The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-04 00:00:00

TI-IE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDA Y EVENING, MAY 4, 1864.

accordance with the notions of despotic powers
who think the end justifies the means, but the
general world of honest and independent spirits
will censure and condemn such low cunning, and
such deep-dyed treachery. Can a more unfair edict
be sent forth than the one which enforces atten-
dance for two years at the University of Kiel, as a
sine qua non for the admission of candidates to
any official appointments in the duchy. Great
stress is laid upon the fact that Germany has
never ceased to prevent the disputes and foster the
differences that reigned between the inhabitants
and the governors. These would long since have
given place to universal feelings of amity had not
the insidious enemy laid in ambush and dealt the
fatal b'oer in the dark, which open and straight-
forward warfare could never have accomplished.
The greatest impartiality was always displayed by
the Danish Government in the matter of languages,
and hence the summary extinction of the Danish
tongue is as unwarrantable as it is harsh and
interfering. " The wise and equitable rule of the
Danish Government that in those parts of the
country in which both Danish and German are
spoken, should be used in public life, has been
destroyed by a stroke of the pen." Those who have
not minutely investigatcd the question nor
thoroughly analysed its details will be struck on
perusing this earnest little sketch with the deep
design and subtle maeceuvres that distinguish the
course of the aggressive intruders. Their cunning is
worthy of the dark secrets of the middle ages, when
all law was put aside if it chafed against the
wishes of the strong, and stood in the path of un-
worthy ambition and greedy love of gain. A
danger that lurks in the distance is very strongly
spoken of here, namely, that Prussia will not rest
until she has effected a sweeping change in the Go-
vernment at Copenhagen. This dark design was
foreshadowed in the interview which took place be-
tween Lord Wopellonsts and the renowned Herr
VON BISMARK. The latter expressed his conviction
that it would be necessary to have the present
Danish Ministry dismissed, for no certain under-
standing could be arrived at between Germany and
Denmark so long as the present democratic znstitu
tions were maintained. There can be no doubt that
the consequence of this unhappy change would be
to intioduce innovations of a startling nature into
the political constitution and national existence of
Denmark. It is quite impossible to overlook the
significance of the mode adopted by the invaders in
removing all traces that would tend to show that
any part of Schleswig ever appertained to the
Danish Crown. The Royal arms and initials are
to be removed faom the public buildings, the clergy
are forbidden to pray for the Royal family, and the
Dannebrag, the ancient and glorious flag of the
country, which has for centuries waved over the
territory of Schleswig,and from the masts of its ships
navigating the most distant oceans, has been super-
seded by the flag of the Schleswig-Holstein rebellion
of 1848." Surely it is a strange thing that such
transactions should take place, and yet Europe
looks on unmoved, thus sanctioning in a great de-
gree the oppressors and their actions. Political
motives, personal prejudice, party claims, and
a host of other influences all combine
to cause the fatal delay and create the unfortunate
situation which all lovers of freedom must deplore,
and all honest men reprobate. The wiseacres must
be indeed at a loss for opportunities of displaying
their petty spite and malice, when they order the
editors of newspapers to insert news from the king-
dom under the head of " foreign intelligence."
Truly is it here stated that all these plans and pro-
positicns tend to reveal that there was truth in
Marshal WRANGEL'S words, that " Schleswig must
now become a German province." When the offi
cials of a country era permitted to ill-treat and
assault respectable individuals, it augurs ill for the
justice of their cause, or for the integrity of their
rulers at home. We are informed that some of the
" arrested citizens" were marched through the
streets with their hands tied behind their backs,
and scarcely any covering on ticul, though it was
piercingly cold. Such brutality ie a stigma on the
name of Prussia that no time will efface, and the
most renowned exploits in the field could never
atone for the want of common feeling and sense of
honour so glaringly manifested in these details.
There was a monument in Flenaborg churchyard
over the graves of the Danish warriors who fell
in the battle of hlstead in 1850. Instead of pro-
tecting this noble work of art from injury, as was
expected, the Prussian general allowed his troops
to destroy it. Surely it was enough to trample
upon the living, without desecrating the dead. It
is truly said of this disgraceful and dastardly trans-
action, that by this act of infamy the Prussians
have put the crown on their brutal proceedings at
Schleswig, and have rendered themselves worthy
of the name of the modes:: Vandals of Europe.
This appeal to the people of Europe is a mournful
thing to peruse ; it should be a stirring summons
to the free people of all lands, and speak to them
as the trumpet blast that calls to action, but at
present there is too much reason to fear that it will
be put aside for a more convenient opportunity—
at all events we here meet with a very excellent
resume of the events of this unequal struggle, and
can ponder on the position of a brave people
deserted by all around them, and true to the last
to the instincts of honour and of freedom. Far
distant generations, in the light of a younger and
brighter day of the world's annals, may wonder how
the nations were mute while the sacrifice was
made, and that there was no warning voice to tell
the governments of the different states of their
departure from good faith, and their unworthy in-
action when so much was required from them.