The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-22
l474 Holstein was elevated % ! Duehy. In

annexation or the DuCHleS vi oSan".
was agitatcd, and in ls4s Schleswig ana
uolstcin were united under the represen-
ia,iye system common to the Danish FRO
vinccs. In ls4s, at the time that the ma
MIA for revolution was convulsing Europe,
the pcople of Schlcswig- lIolstein app'a.'u
to Germany and Prussia to aid them III u,'-
wing the Danes out of the Onch'cs' Inc
S,h,oswig -TIolstcincrs armed with great
nnap;mity: but in 1850 they were com
pletcIy defeated and suhdncd' In lS'2 the
.ucc,ssiopio the Duchics was settled upon
Prince CHRISTIAN, and upon the death OF
FErprnrck VII, on November II, 1868,
that Prince came to the throne of Den
mark by the title Of CHRISTIAN IN.
Although the question of the permanent
union Of the Duchics with Denmark ap-
pearcd to he permanently settled, the ac-
ccssion Of CHRISTIAN TX. was the signal
Tor pressing the claims of the Prince OF
Augustenberg, who did not contend for
tho kingdom Of Denmark, but asserted
himself to be the rightful lincal Duke of
Schlcswig- uolstcin. Austria and Prussia
took up the claims Of the Prince, and in
1864, after some Intellectual negotiation,
war was declared between those Powers
and Denmark. This latter Power relied on
assistance from England, and, as is gene
rally the case with countries which rely
upon the philanthropy of the British Co.
vcrnment, met with nothing but disap-
pointmcnt and hope deferred. Denmark,
however, made gallant and heroic fight,
refused u compromise which would have
given her peace at the costefrellnqulshing
Holstcin, and when the war ended, found
herself denudcd of the Duchies by two
Powers 1cho acre more diSToced by
r;ctory thar ,caS Denmark by defeat.
Strife aud contention soon arose between
the victors, and the claims Of the Prince OF
Augustcnbcrg seemed to be entirely over
looked. Austria wished the Duchies 10
become independent members of the Ger
bul i hSNIo "1sii'N
to carry out her accustomed policy 10y
absorbing them into her own kingdom.
Prussia then offered her rival pecuniary
compensation, which was percmpto-
rilv rcfuscd-AuStria still adhering to her
original position. Every effort was used to
excite the passions Of the House Of Haps-
burg. Austria was branded with being
faithless in policy and bankrupt in purse,
hut still she pursued with dignity the
course which she had deliberately marked
out for herself. Austria still refuses TO
submit to the interference Of Prussia in
the government OF the Duchic>, and has
convoked the Estates of the two DuchieS,
that they may express the wishes and the
feeling Of the people. This step Prussia
regards as violation of her rights and As
q legitimate coS,ls bell. Notes have been
freely exchanged: the Peace Conference
has been abandoned; the PruSsian Minis
ter, in his correspondence, has used Ian
guagc 81 Incorporate and violent rs to
shock the ScnSibilitcs OF the most hard
cnrd diplomatistS: and the first blow in
another great European war may be struck
at any hour.
The prospect OF war has opened the
| ear and quickened the perceptions OF the
other Powers. France, in general war,
sees prospect Of carrying ont her pet
project of extending her frontier to the
Rhine, for the advancement Of civilization
and Ia qloire de Ia potrie. Italy has called
on her fire brand" GARIRALDI and his
volunteers, and hopes to secure Nenettt
and make Rome her capital: and Russia,
still pointing 10 Constantinoplc, hopes IL
find an opportunity Of pockctlng quietly
slice Of Turkish territory. The smaller
Powers will of course he diSregardod alto.
cethcr, and whichever side gains, the petit!
Kingdoms and principalites will assuredll
be the losers.
With the principal combatants IN the
struggle we have no interests IN common.
hut it seems certain that in this instance
Austria is acting fairly and honorably,
while Prussia is guided by the same thir,
FIR power and territorial aggrandizenen'
which has characterized her course sine,
the days Of her yenerated and heroic
Fritz.