Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-02-24
The Dnno-G Gcrman War, and vNhat
nt il About.

The Dano- German Question, as it is
sometimes called, has at length, as was
anticipated, eliminated in actual hos
tilities. What is this new. Europeon war
about? is a natural query on this side
the water. The Dano- German difficulty
arises mainly from two questions:
l. The first question respects the right of
sovereignty. The duchies of Holstein' and
Lunenburg, peopled by Germans, and the
duchy of Schleswig, inhabited by Danes, at
one time had the same duke for ruler, though
each had local or self-government Of its
own. About four centuries ago, the duchles
became part Of the kingdom of Denmark;
their new sovereign becoming duke of
the German empire in virtue OF his posses
sion of Holstein.
When the present Germanic Confedera-
tion was formed, the King OF Denmark be-
came member Of it upon the same title
Meanwhile the provinces of Schleswig,
Holstein and I.unenburg were allowed to
maintain, as Of old, their local sovereignty
but that sovereignty the Danish Govern
ment of late years desired to replace by one
national parliament, in which all parts of
the kingdom should be represented. When
this measure was proposed, the Germanic
Confederation interposed and insisted that,
though Iolstein and Lunenburg were a
part of Denmark, they were also members
of the Confederacy, and that their govern
Ing power should not be merged in a ma
tional parliament. .4
About year since the Danish Govern
ment cancelled the act by which Holstein
was to be represented in the Danish Parlia-
ment. But this did not content the Ger
mamie Diet, which insisted that if Holstein
had an independent parliament Schleswig
must have one too. The object.of the Diet,
it is alleged, is to deprive Denmark of
Schleswig as well as Holstein.
III. The other question is one of success
sion. The late King of Denmark had no
offspring or near relatives to succeed him.
m -.-----ss ruccessIon, the great
King of Denmark, concluded the Treaty of
London in 1851, settling the succession upon
Prince Christian of Observation-Disclosures
(now Christian Ky, subject to the approval
of the Danish people.
But the Germans say that Prince Fred
eric Of Schleswig- -Holstein- n-Sonderberg-
Augustenberg is heir to the dukedom of
Schleswig- Holsein, and that therefore
these provinces ought to be separated from
Denmark, and made an Independent duke
dom under Prince Frederic. At meeting
at Nuremberg on the 9Th of December last
OF representatives from the various Diets of
Germany, it was unanimously resolved, that
the Duchies were Independent, and must
be separated from Denmark; and that Fred
eric of Augustenberg was the lawful Duke
Of Schleswig- -Holstein.
On Sunday, January 81, Cabinet Coun-
Gil was held at Berlin, to consider whether
the English proposition inviting the pow
erswhich signed the treaty Of 1852 to con-
cert measures to preserve the integrity of
the Danish kingdom, should be entertained
or not The Prussian King decided in fa-
vor of its rejection. At midnight of that
day the alarm of war was sounded at Kiel,
and the Prussian troops marched northward
into Schleswig. Tney advanced to Mis-
sunde, small village on the Schley, mar
row arm Of the sea. Here the first engage
ment took place on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The
Prussians stormed the Danish forts for six
hours, but were at length forced to retreat.
1t is stated that the Danes lost one hundred
and fifty, and the PruNsians two hundred
and fifty men.
Simultaneously with the Prussian adj
vance, an Austrian force pushed forward to
Bustorf, small place one mile south of the
town of Schleswig. This place, fortified by
the Danes, the Austrians attacked on Thurs
day, Feb. A. but the Danes maintained their
position. A. general attack on the Danish
lines was expected on Saturday, Feb. 8.
Thus stood matters at the last accounts
from Europe. Further and more exciting
warnews may be looked for at each arrival
from the old world.
The Ohio Legislature.