, 1874-10-21

and to indulge his sympathies, will be disiu-
clined to touch the Danish question any moro.
The gallant little nation may remain an OBJ
ieot Of melancholy interest, but the time tor
even a protest in its favour has passed away.
Policy, like law, does not care tor very lit
tie things. In the case OF England, this feel
inc must be strengthened by the remembrance
Of the part which we played in 1864, It is
said bv those who assume to be conversant
with the secrets of Cabinets that we we're very
near an armed Intervention at that time. The
question of protecting Denmark by something
more forcible than the dispatches of Earl Rus
SELL was actually considered, and the ministry
was not unanimously content with moral In
Auence. But the fact remains that we did
nothing, and that our " Conference Of London"
was a solemn farce. at that time Prussia
was only on illjoined kingdom, struggling
over the map Of Germany; to-day Prussia is
Germany itself. At that time there were
statesmen and Generals who believed that the
Prussian Army was a mere Militia it need
not be said what their opinion is now. These
being the circumstances, what answer can be
given when the cry of Denmark is heard once
more in Europe? Ten years ago our policy,
such as it was, had the support of the French
EMPEROR, then in the height Of his power and
reputation, crowned with the laurols of Italy
and not yet sullied by the blood of Mexico.
The conclusion must be that the only appeal
by the Danish people is to the conscience Of
the conqueror. In the two Provinces which were
severed from the Danish Monarchy, and in
the debatable land which lies on their northern
border, the German Empire has the power to
enforce its own version of every engagement,
The present disputes relate to q strip of ter
ritory underlined and perhaps indetinable, as
well as to a population about which, as In AL
xrary 6iyvnrCn rnprnUnDf, A;O1S a ha unodR
The German CHANCELLOR has taken the view
most in accordance with the territorial inter
est of his country it remains to be shown
whether he can be converted to that higher
principle which the Danes invoke.
The gist Of the matter is hat in Northern
Schleswig there is a Danish population. The
Duohies were occupied by the two great Powers
of the then German Confederation as German
soil, and as belonging to Germany, not only
legally, but by the wish of the inhabitants.
That this last claim was substantially based in
truth cannot now be denied, and it is mat
ter for regret that this was lost sight of in the
counsels of the Western Powers. But the from
tier between Schleswig and Jutland being pure
ly artificial, the two nationalities merged into
each other, and 10 northern Schleswig there are
now some 200, 900 souls Danish in speech and
sympathies. 1t will DO remembered that the
Abandonment Of these was one Of the chief ar
guments urged by the Danish Government
against the concessions demanded by Prussia.
1t was said that there was no line Of demarca-
ton between Danes and Germans correspond
ing to the conventional divisions between the
portions of the Danish Monarchy, and that a ceg-
sion made on historical grounds would be an act
of practical injustice. However, the sword
decided the matter, and the two Provinces,
according to their traditional limits, passed I'M
der the guardianship of Prussia and Austria,
soon to fall wholly under the dominion of the
former. The 100000 Danes, were separated
from the State of their nationality and their
affections. Naturally, the grievance which
had been formerly pleaded by the Ger
mans was now urged by the Danes in
their turn. At the Conference of London
the rights of the people of Northern
S~ohleswig had been much debated. The rep
resentatives of the two invading Powers had
at first shown a disposition to be content with
about half of Schleswig, leaving the Danes
more than all they now ask. Of course, this
moderation may have been affected, and the
oonquerors of DGppel may have wished to
gain time while they completed the expulsion
of the enemy. But the fact of this controversy
is evidence that the complaints now made are
no new thing. The right of the Danes was
admitted by the German Governments, and
aSnooialIu hr A,ctr;o which has alwaue aaemad