The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-17
Causes OF tho war I'm Europe.

Causes Of tho War I'm Europe.
The causes of the war in which
Prussia and Austria have involved
Germany may as we'll be understood
thus early. It has been said that
Prussia has begun to play the part of
Robert Macaire, the bold villain of
tbs drama, and that Austria has been
cast for that of Jacques Strop, who
was invariably snubbed 10y his fellow
culprit whenever he suggested fair
division of the spoil. It was Prussia
who conceived the plan of robbing
Denmark, and of appropriating ali
the plunder. Austria had no pur-
pose to serve in robbing Denmark; !;
Austria did not want the Duchies Of
Schlesw1g- Holstein; Austria did not
dcslre to reduce the small kingdom of
Denmark; and when she was seduced
into a war, had only the intention of
erecting the Elbe Duchies las Schles-
wig and Holstein are called) into an
independent State under German
ruler. 1t Is evident, from the result.
that Prussia went into the attack
upon Denmark with the desire and
design OF converting the coveted
Duchies to her own use.
The German inhabitants Of the
Elbe Duchies, at least the richest,
best educated and intelligent of these
inhabitants, desired to be freed from
Danish rule. they may have found by
this time what it is to exchange King
Stork for King Log; but they were
very earnest then, and the German
nation, backing them up, resolved
that they should be emancipated from
submission to Denmark. They had
not been harshly governed; but, rs
Germans. the people of the Duchies
were dissatisfied, were even humiliat-
cd, by being governed by foreigners
When the German Confederation de-
cided that the Duchies must be Sc
vered from Denmark, Austria had to
do one of two things-either to aban-
don her position as head of the
Bund, or go in, as Prussia always
pretended to do, as the protector of
the Germans. who, it was assumed,
We're lll-treated by Denmark. Ac-
cordingly, Austria sent an army into
tho Duch1es to cooperate with an
other army which Prussia had sent
thither. There was some severe fight
ing, but the contest was not Of long
continuance, for. Denmark is q small
and weak State, and the Elbe Duchies
were wrested from Denmark.
Instead of being transferred to the
Duke of Augustenburg, who claimed
to be their hereditary sovereign, Ca
claim which the inhabitants did not
resist Schleswig was occupied by
Prussia, and Holstein by Austria.
There was great adroitness in this,
for Holstein, sandwiched between
Schleswig on the North and Prussia
on the South, lay completely at the
mercy Of tho latter, and. at the end.
was trlcked into a violation of the
letter of a treaty both powers had
signed at Gastein. on the strength of
which breach of compact tho Aus
trlan army was coolly turned ont of
Holstein, so that Prussia now holds
both Duchics, which, it may be safely
assumed, was her purpose from the
first. The breaking ont Of the war
was not tho invasion Of Saxony and
Hanover, but the notice given to
Gen. Gablcntz, on the part of Prus-
sla, that the sooner he took the Aus
trian troops out Of Holstein. the
pleasanter it would be for all parties.
1hm virtually began war in which
Germany Is now engaged; in which
Italy is also active; in which France,
Russia and England may soon he in
volved. Washington Ch,'onicL'.