Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-11
Letter from Paris.

epeclal corr spondtnoe PUBLIC Lkpoxh.j
Pans. October q. 1868.
There seems some danger Of the
schleswig question being again brought
into disarreeable prominence in consel
ouence Of the recent speech Of the Danish
King andi the address from the Danish
Chamber. There are certain French pa
pers that are not likely to mend the mat
ter by the tone they assume respecting Il
and fhis 10 the more unwise on their. part
because they naturalze the efforts OF that
party in Prussia which advocates fair
restitution 70 Denmark. Some OF the
French Government journals display
their usual amount OF tact and discretion
in the language they use, while others,
like the Presss, seem anxious TO fan the
smouldering flame OF ill-will between
their own country and Prussia. Bound
airy questions have often given q great
deal 81 trouble, but when most Jealous
feeling of nationality is imported into
them-when one party is weak and the
other ia strong, and the latter is asked TO
give nm 10 the former something II already
holds fast in its grip-,he difficulty 10 their
settlementis obviously immense. Prussia
excuses her delay by the necessity Of OBJ
tanning certain guarantees fer the Ger
mans, who, wherever the line Of demarc-
alton be drawn, must necessarily be left
under Danish dominion, and who other
wise might be maltreated, as they were
until released by the war OF 1854 IL
really seems almost time that this old
story of the oppression Of German ma
tionalities by Danish authorities were
dismissed as an argument in any serious
discussion. 1t has had its time, and has
served its turn. There never was more
cock-and-bull grievance or a wolf-and-
lamb Quarrel than that which Prussia
based upon il. When this power over
ran Scheswig and had every opportunity
Of collecting evidence aud getting mp
facts il could make nothing of
them. The worst story that ever
could be authenticated was that Of q fog.
eing inflicted by some local authorities
on A mischievous boy. The most was
made of il, aud the unlucky offender was
caught and locked up for some time in
sort Of prison hut at Rendsburg, exposed
70 the rigors Of Danish winter. and
gaped at BY the crowd through the iron
bars of his cell The Danes. ii is well
known. are a kind-hearted, good. natnred
people; and although they certainly
have no cause to love the Germans as
nation, aud especially the Prussians, the
German settlers in North Schlesvig will
have no cause TO fear i'll treatment.
Moreover. they are not geEerally in .
position thss exposes them to it Most
Of the few Germans in that part OF the
country are well-to do people, large
lsndholders, or shopkeepers in the towns.
who would soos make their grievances
heard, if they had any. And as feeble
country naturally seeks to avoid qusrrels
with powerful nsighbor, and at whose
hands it has already suffered much, we
may feel pretty sure that the German
Schleswigers, the lands Of whom extend
close up to the borders of Jutland, will
enjoy equality Of rights and treatment
with their Danish fellow-subjects.' The
truth is that Prussia means to give up as
little as she can. She grudges every inch
of ground over which her victorious
armies marched in pursuit of the Danes.
How she expects to terminate this ques-
lion u - impUsbiuio W ohys put quo
clearly is in no hurry to do so, and does
not fear that great war may supervene,
which might improve Denmark's posi-
ton. Denmark, on her part, displays
her usual tenaciiy of resistance to
a demand of interference which she
deems it contrary to her dignity and
safety to grant For the last twenty
years we have been accustomed
to see every question in which Schles-
wigs name figured, so long drawn out
and so hopelessly complicated, that we |
may be disposed to look upon the pres
ent one as only in it's infancy, and sus-
ceptible of being still greatly protracted
without material risk or much inconve-
nience. But we must remember that this
is not only question of right or wrong
to Denmark, but also a standing cause of
irritation between France and Prussia,
which part of the press of both conn
tries seems not indispesed imprudently
to aggravate.