The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—It would seem that if the Germane
could get their country into a mess they would.
The long perspective through which t heir Professor-
led minds regard all practical questions magnifies
molehills into mountains and diminishes mountains
into molehills. They have no eye for real difficul-
ties, end they are frightened at little ones. I-I,re
are they still di-puting and quarrelling about their
union in such simple matters as customs and mutual
trade, and at the same time hoping to establish all
at once a great German State in the centre of Europe
ny the mere force of Imperial and Royal resolutions.
Prussia and Austria are still at variance ; the
Prussian Kingdom is itself in as great confusion end
weakness as a country can suffer without actually
undergoing a revolution ; and yet we are told by
the Frankfort correspondence of a German paper
that Austria is on the point of enforcing what is
called " Federal execution" in Holstein. Prepara-
tions for the same purpose are said f,o be on foot in
Hanover, and there is no doubt that many of the
Germans rather hope to see this formidable lan-
guage put in force. 'We do not think that either
Denmark or Europe need be in any fear of imme-
diate "execution." I'he two great German Powers
have far too much to do with their own affairs to
trouble themselves more than they can help with
the etiffieult9 the people of Schleswig seem to find
in talking Danish, and Austria and Prussia know
too well the dangers they would run in any such
interference. But the learned simplicity of many
of the German people, and the conceit of acme of
the pompous little Principalities of which we have
heard so much lately, appear to be superior to any
such considerations. We ere told, for example, in
Lhe intelligence we publish to-day, that Austria
has made a positive declaration to all the great
Powers—to France, Russia, and England, especially
to the latter—that the Dano-German question must
be settled, and that Federal execution has become
.indispensable, if Denmark should persist in her re-
sistance, no matter what the consequ' aces may leo."
This is certainly a heroic resolution, and worthy a
nation of philosophers. The consequences, as the
writer of this formidable piece of news appears to
know very well, might be the interference of
France, England, and Sweden in aid of Denmark,
and it would certainly require an entire disregard
of consequences in the Diet to oppose Fatherland to
such an alliance as this. Few countries are so
capable of defence as Denmark against a mere in-
vasion by land ; and the combined fleets of England,
France, and Denmark would reduce the Germanic
Confederation to a still more helpless isolation from
the sea than even at present. Looking at the mat-
ter as a mere military question, the Diet would be
absolutely helpless to " execute" anything if the
Danes were supported by an effective force of the
two Western Powers. The only chance of their
success would bo a diversion in their favour by
Russia, but the interest and declared policy of Russia
are in the opposite direction. If England and
France made up their minds, as the Germans seem
to bo afeaid they may, to act with Denmark and
S eeden, the Germanic Confederation would have to
give up their attempt from sheer inability to do any-
hing. There would be no need of any great ex
pause or of bloodshed. An Anglo-French fleet at
'he mouth of the Elbe, and an additional corps
d armee or so thrown into Denmark, would suffice
to reduce the Federal " corps of execution" to per-
fect harmlessness. This magnanimous disregard of
consequences may be all very well, t owever, es re-
gards the Germans themselves. If they liked to
run their heads against a stone wall at the southern
extremity of Denmark, they would be perfectly
welcome to do it, if it would only hurt themselves.
But we object to their disregarding the conse-
quences to other people of executing this meddle-
some theory. They must kilow very well that
military difficulties would be the least they would
have to encounter. A very short time, and a much
slighter pretext would be sufficient to raise all
sorts of political dangers. They cannot suppose
that their dreaded neighbour the other side of the
Rhine would confine his interference to the boun-
daries of Denmark ; and there is no saying where
the consequences of this " execution" might land
us. The Germans may think it more important to
regulate the language of Schleswig than to avoid
the expense and confusion of war, but Europe
will be of a very different opinion. If Austria
"has declared in a straightfor ward manner that
it rests with tho Copenhagen Cabinet to prevent
armed intervention, and that Denmark, not Ger-
many, must give in," we are sure that Austria will
be informed in an equally straightforward manner
that it rests with Europe to prevent armed interven
tion, and that Germany will certainly have to give
in, If the impracticable brains of German philoso-
phers are really contemplating any such absurdity
as this, we hope the Diet will be warned of thecon-
sequences in such plain and unmistakeable lee-
guage as will prevent any further attempt or threat
of the sort. We really do not want to be dragged
into war for these pedantic rights and theoretic
necessities. We are in danger enough of European
contusions without the mode of education in Schles-
wig and Holstein being made a question of national
importance. If the Germans have no regard for
their own peace and prosperity, they must have some
consideration for more practical countries. -We
have, besides, repeatedly expressed our opinion that
the Confederation have not a shadow of justice to
support their present pretensions. What may have
been the territorial arrangements of 1640, what in-
terpretations some articles of treaties may possibly
be made to bear, we do not care to inquire. It is
quite sufficient that Schleswig is not a member of
the Germanic Confederation, and that the Germans,
therefore, have no reasonable right to interfere with
the administration of it in any way but by friendly
representations to Denmark. Holstein is a mem-
ber of the Confederation, and the Diet, therefore,
has a right to see that its customs and laws are in
force in that Duchy; and the King of Denmark is
so far from refusing this right that he positively '
gave Holstein, by the patent of last March, what
almost amounted to an independent Constitution.
But the Confederation have no more reasonable
claim to interfere with Schleswig than that the
population is half German ; and if the territorial
arrangements of Europe were to be unsettled to suit
every sentiment of nationality there is scarcely one
country which could avoid the interference of some
other. The Germans have no more right to Schiele*
wig because there are many Germans in it, than
Ireland has to Scotland, or Scotland to Eng
land, because in each case numbers of Irishmen and
Scotchmen have in the course of time intruded
themselves into those countries. We, at least, with
the example of Ireland and Scotland before us, can
never admit that a separate nationality necesaarity
means a separate State, and the sooner the Ger
mans give up the dream of acquiring the seacoast
if Schleswig on any such paltry pretext, the better
for their own comfort and the peace of Europe.
They had better, at least, settle their own Con. ,
stitutions before trying to mend their neighbours'
and until they have consolidated their own power
a little they would be wise to be less careless of the
consequences of a European interference.
POST.—The question, How to dispose of our felons? has
for some time been agitating the public mind. Transporta-
tionth to Botany Bay and to Van Diemen's Land were
approved recipes of the olden time when George
George IV. were kings. But the thing was so 111, and
overdone tha.
the convicts outnumbered much the free population in those
colonies, and a state of th;ngs was produced the description
of which outraged the feelings of soberm inded, benevolent
men in this country; and on representations from the colo-
nies, which were, however, by no means unanimous, the Co-
lonial Department and Parliament abandoned the system
of transportation to Australia altogether, and adopted the
scheme of home penitentiaries, hulks, and other establish.