Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-06
The Question Between Denmark and
Germany,

The Question Between Denmark and
Germany.
The latest advices from Europe show
that England has at last openly taken a
stand on the Schleswig- -Holstein affair,
and has virtually protested against the
occupation of these Duchies by the Ger
mans
AS this question bids fair to embroil
the nations of Europe in struggle, we
deem it of Importance that the public
should have as clear an understanding
of it as we can obtain from the mass of
contradictory matter which now foods
the European journals upon the subject
We append map OF Schleswig-Holstein
and explanations, which will, we hope,
enable the reader to come to just con-
clusion in the matter From the earliest
time the province formerly and even
now is frequently called South Jutland
(Sonder-Jutland) has been Danish in
language, manners and political institu-
tons. 1t was on the Elder, its southern
frontier, that King Godfrey fought
against Charlemagne. 1t was on the
Slie, on which the town of Schleswig is
seated, that the apostle of the north bap-
tized the first Danes, &C., who became
Christians. During the vicissitudes of
the Middle Ages the Kings of Denmark
often gave portions of Schleswig, or
South Jutland, in fief to their brothers
or sons, who occasionally formed alli-
ances with the German. Counts of differ.
ent parts of Holstein, and fomented
troubles in the State. In 172l Schles-
wig returned entirely under the immedi-
ate domination of the King, was indeed
restored to the Danish crown, and was
recognized and guaranteed as Danish by
France and England. Such it has re-
manned from that time to the present
day. Some of the Danish monarchs in
the present century, with the view of at
taching Holstein to Denmark by means
of Scheswig, organized a part of the
administration of the latter country in
common with that of Holstein. A rep
resentative constitution having been
granted to the duchies in the year 1916,
conflict of races was inaugurated soon
afterwards between the German popula-
tion of the Schleswig Holstein and the
Danes. This continued with more or
less intensity to the year lS4S, when the
German element in the duchies, aided
by sympathizers from the German Con-
federation, expelled the Danes. The
Danes soon afterwards recovered. the
greater portion of Schleswig, and finally
the authority of King Frederick the
Seventh was re-established in both
duchies by various conventions held in
1850 and 1851.
In accordance with the compromise of
1852 Schlsswig preserved its separate
ministry, its superior tribunal, its pro-
vineial representation and legislation,
&c. The provincial assemblies of IIol-
stein we're re-established by the consti-
tutional law of June Il, 1854; those of
Schleswig by that of February l5, 1854.
The representation and legislation COM
mon to the whole of the. monarchy were
settled by the common constitution of
October 2, 1845. During the first two
sessions of the common representative
assembly (Rigsraad) the Holstein depu-
ties attended. But, feeling annoyed be-
cause they could not exercise superior
and. ponderating influence, and be-
cause, like members of other provinces,
their number was in proportion to the
population they represented, they ended
by absenting themselves from the Rigs
raad, by organizing in Holstein syste-
matte opposition against the govern
ment, and by obtaining action favorable
to their pretensions on the part of the
Germanic Diet Influenced by the reit-
Grated menaces of the Confederation
the Danish government consented, on
the 9th of November, 1858, to abrogate,
as far as Holstein and Lauenburg were
concerned, the common constitution
October 2, 1855, which from that time
naturally remained in force in Denmark
and Schleswig only. Thereupon the
Diet of Frankfort declared itself satisfied
and suspended its coercive measures.
The Danish government continued, by
conciliatory measures, to endeavor to
propitiate the factious party of Holstein
but all its efforts failed
The death of the late King of Den
mark, Frederick VII, gave the German
ic Confederation an opportunity to trump
up claim to Schleswig-H Holstein and
Lauenburg in favor Of the Duke of Au.
gustenburg 1t is needless to add that
this claim is made without shadow Of
right, and in the face of the treaty Of
1852, to which Prussia and Austria were
parties. 1t is evident that, spite of these
facts, the Germanic Confederation seems
determined to rob Christian TX. of these
provinces Unaided Denmark can ac
complish nothing with her two millions
of people, against thirty millions of Ger
mans But Sweden and Norway are
with Denmark, and it is believed that
not only England, but France, will side
with the weaker party. What course
Prussia and Austria will pursue it is a;
yet difficult to say. The government;
may desire to stand by the treaty ot
1852; but the people are firm in theil
determination to break the treaty, ant
it remains to be seen whether they OF
their rulers will be the more powerful
Underneath this excitement there is &
strong current of revolutionary feeling
apparent, which induces the people o
Germany to force the action of theil
Governments. We await the develop
ments of this question, fraught with me
naceS AGAINST the neace of all Eurone