The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-28 00:00:00

sufferers have had to pass the last two years, but
they have shown such constancy and courage that
their characters are thereby greatly elevated, and
they have, by their endurance, borne testimony to
the true source of the strength of Englishmen
throughout the world.

The general aspect of European affairs is cer-
tainly not pacific. Angry feelings are surging up
between England and her great transatlantic kins-
folk. The strife between Russia and Poland
threatens to draw into its vortex more than one
other neighbouring power, while the long-pending
dispute between Denmark and the Germanic Con-
federation is beginning to assume a decidedly hos-
tile appearance. As is usually the case with wise
and temperate measures, the recent proclamation
of the King of DENMARK has met with opposition
in several quarters. The Rigsraad complains that
too great power for mischievous interference with
the rights of the rest of the kingdom has
been given to the estates of Holstein, while
Prussia and Hanover are up in arms at the prospect
of their prey eluding their grasp. It is easy to
talk of the rights of the Diet, the claims of the
people of Holstein, and the duties incurred by the
Danish King as a member of the Germanic Con-
federation. Nothing, however, is farther from the
real wishes of these declaimers than the acknow-
ledgment of those rights by the partial severance
of the Duchy of Holstein from the Kingdom of
Denmark. The excuse for interference with Danish
affairs, the hope of drawing that country into the
vortex of small German States would be gone, the
tempting provinces so long coveted by Prussia
would be beyond her reach, and we are not there-
fore surprised to find more than one of the Gel man
Powers already preparing their protests and pro-
claiming their indignation. We all know how on
the occasion of the matter being brought forward
in the Prussian Chamber of Deputies, Herr von
BISMARK took the opportunity of promulgating one
of his extraordinary theories of independent govern-
ment, and declared that if the Ministers thought it

necessary for the preservation of the national hon-
our, they would declare war against Denmark with-
out waiting for the sanction of the Chambers. We
now find Hanover following suit, and submitting to
the Federal Diet a string of resolutions on the
Schleswig•Holstein question: Nothing can be more
arbitrary and arrogant than the whole tone of these
resolutions. They plainly desire the Danish King
and Cabinet to abrogate their powers as rulers and
lay them at the feet of the Germanic Confederation.
In everything relating to Government the word of
the Diet is to be law. The first paragraph of the
Hanoverian resolutions suggests that the Federal
Diet should declare the adjustment of the relations
of the Duchies in the Danish monarchy laid down
in the proclamation of March 30th to be opposed
to the treaties of 1851-52, to the fundamental laws
of the Confederation, and to Federal resolutions
issued on the matter. According to this dogma, if

a Federal resolution is passed declaring Denmark
itself a German province, from the topmost cape of
Jutland to the southmost point of Zealand, the op.
position of Denmark would be illegal. Secondly,
this moderate proposal suggests that the Danish
Government should be requested to retract the de-
cision it has just arrived at, and to make, within
six weeks, an announcement conforming to the
Federal resolutions of 1858.

The next task is to encourage the peoples of Hol-
stein and Lauenburg in rebellion against their ruler
by declaring the laws, regulations, and measures
emanating from the Cabinet of Copenhagen during
the last three years to be not legally binding. It
is easy to see the anarchy and confusion which the
adoption of these resolutions would occasion in the
Danish kingdom. It gives an opportunity to all
disaffected and unruly persons to range themselves
openly against the Government, supported as they
assuredly would be by the intrigues of German
agents. The two concluding resolutions are
worthy of the former, protesting against every
attempt to separate the Duchy of Schleswig from
its troublesome Southern neighbour, objecting very
strongly to its incorporation with the Danish
Kingdom, and finally recommending the Diet to
consider what steps are to be taken in case of a
refusal on the part of the Danish Government. As they
will assuredly meet with a decided refusal it is cer-

tainly well for them to decide upon their future
course. In the meantime the terms of these resolutions
and the language of Herr von BISMARX show us
plainly enough what Denmark has to expect from
the moderation of the Diet. It remains to be seen
how far her KING and Cabinet will maintain her
rights, and what degree of support she will receive
from the free nations of Europe.