The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-06 00:00:00

DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.

The Schleswig-Holstein Journal gives, under the head
of Rendsburgh, May 29 :—" This afternoon the news
arrived here of a serious contest between the German and
Danish troops at Sundewitt. Yesterday (Sunday) was
appointed for relieving the advanced posts of the confe-
derate troops opposite Alsen. Of this the Danes received
notice by means of their spies. Reinforced by troops
which must have been brought from Funen to Alsen, they
landed on the mainland, which circumstance the Germans
did not deem of importance, as their attention was taken
up by the arrival and departure of their own troops. Di-
rectly after the new picquets were posted, they found
themselves attacked by a large number of Danish troops,
supported by artillery, beneath the heights of Duppeler,
whilst at the same time a number of vessels of war and
gun-boats appeared to the west of Ekensund (near Alnoer
and Treppe), as if a landing were also to be effected there.
It was evident that the Danes by this would endeavour to
divide the attention of the German forces. On the Dup.
peler heights a very severe combat took place, by which
great numbers were killed and wounded on both sides.
No returns have yet been furnished of the numbers. The
Danes fought with the greatest bravery. Their numbers
in the field were stated to be 8,000 men, whilst the Ger-
mans had only 7,000. The battle lasted several hours,
but at seven in the evening the German troops retreated
by Gravenstein, and to the north towards Quars ; and
the Danes advanced .to near Gravenstein." The private
reports speak of the loss of the Germans as near 1,000, in
killed, wounded, and prisoners, and six pieces of cannon.
It is not known whether the Danes will retire again to
Alsen, or await reinforcements on the mainland.
The Victoria steamer, which left Petersburg on the
25th ult., arrived at Hull on the 2nd instant, and brought
the following intelligence :—She was at Copenhagen on
the 29th of May, at which place the Grand Duke Con-
stantine had just arrived, having departed from Stockholm
in a Russian war steamer, in company with a double-
banked frigate, and several smaller ships of war, together
with three Swedish frigates, and other vessels; the Rus-
sian fleet having gone round by Stockholm tojoin com-
pany. The united fleet was lying at Copenhagen when
the Victoria sailed. At Petersburg all was quiet ; and
business continued dull.
One of the districts of Schleswig has elected Chevalier
Bunsen for its representative at Frankfort. The Cheva-
lier has written, thanking them for the honour conferred
on him, and stating that from the present state of the
negociations on the Schleswig Holstein question, it will
be impossible for him to repair immediately to Frankfort.

FRANCE.
Since our last, tranquility in France has not been in-
terrupted by any specific act, but apprehension prevails
in Paris. The National Assembly have passed a law for
the reform of the national ateliers, substituting task work,
and sending the country workmen home to their own
departments. It was declared by the Minister of Public
Works that men refused five and six francs a day from
private employers, that they might have two francs and
idleness at the national ateliers. The report to the Cham-
ber denounced the ateliers as a national burden, and, in
fact, a nuisance.

The principal debate in the assembly on Wednesday
was relative to the application, on the part of the At-
torney-General, for leave to impeach M. Louis Blanc for
participation in the outrages of the 15th of May. The
feeling in the chamber against him was evidently very
strong. He made a speech, and defended himself
spiritedly. He said—" Ido not desire to defend myself
as an individual, but as a representative of the people, for,
in fact, what is demanded of you, is to commence an era
of persecution, to inaugurate the epoch of the republic by
the reign of terror, which they reproach us with having
desired to establish—we who commenced by abolishing
the punishment of death. Behold to-day our recom-
pense. Not a drop of blood has been shed for three
months ; not a single prosecution has been directed, but
now hatred arouses itself, and acts with violence. What !
reproach me with having wished to violate this sacred
assembly ; I, wbo have said to the people, ' Here is the
temple of your sovereignty.' Let him who can say to the
contrary rise, that I may tell him to his face he lies. I
await with impatience the examination of my conduct. It
will then be seen whether I did not confer the prior even-
ing with the authors of the manifestation, and use my
endeavours to dissuade them,—and whether I did not tell
them that such a manifestation would be highly dangerous,
not only to the interests of established order but also to
the interests of liberty. Yes, the interests of liberty ; for
I represented that the reactionists would make good use
of the effect of that, manifestation. (Murmurs.) A re-
publican, I did not desire a manifestation fatal to the
republi- (Hear.) If Iso speak, be assured it is not to
avoid either imprisonment or death. Ido not fear either.
(M. Louis Blanc, here became very animated.) .1 do not
feat death (said he), and in thus speaking, I know what I
say ; for I undertake to say that, before long, the punish_
ment of death will be restored.", (Loud expressions of
dissent) After a lengthened discussion, the question as
to whether the impeachment should proceed was referred
to a committee, the composition of which is understood
to be unfavourable to M. Louis Blanc. The number of
persons in custody for this affair amounts now to between
two and three hundred. How to dispose of them will be
one of the great difficulties of the government.
A placard was seen' posted on the walls of Paris, on
Wednesday, proposing the Prince de Joinville as a can-
didate for the department of the Seine. The decree of
banishment against the family disqualifies him. ,The
person (M. Viguie) who proposed the prince as a candi-
date is to be prosecnted. The elections for the Seine are
fixed for to-morrow (Sunday, and the fateOf,M. Adolphe
Thiers is then to be decided. The committee of the
assembly on the constitution determined,-on Wednesday,
in favour of a single president, by a majority ,of 17 voices
against 5. It will be remembered that it was determined
that the presidentship of the assembly should be a monthly
office. The period for M. Buchez will expire in a few
days. The candidates for the presidentship for the next