROWN.
The most striking censure of all, however, in tke
despatch is contained in the passage which treats of
the claim on the part of 111.. DE BISMARK as to the
consideration displayed by his Government. It says
that "If it is said that force has decided this quese
tion, and that the superiority of the arms of Austria
and Prussia over those of Denmark was incontest-
able, the assertion must be admitted. But in that
case it is out of place to claim credit for equity and
moderation." This is as cutting a satire upon the
upstart pretensions of Prussian arrogance as can
well be conceived, and it is a credit to Earl RUSSELL
that he should have penned such a document. it
cannot be very agreeable to the Prussian Minister
to receive it, and doubtless he has treasured it up
as another in the long list of affronts that he has
received from England. The German papers are loud
in their diatribes against our Government for send-
ing forth this communication, and if they are really
as hurt and mortified as they profess to be, so much
the better. It is well that the shaft has struck
home, and that they should understand that from
the shores of England no voice of approval will
ever come forth, and no sympathy will be felt
in their proceedings. Lord RUSSELL indulges in
another hit at the expense of Herr VON BISMARK'S
eloquence. He says that he is glad to find that the
latter admits the right of King CHRISTIAN to rule
over the Duchies of Schleswig, Holstein, and
Lauenberg, "for if they were not his to hold, 'they
could not be his to give away." Surely the rest of
Germany has been greatly at fault to permit the
possibility of such an interpretation being put upon
enunciations of policy and assertions of negotia-
tions. What is the object of this despatch of M.
de BISMARK Is it that he is really ashamed of his
proceedings, and that be is resolved to brave it to
the utmost, and defy public opinion ? Whatever
are his motives, it cannot be said that he has taken
much by his motion. Earl RUSSELL,with
givenso nmae-
thing of the spirit of his better days, has
answer to the extraordinary communication im-
parted to him. No twisting and turning can make
the reply look otherwise than a rebuff, and so it
has been taken by those whom it concerns. So it
will doubtless be taken by all who hear of it and
read it. A change must shortly take place in the
tactics of Prussia, or she will have evil days to en-
counter; but meanwhile it is lamentable to witness
the spectacle of Danish immolation before the greed
and vain glory of her ruthless conqu,,Tors. It is
one of those occurrences which are a disgrace to
human naturo, and make honest and honours ble
men bush for their species. If anything would add
to the regret e:.perienced at the sight of such epo-
liation and sacrifice it must be the thought that in
this crisis of her fate Denmark has not found the
arm of England mighty to save, nor her influence
powerful to impress ; but still at the eleventh hour
it will not improve matters to make no protest, and
Earl RUSSELL has shown the Prussian Minister that
he is one of those arch deceivers who cry peace
where there is no peace.

The deliberations of the British Assrciation have
just been brought to a close before the opening of
the other assembly, kindred rather than rival in its
nature, which is now gathering at York. As the
Scientific Association, whose labors tiro most