The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-08 00:00:00

to counterbalance the dignities, even in the eyes of
that large class of small German Princes, which re•
minds us of the vast tribe of Ring's sons in the
fairy tales, who were always wandering about the
world in search of wisdom and adventures.

The condition of Greece is becoming a serious
perplexity to some of the Cabinets of Europe, who
do not wish to see it fall into a state of anarchy
which might offer a convenient excuse to rapacious
ambition. The prospect of a suitable candidate
coming forward and meeting with the approval of
the people. has been growing daily more doubtful,
and the Danes have therefore good right to feel that
by agreeing to the election of their Prince they are
conferring instead of receiving a benefit. The con-
ditions on which, according to the journal referred
to, the acceptance of the Greek Crown depends, are
mostly such as every wise man and well-wisher of
Denmark would gladly see fulfilled. In the
first place, the Great Powers are to gua-
rantee the independence of Denmark—an assurance
which one at least of them will he very unwilling
to give. Assistance to maintain order in the
monarchy for that purpose is next demanded,
which appears to us to be a more doubtful good, as
it gives ground for foreign intervention which
might not be always acceptable. A renewal of the
guarantees for the possession of Schleswig by Den-
mark as granted in 1720, is also very wisely among the
stipulations, together with a recognition of the neu-
trality of Ho'stein. There is nothing in these terms
which English statesmen could not countenance ;
nothing, indeed, that they should not support with
the full weight of their influence. England
can hardly wish the country of her future
Queen to sink into the insignificance which
the Prussians desire. A powerful and united
Danish kingdom is one of the best safe-
guards for Europe against the encroachments of
Russia, and a valuable ally for Great Britain
whether in peace or war. The other points are
directed to the settlement of that long-pending
difficulty of Schleswig-Holstein, which has crippled
the resources and paralysed the development of
Denmark during so long a period. We have seen
that the Danes have lately determined to take a
decisive step in this matter by effecting the partial
severance of Holstein in order to secure the reten-
tion of Schleswig from the kingdom. The public
meeting recently held in the Danish capital proved
that the sentiments of the people were fully in accord
with the views of their rulers, and accordingly
the King of DENMARK lost no time in put-
ting his resolutions in practice. Supported by
the great body of his subjects, who, with the sure
instinct of a free and rational people, at once
grasped the only solution of the difficulty that was
endangering the safety of the nation and paraly-
sing its sccial system, be determined on at once
effecting a partial separation between Holstein and
the rest of his dominions. The continued opposi-
tion of the inhabitants of the Duchy, influenced as
they are by the German Powers, was only too
well supported by the Federal Diet, of which Hol-
stein is unfortunately a member. The excuse for
intermeddling, and if possible obtaining a foot-
ing on neighbouring soil was too good to
be slighted, and accordingly the Germanic
Confederation seized the opportunity of in-
terfering in the interior affairs of the
Danish monarchy in a manner which the KISCI has
declared to be incompatible with the independence
of his Crown and the rights of his other subjects,
and not even justified by Federal laws. It was
only too easy to extend the demands made on Hol-
stein to Schleswig, for although the latter is not a
member of the Confederation, the appetite of that
respectable body is not unlike that of the lion who
had a fresh excuse ready for every morsel he coveted.
The ill timed despatches of Lord RUSSELL showed
not only to Denmark but to Germany that England
was upon the stronger side. No time was there-
fore to be lost in attempting to settle that
.pestion which has stood in the way of
Danish progress during so many years of discord
and perplexity. The late session of the Holstein
Estates proved very plainly the determination of
its members to abate none of their pretensions, since
they openly declared their opposition to every
common constitution based upon joint representa-
tion. Their wishes are now to be in some degree
granted to them. We referred the other day to the
heads of the KING'S proclamation, which accords
to the discontented Holsteiners more than they had
any right to demand ; but it is more than question-
able whether either the Duchy or the Confederation
will be satisfied. The Danish grasp on Schleswig
is not relaxed—it is, in fact, tightened by the
division of Holstein from Denmark-Schleswig.
The great object of Prussia, if this proclamation is
suffered to pass into force, will be therefore set
aside. The Holsteiners do not care for liberal laws,
the freedom of the press, and the other benellts
conferred by the KING. They wish for a prepon-
derance in the constitution which would enable
them to rule Denmark, and keep up that state of
weakness and confusion which is only too pleasant
to the German Powers. A strong Scandinavian
nation is an unwelcome vision on the banks of the
Rhine, and so long as unreasonable pretensions and
unjust claims will retard its realisation, we may
count upon the opposition of Prussia and Holstein.
The liberties of the loyal portion of the Danish
Monarchy have been too long restricted in obe-
dience to German theories. At the same time a
separation which allows the Holsteiners in some
measure the privilege of self-goverrment will be
no satisfaction to them so long as the fictitious claim
set up on Schleswig is disregarded. However, this
maybe, the separation:of the province from the rest
of the Monarchy is now officially announced, and the
Danes are no doubt resolved to abide the issue,
having wisely determined to bring this affair to a
speedy settlement at whatever cost or sacrifice. They
feel that nothing could exercise a more baneful
effect on the social, commercial, and political wel-
fare of their country, than the dissension and dis-
cord which has been so long provoked by the in-
fluenee unwarrantably exercised by the Germans
in this ill-regulated duchy, but it isvnetreyndt tooubtfu
whether the Federal Diet will be co
sur-
render the authority they
substi-
tute a general guaran lay claim to, and
tee in favour of Danish rights.
A thousand objections will be raised—first and
foremost a denial of the right of Denmark to make
conditions concerning her own internal affairs ou
the offer of the Greek crown to one of her princes.
Unfortunately, Lord
RUSSELL'SEn
forbid us to hope that
thiswhich matter with
becomewiththe
ss
spiritt RUSSELL'S previouswi ll act actsn
i
z u
gal
ins dh decision
Minister. We shall shortlythleearn how far the in-
telligence conveyed by the Dagbladet is authentic,
and what attitude the European Powers are pre-
pared to assume. Prussia should not be suffered
to disturb the peace of Europe, which can never
rest on a firm basis while the affairs of Greece,
Denmark, and Poland, remain in their present con-
dition.

The affairs of Poland are still most complicated,
and the news that has recently oome through Paris
is not at all satisfactory. In the first place, the
address of the Russian nobility is a most scandalous
proceeding. It is ueeless to talk of the great benefits
that have accrued from the recent changes intro-
duced by ALEXANDED 11. If this is the spirit that