The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-23 00:00:00

backs and disasters. Just now, however, these
superabundant energies seem to be turning in a
very undesirable direction, and for want of some
more pressing interest the old complaints against
England are being raked up. A considerable party
in the North employ themselves in soothing the
general feeling of irritation by every means in their
power, and some of the more reckless and unscru-
pulous organs of the Northern press do not hesitate
openly to advocate a rupture with this country.
The wiser and more enlightened portion of the com-
munity, indeed, shrink from such a course, while
they do not recognise the wrongs of which the
I Americans have to complain, and the Government
is naturally adxious not to be forced into a gigantic
and suicidal strife. But the turbulent spirits who
seek to gratify their interest, their ambition, or
their restlessness, by a fresh war, are sufficiently
numerous to be troublesome, and no pru-
dent man will watch their proceedings
without regret. The Americans have always mani-
fested a tendency to quarrel with us, to misrepresent
our actions, to malign our policy, and to suspect us
very unjustly of envying or depreciating their
greatness. They seem to forget that a considerable
school of British politicians accept America as the
model constitution of the day, while the grandeur
and prosperity of the nation, the energy and skill
of the people, and the rapid growth of their mate-
rial wealth, are rather sources of gratification than
of envy to the general body. Englishmen are too
much attached to their own forms and institutions
to wish to exchange them for others; but at the
same time the American constitution is, in many
respects, so kindred to our own that we cannot
but watch it with the deepest interest. The course
of the momentous struggle has been followed by
us with an anxiety and eagerness only second to
that felt in the States themselves, while our con-
duct, which the South has certainly some reason to
complain of, has been only too favourable to be
just towards the North. It seems, however, that
the lack of sympathy generally shown to the
Federal cause is the grand cause, the fact
being that Englishmen had so thoroughly
learned the American doctrine of State Rights
and self - government that they could not un-
learn the lesson all in a moment. They were slow
to understand that, instead of a partnership, the
compact between the States was a mutual despotism,
that the Federation of the West had in reality all
the fetters of an amalgamated kingdom, without the
advantages of one compact body. Many of the
Federals themselves refuse to acknowledge the right
of one state to make war upon another for purposes
of government. Such a doctrine is, indeed, contrary
to the whole spirit of American history, but it is
distinctly opposed to the constitution of the Union
itself. The Americans, after boasting that they
tolerate all opinions, seem just now very unwilling
to listen to any that do not accord with their own.
It must be hoped, however, that there is a large
body of calmer and less prejudiced thinkers, who
have not yet found a spokesman.

Now that the terms of the Convention that
Austria and Prussia have made are fully known
their iniquity becomes more and more apparent,
and we may well be indignant at the manner in
which the Prussians have been allowed to have their
own way, and monopolise so much of the spoils to
themselves. Really this affair of Schleswig-
Holstein, from beginning to end, is one of the most
disgraceful episodes that have ever darkened the
annals of a nation and dimmed the lustre of its
fame. It stands out per se in the records of this
generation for shameless effrontery and remorseless
extortion. The English people are now thoroughly
undeceived as to the character of the Prussians,
about whom at one time so much was said, and from
whom so many expectations were entertained.
They may now see that all was a mere subterfuge
about their progress in constitutional rights and
their love of freedom. It has turned out on trial
that they reverence none of the rights of others, and
do not care for any advantages for themselves in
comparison with the love of conquest and the
acquisition of territory, by fair means or foul, as the
case may be. Such selfishness and want of prin-
ciple will for ever alienate from them the respect,
the confidence, and the sympathies of high and
noble natures of whatever creed and clime they may
be ; and it is not too much to say that, by her per-
sistence in plunder, and her scorn of the opinions of
other nations, Prussia has set herself apart from the
goodwill and cordial sentiments of her allies, and
given great cause to her enemies to gainsay her
actions. By the terms of this treaty, which are
skilfully worded, it is evident that Prussia has
appropriated an immense share of power and profit;
and what a contradiction is this to the assertions
of those who recently declared, and of those who
really believed, that all would come right at last,
and that the inhabitants of the Duchies would be
sure to reap great permanent advantages by the
timely interference and salutary arrangements of
the two great German Powers. Prussia has shown
that she emulates the renown of those who cat the
oyster and divide the shells, and all the fine-sound-
ing phraseology of national rights and inherent
privileges resolves itself into the ultimatum of

" He shall take who has the power,
And he shall keep who can."
A greater mockery was never witnessed than the
manner in which the Duchies have been bandied
about during the last year, the Princes and Dukes
have been put up as puppets at a show, and taken
down when it suited the purpose of the exhibitor
to displace them, and try his conjuring feats in
another direction, and with other materials to work
upon.

Austria has so far played into the hands of
Prussia, for the spoil is not so equally divided as
may appear at first sight to be the case by the igno-
rant and the uninitiated. We may notice that
Her vox BISMARCK has at any rate secured half the
coveted prize to his master in getting hold of
Schleswig ; and they are more sanguine than sapient
who put much faith in any professions of a different
arrangement to be made hereafter. it is an easier
thing to keep out the invader than to turn him out,
and the next news will be the stringent rules and
arbitrary measures which the Berlin Government,
in the plenitude of their power and height of their
wisdom, will impose on those provinces committed
to their care. The people of Schleswig may take a
long farewell of all rights and privileges, and pre-
pare to encounter many a bitter struggle and un-
pleasant occurrence. It would seemasif Prussia
had staked everything upon the possession
and made the acquisition of that place an attain-
ment which must be accomplished, no matter how
daring the venture, or how difficult the task. Time
may yet show that the result of such perfidy is not
so prosperous as some suppose, and that tehaer trea
sure so coveted may one day turn out a d
bar-
gain. It is difficult to estimate the feelings of
dis-
appointment and the sentiments of indignation
which fill the minds of many in the minor
States of Germany ; it is next to impossible to
make manifest the irritation that prevails among
the inhabitants of Schleswig in being handed over
as a conquered State, and not deemed worthy to
raise a voice in its own behalf on the occasion of a
settlement which so vitally concerns their interests
and privileges. Austria has likewise many causes