The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-27
inaton, tho greatest General America

~. 1911.
Washington. tho greatest General America
has produced"
We have left ourselves no space to deal with
Jacks career In civil life and we shall hope
| to return to It on some other occasion. TWAS.
however, the triumph at New Orleans which
has rooted his name forever In the memory OF
his countrymen. and no one before MIR. Dyer
had brought out 90 forcibly the surprising and
| almost stupendous features OF that immortal
victory. NJ W. Ii.
Won sybers History OF the German Empire.
Tho fourth volume OF The Founding Of the
German Empire. by HEINRICH Won SYBEL IT. Y.
Crowell h Coz depicts IN important stage In
the career Of Bismarck and in the evolution Of
the Prussian monarchy. 1t begins with an nc
count Of the strained relations between Aus
tra and Prussia. which followed tho liberation
OF SchleswiR- Holstein from Danish control.
The author next proceeds to discuss the ncgo-
tiations eliminating in the Gastcin treaty.
which 1t was hoped would reconcile the con-
flcting claims OF the two principal German
| powers. Then after depression to tho mo-
tives and events which caused the Prusso-
Italian alliance. the present volume concludes
with an exposition Of the rupture between
Of war In June. 1885, The period under review
is memorable in tho constitutional history OF
Prussia as being that during which Bismarck
| governed without the cooperation Of the na
| tional legislature. II is also conspicuous in
the history OF diplomacy for the Ingenuity and
SUCCESS with which Bismarck thwartcd the
| wish Of Napoleon III. to interfere In German
| affairs.
| It Is well known that Prussia and Austria
had prosecuted the war against Denmark rs
the joint mandatories OF tho Frankfort Dict.
which claimed the right to protect the interests
| OF the duchies Of Holstein. 1auenburg. and
| Sohlcswig. The grounds on which tho claim
was based were set forth in a previous
notice in which We outlined Prof. Won Sybel's
| calculation OF the obscure Schleswig Holstein
question. At present one needs only to recall
| that no sooner was the contest ended by the
discontinue OF Denmark than the vctors be-
gun to dispute over tho spoil Prussia had done
three fourths Of the work and not unnaturally
wanted proportionate share Of the guerdon.
With bismarck ut tho holm. she was destined
to got the whole of it. but not until long and
| strenuous effort at compromise had failod
and her prctensions wcre made good
upon the battlefield. To understand the
| points on which turned tho controversy be-
tween Russia on the ono side. and
| Austria and the majority Of the lesser
German States upon the other. one
must keep in mind the respective positions OF
the powers concerned in the SchleswiG Hol-
stein matter. In tho first place. the majority
| in the Confederate Diet at Frankfort stood firm
In the assertion Of it's right to settle the whole
| question. Of the irrefutable claim Of tho Duke
| Of Augustenburg to rule the conquered duch-
| los. and OF the necessity OF the creation Of n
now sovereign lesser State. Schlcswig -Hol-
| stein. This majority was consistent from the
| first word TO the last and had in its arsenal an
| abundance Of legal arguments But it was ut
| tery in want Of external means with which to
| carry out its DESIRE Its whole hope lay in the
| rupture which from the outset was seen to be
| impending between Prussia and Austria To
| the German nation its programme offered no
| other advantages than the maintenance OF tho
principle Of legitimacy. which was. however.
the strongest buwark of tho independence Of
| the thirty individual German States.
In complete contrast with tho MAJORITY In the
| Diet. Prussia had from the start recognized
| neither the asserted powers Of the Confederate
Diet nor the claims Of AuGustonburg. On the
| contrary. sho had always regarded King Chris
tian IL. OF Denmark as rghtfully Duke OF
| Schleswig- Holstein. and It was solely on tho
| ground Of his breach OF constitutional duties
| that she had made war upon him and forced
him to give up the duchles. Never having
questioned his claims to the throne. she now
| consistently considered herself and Austria as
| the lawful SUCCESSORS OF Christian in the pos
| session Of the conquered territory. Prussia
on her part had no lack OF historical and legal
| arguments. and what was much more to the
purpose. she possessed the power to ENFORCE
| her will.
| An vii Ind M fbo hoo NJ pptp rod
Prussis's views. had promised by treaty to act
In the matter only in concert with Prussia. and
| had then favored the restoration OF the duches
| to King Christian. Of course with the stipula-
| ton that he should respect their constitutional
| rights. When this arrangement was found to
| be impractcable. Austria began to take inter-
est in Augustenburg claim. and In pursuance
OF this change OF attitude promised tho lesser
| States that she would not allow the question to
| be settled without the cooperation Of the
Frankfort Diet Nevertheless. she could not
help receiving. somewhat later. from the hand
| OF Christian IN. the duchics as possession in
common with Prussia. and thus again ro-
nouncinG every right to dispose Of them with
out Prussia's consent SO openly. indeed. ut
| this time did tho Vienna Cabinet recognize the
| sovereignty Of Christian TX. and his legal sue
oessors under the treaty OF cession. that 1t pro-
posed the annexation Of the duchies to Prussia
provided Austria should be assured Of cor
responding acquisition OF territory In some
other locality. Not until tho King of Prussia
had refused this did Austria give way to her
sympathies for Augustenburg. She could not,
It is true after what had passed. talk about
his legal rights. but she recommended his ele.
vation for utilitarian reasons. Especially did
she take her stand upon tho basis Of the Con-
| fedcrate Constitution. according to whose
principles transference OF the Holstein SOW
ereign rights to Prussia would be absolutely
unpcrmissible. Thus Prussia saw herself con-
fronted by this alternative: either to give up
all gain from the Danish war. whose brunt sho
had borne. or else to burst tho fetters Of tho
cramping theory OF confederate rights by one
mighty and decisive throe.