The Shasta courier., 1864-02-27
The Danes and the Germans--A True His
tory.

tory.
The American Press has always an oppor
tunity of remarking the ignorance of the Eu-
ropean press on American affairs. This fact
does not prove that American journalists are
not liable to the same discrepancy in their
statements concerning European affairs. The
greatest question in European politics which
has been raised for many years, says the Vir-
ginia Union, is the present one of Danish sue
cesson. The point of beginning may, of it
self alone, be of minor import; but the exter
nal and relative conditions are certainly of
wide reaching Importance. The war in Amer
lea, the fears aud jealousies of the European
governments ond the turbulent spirit of rev
olution among various European powers,
have seemingly turned the course of events
toward grand elimination in war. Den
mark by the late death of her king, has as
sumed the occupancy of the most convenient
place for the opening of the indicated gener-
al commoton which will soon describe
the destructive circles Of vertex in
to which the nationalsts concerned will
is the leading opinion among American jour-
nalists, readers and statesmen But the
Danish -Germanic question is exciting great
interest among the intelligent persons in the
United States who were borr in the countries
which are the most prominently involved in
the difficulty These persons are full of dis
cussion, and already the voices of faction may
be heard in their midst, and strong partisan
feelings may be traced in our public journals
which are printed in foreign languages. Some
of our Germans and Danes. who are the most
familiar with the history and conditions of
Europe, tell US that a general and tremen-
dous war will not take place Immediately
that the prominent question ofagitation will
be temporarily settled by ministerial deliber-
alton and assent but that the countries are
all stored with cumbustible element which
will inevitably take fire and blaze over all,
in spite of tranquilizing diplo macy and mon.
archical professions of friendliness and desire
for peace. A Danish gentleman of this city,
who reads, investigates and thinks. takes
side against the conduct of Denmark says
that she is not acting in good faith, and that
the historical statements presented below, and
which were given to European journal by a
learned German are very correct and ought
to be published for the instruction of Ameri-
cans in their formation of opinions, as they
view the new and inviting political panorama
of Europe:
Charlemagne declared Holestein a pro
vince of the German Empire (S03) his sue
cessors, the great Saxon Emperors, Henry I.
Otto |, and Otto ii, conquered Schleswig
(63l-975). The town of SchlcsBig became
the seat of Saxon Bishop. The province it
self, however, having never been formerly in
corporated the Congess of Vienna inherated
doubt of thousand years standing. Den
mark got the benefit, if any, of that doubt
Schleswig was not considered to belong to
the German Confederation. But the connec-
nection of Holstein and Schleswig is older
than the German Bund, and has not been
abrogated by the settlement of 1915. By
the Constitution granted by Wademar,
King of Denmark, 1926, distinct pledge was
given 9 that Schleswig shall never be annex
ed to Denmark" The Dukes of Schleswig
died out in 1875, and the country was uni
ted to IIolstein. Erich, King of Denmark,
tried, it is true, to disturb that Union, and
the Courts of lIolstein lost Schleswig for
twenty three years (lil2-I435), but the
German Hansa having come to the rescue.
King Erich lost not only Schleswis. bat his
three crowns-Denmark, Sweden and Nor
way, l439-Erich's nephew, Christoph of
Baveria. succeeded in Denmark. but died
without issue. The Danes offered the vacant
throne, first to Adolphus VIII. Duke of
Schleswig- Holstein, who declined, and then
to Christian |, of 0denburg. who ascended
(l449). Adolphus VIII having died with
out issue, in 1859 the Schieswig Eolsteiners
elected King Christian /, to lie their Duke
He declared in his letters patent of l460
g that the prelates, lords, cities and inhabi-
tants of Scheswig Holestein, having elected
him by their own free will and out of good
will to be their Sovereign, and having sworn
tho oath of allegiance to him, not as King of
Denmark, but as Duke ofSchleswig Holstein,
the order Of succession in the two duchies
shall not be altered, and belong exclusively
to the male line.'" whereas in Denn ark,
King Juan Otto (99l-l9l4) had introduced
the succession of females.
The " capitulation" upon which Christian
| took the oath, andwhich he signed for him
self, his heirs and successors, is in fact the
!" Magma Charta" of the Schleswig Holstein-
ers, and their q Bill of Rights" These are
the principal rights and privileges enacted
therein: Schleswig and Holstein never to be
separated the citizens not to do ary mill
service out OF their country; no tax to be i'm
posed without the vote of the Estates in Par
lament assembled no currency to be intro
duced which is not received at Hamburg and
Lubec; citizens exclusively TO be appointed
to public functions; no citizen to be Judged
by foreign tribunal no Dane. noforeigner,
to be their Judge: the Sovereign promises
to make no war without the consent Of Parl-
ament to meet every year Every successor
shall confirm these privileges by his oath
should ne object to take the oath, the Schles-
wig Hoisteiners are at liberty to elect any
other male descendent of Christian l to be
their Duke.
Since 1860 Denmark has begun to try to
infringe those privileges; but the people, who
are the sons OF the old Saxons and who claim
Ine same ioreiathers as the English, resisted
and withstood all those encroachments.
The first Danish Statesmen xho onerIv
took the line of proposing the incorporation
OF Schieswlg vas Oria Lehman. in 1886
MS party became powerful after the death