New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-02
A NRw PUZZLE FOB EUROPEAN
DIPLOMATIsTs.

system Of Europe which have taken place since
1916, as, for instance, the independence Of
Greece and Belgium, and the unity OF Italy,
were the ripe fruit Of long agtations, and had
been foreseen and predicted by many sagacious
ST statesmen. Many Others as the annexation OF
venetia and Rome TO Italy, the restoration Of q
Polish Empire. and the unity Of Germany, are
almost sure to take place at no remote period,
when mere material force will find itself unable
to arrest the success Of ideas which in the
minds of the peoples have already gained a
complete victory.
But from time to time we hear of new and
unforeseen questions suddenly flung into the
councils of the European diplomatists, disturb.
ing all their combinations, crossing their dc.
signs, and requiring u reconsideration Of long
professed principles. Such an unwelcome new
conner among the old complications Of Europe
il the offer of tho Danish Government, TO enter
with all the Danish possessions into the German
Confederacy. At the beginning Of the Danish
| war, such an issue was never thought Of among
the possibilities by England. France or Russia,
and even the German Powers and the Danes
themselves had probably never entertained
the plan. Now that the progress OK the war
and its end lie before us, it Is not difficult to
detect some of the causes which have started
the plan and gained friends for it.
After the Conference Of London had failed,
hostilities been resumed, and the ultimate
and complete success Of the Allied German
Powers been placed beyond doubt, the
Danish Government were sure that the
whols Of the Duchies Of Schleswig Holstcin
and Lauenburg would be separated from them.
This separation would make the rest Of Den.
mark one Of the weakest and most Insignificant
States of Europe. by an admission into the
German Confederation, Denmark would lose,
for the present at least her sovereignty as little
as Austria and Prussia. If united with the
German Duchies she would be among the
members Of the Confederation next in power 10
Austria, Prussia and Bavaria Her language
would be likely TO give way to the German, but
Denmark. if such should remain the name
for the consolidated State, would still
survive as a separate body polite, as much as
Prussia Hanover, and other Kingdoms Of Ger
many. Her superiority at sea would be sure to
give her even a greater influence in the Confed-
Grafton than her proportion Of population would
enable her to claim. For the King and the aris-
tocracy-many families of which are, like the
King himself, German by descent and sympa-
thy--thcse reasons mus, have at once appeared
overwhelming while il is easy to see that the
hope of saving the country from falling into
utter insignifcance may have proved sufficiently
strong to canse even many Of the National party
to look with favor upon the plan Of the King.
In former article, we stated the reasons
why we believe that tho hopes of the Dan
ish Government will not be realized, and the
desired admission into the Germsn Confedera-
ton not come to pass. The fact, however that
it has been both proposed and discussed in earn
est, has thrown all the courts of Europe into
excitement. France, which is apparently plead
ing with so much carnestness the cause Of ma
tionalities whenever she finds il for her interest
to do so, has condemned the scheme in very
eDlpnutlc HiunHcf, u liJullous w tHc bMaiiNc vi
power in Europe Here We have new proof
Of the candor Of the government of Louis Napo-
leon. No public man in Europe, except per-
haps Garibaldi, has more consistently and
more ostentatiously insisted on the right of
every nationality to dispose Of its own
destiny. Nothing could be more clear, accord
ing to this theory, than that the Danes should
Ike at liberty to resume such relations to the
German Confederation as they may see fit.
Bnt because this would not be for the interest
of Lonis Napoleon, he at once abandons his
most favorite idea and falls back upon the old
doctrine of the Macchiavellian diplomatists Of
Europe concerning the balance of power, which,
in the mouth of any Of the Great Powers, sim
ply means On opposition to any scheme OF chang
ing the map Of Europe by which its own position
would become less favorable one.
In another respect tho offer Of the Danish
Government is Of Importance to proper under
standing of European politics. 1t forcshadows
the fate of all the small countries. Even II they
wero entirely lot alone by their powerful neigh
bors, they must soon find it for their interest TO
seek closer union with those moro power
full States with which they have most in COM
mon. Union movements Of this kind are already
bepinning to make themselves felt in every
small country of Europe, and the example set
n n ;c b. ,,I