The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-16
The luxembourg Question.

tween the Governments OF Berlin and st.
Petersburg begins to be understood Ger
many and Russia, acting together, control
the whole of Europe. The aggressive move
ments of the Car in the East are encourag-
ed by the knowledge that Austria is afraid
of losing her German provinces, and that
the legions of Germany, which have already
subjugated France, will not be turned
against Russia. This, also, holds England
in check, and it is an ominous fact that,
just at the time when the relations between
Russia and the Porte are again declared to
be highly unsatisfactory, Count Bismarck
should formally announce that the neutral
State Of Luxembourg will be annexed to the
German Empire, Austria fears Prussia /;
Turkey has good cause to dread the en-
croachments OF Russia; England keeps one
eye~on Germany and Russia while the other
takes in the Alabama claims and the Cana
dian fisheries. Bismarck and Gortschakoff
hold the key to the situation, and they know
how to make the best use OF their golden
opportunity.
The Grand Duchy OF Luxembourg, the new
element OF disturbance, has population OF
only 200, 900, but, lying on the borders, be-
tween France and the North German Con-
federation, it had strategic value out Of
proportion to its area and numerical strength.
When the old Germanic Diet was dissolved,
in 1866, by the withdrawal OF Prussia, the
position of Luxembourg, which from 1915
had belonged to the old German Confedera-
ton, became the subject of diplomatic cor
respopdence. Prussia took the ground that
her troops occupied Luxembourg in virtue
of the international treaties ofl8l6 and 1856,
between Prussia and Holland, and that The
dissolution OF the Diet did not change her
relations to the Grand Duchy. Luxembourg
protested against this view, and the ques-
ton slumbered until early in 1867 when
France began her efforts to purchase the
Grand Duchy The King of Holland, how
ever, insisted upon informing the King OF
Prussia that France had made proposals for
the cession Of LuXembourg-a cesslon which
Lord Stanley, the present Earl OF Derby, de-
clared would Je no more than Legitimate.
France was greatly dissatisfied with the
step taken by the King of Holland, which
made the French project known in Germany
and there produced an immense agitation.
When, on April l, 1867, in the North Ger
man Parliament, the Vice-Presdent, Herr
Won Benningsen, declared that the govern
ment must not suffer Zone province OF Ger
"many to be lost, and must resist the an
..nexation of Luxembourg, il necessary, by
| siforce Of arms" the whole Parliament con-
Cured with these views, and the South Ger
| man States were equally emphatic in de-
clarng their assent. This alarmed Holland,
and the King withdrew his consent to- the
cession OF the Dnchy to France. In the
meantime the negotiations between France
and Prussia assumed i threatening cllarac-
ter. The French ambassador in London, on
| the 10th of April, explained to Lord Stanley
the grounds upon which his government
must, sooner or later, insist upon the evac-
uation by Prussia Of the Fortress of LuXem-
bourg. Count BernstorG, on the other hand,
was directed by Count Bismarck to say that
'!in the actual state of things in Germany
"Prussia is not in n condition to consent to
"the separation, in any form, ofLuXembourS Of
from Germany, or to the evacuation oil the
"lortress." England, Russia and Austria
advised Prussia to consent to the neutraliza-
ton of the Grand 'Duchy, rs q compromise,
and, on April 81, Prussia agreed to give way
upon condition that European guarantee
] be given for the neutrality. This led to The
conference which met in London in May,
1867, under the presidency OF Lord Stanley.
The powers represented were England, Aus
tria, Russia, Prussia, France, Italy, Bel
gium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
The con erence closed its labors, on May IL,
By sigmug the Treaty of London, which de-
clares: l. That the rights possessed by the
collateral branches OF the House of Nassau
to the succession OF the Grand ruchy are
maintained. g. That the Grand Duchy, un-
der the guarantee OF Austria, France, Great
Britain, Prussia and Russia, will form a
State perpetu;llly neutral, and will be bound
to observe that same neutrality toward all
other States; that the treaty powers pledge
themselves Ito respect" the principle of the
neutrality, which remains under their "col-
elective guarantee" except Belgium, herself
u neutral State s. That the town OF Luxem-
bourg cease to be IL fortified place. f. That
tho Prussian troops Immediately evacuate
the fortress s. That the said fortress be
made an open town, the King of Holland
promising that the Notifications shall not be
restor, d. g. That the bonds which united
the Duchy of Limburg collectively with the
Grand Duchyof Luxembourg TO the German
Confederation having ceased 10 exist, the
relations between the Grand Ducly and GER
tain portions OF the Duchy OF LimburS have
ended, those portions OF territory continuing
to form al integral part OF the Kingdom Of
Holland.
Luxembourg was evacuated by the Prus-
slams in May and June, pretcnce was made
OF razing the fortress, and at this point the