The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-03-21


maintains the correctness Of the formers statements
garding the amount OF government funds on hand
Hudson river navigation open, and will proba
bly, not be again closed during this spring. though there
Is still some ice in the stream. The have
sumed their trips between this city and Albany, the st.
John and the Erasus Corning hence on Monday night,
going through and the propeller John Taylor arriving
here from Albany yesterday morning.
man named King, arrested in Louisville charge
of theft has stated that he Is the who attempted
assassinate Secretary Seward and that Payne nno
cent Of the crime.
young lady named Mary Ellen Kearney was shot
dead in the doorway OF her fathers house Roxbury
Mass, on Monday evening, by John Moran, rejected
lover,
The schlcswig T. Holstcin Question-Gcr-
man Unity.
The Schleswig- Holstein question il agitated
between Austria and Prussia, and there is
some little apprehension that it may disturb
the peace of Europe. So far as respects the
mere possession of the duchies the question is
not important beyond their limits 1t will mat
ter but little to the world at large who rules in
those small States-whether it be Denmark, as
it has been for SO long period; whether it be
Prussia, as the people themselves desire, or
whether Austria shall hold certain rights there
till Prussia shall be pleased to buy her out.
But the question of the duchics has an intimate
relation with the other and far grander ques.
ton of German unity, and in that respect it is
important. 1t is this relation of the subject that
makes Austria disincined to give way. 1t is
this seductive aspect of the question that in
spirits Prussia to insist. 1t is in its relation to
German unity only that the question of the
| duchies is worthy the notice of the other great
Powers, ever looking jealousy on, and always
ready to put themselves in the way of any ten
denotes that may lead to the union of the great
people so infinitely divided.
Which shall be the great, prepondcrating
Power in Germany. Around whose throne
shall be gathered, in some common bond of
unity. the great people that ought to exer-
else Q controlling influence in the destnies of
Europe. This is the question for Austria and
Prussia and for the German people, Political
unity, the accretion Of all the small States on
some great one, is the grand, rational idea of
German politics-the aspiration of the people,;
and Prussia is disposed to show that her sym
pathies with this idea active, earnest, prac-
teal. She desires to demonstrate that she is
| the true German Power, in so far a. she il
moved by The German mind. Her hunger for
aggrandizement and dominion is doubtless
| what il has always been since little Branden-
burg began 10 be Prussia, and was carried up
to the proportions of great European State
by the genius of Father Fritz. But undoubt-
eddy the duchies are far less TO her rs mere
territory than as German territory--as an
earnest Of grander acquisitions in the future.
Schleswig and Holstcin, though together
an appanage of the Danish crown through all
their history, are yet German. The wishes of
the people naturally lead them to prefer associ-
alton with German Power. and they would
| he Prussian by choice. The position of Prus-
sin in relation to them, while ii will add to her
possessions a district inhabited by million per-
sons. the vast majority OF whom use the German
language, will also increase her power and in
iuence throughout the rest OF Germany as the
true champion of the Gcrman-spcaking people
And that is the fear Of Austria for as Pris-
sian influence grows Austrian decreases.
Austria cares very little for any part of the
territory taken from Denmark and would not
fight for mile Of IL. She would much rather
have the money that Prussia might give for the
abandonment o. her claims but she hesitatcs
to assist by her own acts the tendency, already
sufficiently great, of all Germany toward
| Prussia.
There is a material difference in the COM
position of the two great Powers that is all in
favor Of Prussia. Her people are one, apd
national. because all German. Austria is a
political mosaic, and is only German in the
least part Of her dominions. She IL made up
OF Hungary, Pennsylvania. nlyria, venetia,
Tyrol, Bohemia, and TO true Germany she is
foreign Power This is not only against her
morally, but physically; for hostility to the
central power in all the parts Of her empire Is
u weakness she can never ignore. Having
nominally very large army, she has practi-
cally very small one, because the larger part
of her force must necessarily be employed to
keep down the people already subject TO her
rule. Prussia, with a smaller army and a ma
tional, patriotic people, il. therefore, greatly
her superior; and this fact alone will avert war.
Austria will not, because she cannot fight. She
must look on and see her power wanc In
Western Europe, and content herself with
ACKNOWLEDGMENT down the Danube and with
pushing her frontier AT the expense OF the
Turk, II Russia will consent.
Prussia has grand field open to her, and
her present bold Minister, acting wisely, may
become the giant OF European politics. He
cannot do so by shutting up a representative
chamber and sending tho deputies home; but
II he will put his government more actively
than ever in sympathy with the political aspira-
tions Of Germany; II he will GO with and
rightly direct the German sentiment, which Is
revolutionary only so far as . hates the present