New-York tribune., 1871-11-17
TIE BALTIC QUESTION.


When Austria and Prussia marched north
ward together in 1864 to federal execution upon
Schleswig- -Holstein, there were few persons in
Europe who understood the cause Of the quar-
rel. There was never q war waged 90 indie
pendently Of public opinion or Of the senti-
ment of the civilized world as this which these
great Powers carried on against the peaceable
monarchy of Denmark. The question involved
had become so entangled by diplomatic dis
cussiOn, that distinguished English states
man was not ashamed to indulge in the jest
Of saying, "0nlY two men ever understood
"the Schleswig- Holstein questiOn-mysef and
another He is dead and have forgotten it,"
1t was a question which did not need much
elucidation, when the force was all on one side,
and only the right on the other. Prussia and
Austria disagreed about the spoils tho next
year, and the gathering quarrel was only dis
PEELED by the famous convention of Gastein,
which first exhibited the enormous adroitness
of NJ. de Bismarck. He gained by that extra
ordinary treaty every advantage of the last
years war for his royal master, and for him-
self the coveted title of Count. The next year
Prussia trampled even this One-sided conven-
ton under foot, and, moving corps of Occu-
patton into the Baltic provinces, brought on
the war which ended in Sadowa and the fOun-
dation of the North German Confederation.
The right and wrong of the whole question
was thus put to rest, and relegated to the
realm Of ancient history. Prussia absorbed
the Duchies, and held them as firmly as any
other province of the Kingdom. But she
could not 60 easily conquer the hearts and
compel the votes of their inhabitants. Hol-
stein was German in race and feeling, but the
northern portion of Schleswig was still obst-
pately Danish, and continued year after year
to elect sturdy Danish representatives to the
Berlin Parliament, who declined to take the
oath Of allegiance, and 30 were regularly re-
fused their seats. This, however, Occasioned
no inconvenience, as the PTussian rule was
troubled by no sentimental fancles about
the consent of the governed. If they were let
alone by the rest of Europe, there was no
doubt that in time the passive resistance of
the Schleswigers would be worn out by the
German persistence. 1t was certainly not
reasonable to expect that any other Power
would interfere in the affairs of 30 we'll
ordered family as that Of the German En-
pire.
But the Mosooo Gakette hourishes in an at
mosphere 30 far removed from the currents of
thought in Central Europe that everything
seems possible to It which suits the con-
venience of Russia. It seriously proposes that
the Car shah demand the naturalization Of
Denmark and the restoration to her of North
ern SchleswiR 10 o means of oOunteracttng the
power of Prussia In the Baltic. II this is
merely an ebuIition Of Russian ignorance and
jealousy, excited by run1ors OF tho Austr0-
Prussian rapprochement, tt will probably be
punished In the paternal manner employed by
the Government Of the Gear toward his indis-
Greet subjects, There IL, however, d pOsibil-
ity that the Moscow journal may 'hETe been
permitted to throw out this sudAcious sugges-
| lion to draw the Ere Of Europe in the way Of
comment and criicism., The latter suppOGi-
ton gains come probability from the fsCt that
! the tone Of the Gdsette OF Moscow corresponds
to Q great extent with that ct the GoIOs, the
organ Of the ultra RusSish parry Recent ard-
cles in this influential pgpR speak With great
bitterness Of the growing naval Importance Of
I Prussia, insist upon tho Russian supremacy In
the Black Sea, and Protest aeainSt the German
propaganda on the LiSonian 3n6 Esthonian
bOsderss, There aeems no longer ANy room Tor
dO6bt 1sk ths Rasdan Cabinet rhaEe beeai
/ greatly disabnOinsed e ne resu1s OF the Waf'
OK t8as 1ppIs NOt4.An8 NYNa0 N.Y. II Fontoo
at Ieast q plutOnie demOHl Ion ID h2or. Of
Franee cd the part ok KnsEaas .SkeSpa the hone
that . friendly ettithdA toward Gar.
many night resaIg "A yel1ahls naOrhl sup
port on The lower Danql,s.. 4 Bps when
I the war ended in the cer and lsieiiA
t1iunph Of the GefhzlSaiia EShpGls IN tkAs.
! wenb Hom Berlin t0l JsE Pezt N mo-
: fuSiGn St shaAks spd l "a siEiliAsS which
/ were open ITO the wotlda 1AsG Epbinet,
sails The Prince & Bimsa,e SSSsGsS ~ iIe.,
! ferred 70 seek Ito alliances iss ~ hserest
i nsigkbsEa and sHeieas q hOm -.
had no longer any rk0bA1le cttse ~ SssgEsS-a
metIits thAn talRt 81 Dassl tlsSf Nhppe
sfRSping AMBITION was constant menace aS
3 well on the Black a. the Bs1hs Sc II" q
3 true that no formal announcement Of any ar.