The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-26 00:00:00

the free outspoken English people would have
chosen in their representatives P—a doubt how far
the pauperised thousands of Lancashire, and the
ghastly heaps of dead and dying but lately cum-
bering the green plains of Virginia, may have been
increased by a course of policy which irritates but
never overawes, which yields but never conciliates.

Herr TON BIsMARK has again come forward to
vindicate his cause. It will certainly be a pity if
he is not saddled with the responsibility of this

untoward war, for he takes pretty good care to tell

us plainly what era his views, and what motives
impel and actuate him in his course. The only

way to take this aff.ir is to be surprised at nothing,
and to expect the most encroaching demands to be

made by the allied armies, especially the Prussians.

The despatch in question is addressed to the agents
of Prussia at foreign courts, and of course, under
cover of this ingenious device, the most arrogant
assumptions are put forward, and the most ex-
traordinary demands made, Herr TON BISMARK

goes over the old ground again, and takes great
pains to inform us that the Government of Berlin

wished to "liberate the duchy of Schleswig from
Danish oppression." This might serve for an ar-

gument, if the sad events that have recently taken
place did not assure us that there are many other
places besides Schleswig, which is here so inge-

niously specified, that it is deemed desirable to
remove from the protection of the Danish authority,
and to put it under the sway of the German rule.
The purport of this letter is to explain the particu-
lars relating to the island of Femarn, which it has
been the desire of the allied forces to place under

the occupation of the Federal Diet. It would be
very difficult to define what limits are likely to be
put to these extravagant demands, and when we
shall see a little consistency and a slight portion of
justice in the language held by these innovators of
the rights of a country. Why this island should
be occupied is hard to make out, and it needs one to

follow Harr BISMARK'S perplexing theories to the
utmost, and then to bestow implicit credence upon

them, before any solution of the mystery is disco-
verable, and then it is ambiguous at the best.
Herr BJsMARK and his friends behold with " lively

regret" that the Federal Diet did not participate
in their undertaking, but, on the contrary, left
them to undertake the wide responsibility of the

undertaking. Can anything be more absurd than
this, when every one at all versed in politics is
aware that Prussia desired nothing better than to
take the law into her own hands, and to plan, carry
out, and consolidate matters, as it seemed most

ezpedient to the wishes of her rulers, and the in

terests of her community. Thcre is a very emphatic
passage which tells the Germanic Confederation in
a roundabout fashion, that they have failed in all
that was required of them. M. BISMARK congra•
tulates himself on the dexterous propositions of the
Austro-Prussian allies, which removed the obstacles

that had unfortunately arisen in many particulars,
and also. which obviated the danger of exhibiting
to the world the spectacle of " German want of
humanity at so decisive a moment." There may be

more disastrous spectacles than that presented to
the public gcz before the tactics of the Berlin
diplomatists are worked out. It would be amusing
if the subject were not so serious a one, and if its
results were not likely to contain such grave con-
sequences for other States, to notice the inconsis-
tencies which characterise this grandiloquent
despatch. Among the many gratulatory reflections
which swell its contents, we perceive that great
credit is taken for the universal deference that was
paid to the wishes of the Federal Diet by the Prus-
sians and Vie Austrians. After enumerating man,
instanced of consideration and other matter; of the
sort, it is thus declared in regard to the maintenance
of the "unity of the military ch'.sf command," that
it was of such especial importance that it could not
possibly be relinquish'ed. It is always the end of
these complaisant nations that they look after their
own interests coute qui coute, and take very good
care that the fruits of the conquest and the glory
of the gain shall rest with themselves. M. BISMARK
is not altogether satisfied, or, at all events, he deems
it politic to appear not to be so, for one thing is
explained, another is apologised for, as it were; and
many events are recapitulated in order to give a
favourable tuna to their relation, or a flattering
colour to their recital. Perhaps the hardihood of
effrontery has reached its climax, even for Berlin
assurance, and it is deemed requisite and essential
to glory over a few of the most striking anomalies
of the transactions which have recently taken place.
It must occur to every one that it would be
better if the Governmait of Prussia would allow
the Conference to go on, or rather to begin, in good
earnest to enter upon its business, and not to adopt
the novel but inadequate method of telling the
Cabinets of Europe its meaning through the agency
of these despatches. It is also very inconsistent
that a Minister, who has all this knowledge at his
fingers' ends, should fail so egregiously in teaching
his pl'4nipotentiaries what it is necessary that they
'faould know before they appear at the Council that
sits in debate as to the issues of this weighty
matter. The extraorainary inaction of England
is the worst possible service that her statesmen can
render to Prussia, for that ill-starred nation is being
thus fatuitonsly urged on to ruin by the extrava-
gant demands and the reckless course into which
the mistaken friendship of our country has plunged
it. It is en insult to the common sense of the
country in which the Conference meets—it is an
affront to all the other Powers that are assembled
in conclave ; and it is a cruel wrong and a positive
injury to the country most concerned, that so many
unpardonable delays should take place, and such
little progress be made in the transaction of the
matters that engage the notice of the whole world.
The only satisfactory part of this despatch is that
in which M. BISMARK regrets so bitterly that the
points to which so much importance has been
attached by the Allies have not been properly
appreciated by the other States, and that a majority
has not often been obtained in the Diet for the
propositions laid before them. Unanimity can
never prevail in a collection of such divers in.
terests and different objects as those which prevail
in the several States of Germany ; but the greatest
drawback to all concord is the intense selfishness
that prevails. This is the chief enemy, the pro-
pelling power of disunion. Unfortunately, either
of the two Powers that do hold together is too
strong for the undeniably little State that by
common consent has been singled out as the victim
of all this Federal combination, and deep laid
strategy. It is of no use for M. BISMARK to go
on with these fulminating epistles of his, because
they answer no purpose, and cannot serve his turn.
There are acme infatuated individuals who will
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their intentions. There are, however, many more
who cannot be convinced against their convictions,
and who will not fail to recognise in all these
tirades and expositions the attempt to veil an un-
worthy policy with specious pretences, and the
desira to disguse a destructive intention with dex-
terous excuses. All this can come to no good end,
and the tortuous line now pursued by the Govern-
ment of Berlin, under the able but misguided rule
of M. BISMARK, will sooner or later cause more
harm to the prosperity of Prussia than the violent