The Danish Question Stated

Tiio Danísh question, whioh has ktely causea so Hindi agitation iii JSurope, really lies iu a ptttsbefl. Foruierly Schieswig-Holstein, a part of Gerrnauy fonuing the soutlieru portion of tbe Eiugdom of Denmark, was ono Duohy. In 184S and 1849, its iuhabitants, backed by l'rusiia, revolted again'st the Dansh rulo, aod vory nearly suooecdpd in castiug it off. In 1850 nnd 1851, Austria and Prrtssia asscnted to the scverance of ÖcUleswig from Hoïsteiu, boih to be rotaiucd by I)eumark. SchlcswigHolstcin gjographically belonging to Germany, it was promised by Frederiok V II . of Deumai-I;, ihat thoy should rctain thtiir national privileges, and not ba unitod lo Deimiark, by auy act, wliich, iiicorporating thom vith that Kingdom, would tako from tbem tbeir otvu Independent Legblïtiire. In like mauncr, in tho hundred and twenty-three years (1714-1837) which elapsod f rom tbö accessiüu of the Guolph dynasty to the Britisli tbroue, to ihe death of Williara IV., tho last m:ile sovQreigti of that liue, Ilanover, a Gertuan Eleotorate originally bolonging to the Guclphs (made a Kingdqm in 1815), was goverued by or in the ur.tne of the British Sovereign, but had its own laws, its own Legislature, its own nobility, wholly independent of Eugland, and bulonged tQ the Germán Diet, precisely as Schleswig-Holstein does now, Tho UauQverians would have revolted, with tho sympathy of Germany to aid, bad the King of Etigland issucd a Proclaoiation br the British Parliauient made a law, i by which Hanover, losiug its individual nationality, v,ou!d be declared uuited to England, with permission to seud a few nicmbers to t é British Lcgisiature, its o;vu local Parliameiit being abolished. In 185:2; Austria and Prussia, with Eugluud, Fraucp, áud other Puwcrs, agrucd io i'.ppoiiit a successor to ibc roigniüg King ut penmark, who wks childless, passed over the Dake of Augu.-r.eGbuurg, Uie Kin's ucarest rnalo rclatio-.i, aüd ] head of iho Jirel ducal ine of llulsfeinSondtirbüurg, to eleot Priuco Christian, a younger son of the Duke of Sonder bourg-Glucksbourg, which is a junior branch of the Dauish fanjily. ïhe Augustenbourg liue vas pussed by beoause it had (ought agaiust Donmark, on the side of the Schleswig-IIolsteiners, in 1848 - '49, and the Glucksbourg branch was seleoted beoauae it had taken part with Denmark. The Augustenbourg fainily alaim Schleswig-llolsteiu by hereditary descent as nest mu!e heifs to the late Kiug of Denmark. But this claim inight not Lave boen allowed had other ciraumstances not helped it. When, íq May, 185L', the succession to Denmark was diverted into the Glucksboarg faniily, au arrangement from vvhich the Dauish Parliameul withheld a?sout until tho last day of July, 1853, the King of Denmark soleiuuly promised to respect the rights of Sehleswig Holstein. But Prederick VII., broke this promise by issitióy the Patent of a new (Jonstitution, iücorporating ,hese Duohies with Denmark. His succesfor, the Glückebourg cadet, withdrew tljat Constitutiou, but, in November, immediatuly after his accession, as Christian IX , i au ad a uuw Constitutioo, which, if carriad out, wiïl SRamp' chieswig Holstein, as muoh as the iucorporatioo of Hanover with Eugland vrould have swamped Hanover, Christian IX., will not see that if !ae ia independent, as King of Peutnark, he is a member of the German (-"ufederation, as Duke of Ilolstein. He reines to witbdraw his act depriving SüIile.swigIIoÍ3te;u of their natiouality, and Austria and Prusr-ia have cousequantly ccased to hold djploniatio relations with hiin, therely sijrrend,;r!ii; h';u2 to. his fao. Èuglaud proposos to Rubmit tb e quea tion to a Conference, but Franoe holds back, remembering how rcoently how incivüy Lord Kussell declimed attending thü Cengresi,. ïhe feeling in the Duchies is in favor of Prince EVederiok, of Augustenbourg, and, uuless Engiand sonds au army and a fleet (o assist the father of the Princes8 of Wales, his Majesty may find hiraself miuus Schleswig and Holstein scir.e fine morning iu the spring. Denmark, with tho Duchies, coutains 1,307 square miles (exnctly one milo more thar, thp are.a of our little lihodo -Island) 'and 2.(!05,024 inhabitapts. Take away Schleswig-Holstoin, and thu Kingdomjof Denmark will consist of only 715 square miles, with a population of 1,650,71)8. Thia isa petty sovereignty, but its affaire raay mako Europe drift Dto general war. Phifodelphia Press.