The Portland daily press., 1867-05-03
Luxeanburg.


Since the death of the merry monarch of
Ivetot no people in Europe have been, all
things considered, so happy as the Luxem-
burghers in their governmental arrangements
At the London Conference of 1882, the French
portion of Luxemburg was assigned to Belgi-
um while the German portion, about 127
square miles, was reserved for the Grand
Duchy, and tho King of Holland was made
hereditary Grand Duke. The reigning King
Of Holland, William III. of Orange, does not
trouble himself to enact the part of Grand
Duke OF Luxemburg, but has appointed his
brother, Prince Henry, to represent him in
that capacity. Prince Henry's notion of gov
ernment is like Charles Lambs notion of
sohool-keeping, which he illustrated one day
when he had undertaken the office of tempo
rary school master, by giving the boys holi-
day. The Prince visits his subjects once q
year; he does not interfere in matters of gov-
ern.ncnt; indeed, he once said to the legisla-
tive,assembly, "Do as you like, only see to it,
pray you, that my stipend is regularly paid"
The Duchy governs itself as absolutely as any
of the United States. The press is free; the
platform is free; the rights of peaceably as
sembling and of public discussion are unques-
toned. The assembly is elected by the peo-
pie. The only trace of dependency is found in
the payment of an annual subsidy to the
obliging Prince Henry
The people of Luxemburg are Germans by
speech and long association. One of their
princes, Henry VII, was even elected EN-
peror of Germany, but that was long ago. The
King OF Holland, as Grand Duke of Luxem-
burg, had formerly to send a representative to
the Frankfort Diet. Under the treaty of 1915,
Prussia was authorized to garrison the fortress
of Luxemburg, and has stood guard over
France there ever SINCE The city, which con-
tains 13 900 or 140 900 inhabitants, is builsabout
and upon the base Of great rock upon which
the fortress stands. tits said to be one of the
strongest Notifications in Europe, and lies on
the road from Berlin to Paris, or Paris to Ber-
lin, as the case may be, most important pos
session to either Prussia or France, if those
two countries should ever come to blows.
There is no reason to doubt that the French
government has been negotiating with the
Dutch for this coveted point The Paris Con-
stitaftionncl, which it is well known is used to
convey to the public ear ainoficialy the de-
signs of the government, said on the Sd of
April: "It would be neither Just nor equitable
that Prussia, after having achieved her great
cOnquests without obstacles, should jealousy
watch the smallest acquisitions that might be
desired by her neghbors, not in the interest of
| ambition but Of security" Three weeks later
| the Constitutional declared that France would
| use all means consistent with national honor
| to avoid war. The change of policy indicated
| bv these unofficial but inspired utterances is
| sufficiently marked
1t seems that England is unusually fortu-
nate in her mediation in this instance. Prus-
sia, though she has declared that she will net
evacuate Luxemburg, will recall her garrison.
France, though she needs Luxemburg, Sin the
interest Of security" merely, will do without
The fortress will be dismantled. Tho Luxem-
burghers, who are well satisfied as they are,
will neither furnish a contingent for Prussian
nor for French armies, but will go on peaceful
ly raising sheep ad infnitum is, if the
London Conference, appointed for Wednesday,
18th instant, succeeds in settling the dispute.
The "war cloud" of which so much has been
said and written, is drifting away