Gross believed, the substance of the demands of the Diet of Germany upon the subject No. 732. (II.) of Holstein and Lauenburg; the others relate to the Duchy of Schleswig, but britannien, 19. April the whole arrangement is founded upon the stipulations of 1852. 1861. 1. That the quota of the common Budget of the Monarchy which affects the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg should be submitted to the States of Holstein and Lauenburg respectively for their assent, amendment, or rejection. 2. That the laws which are to affect the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg shall be submitted to the Diets of Holstein and Lauenburg respectively for their assent, amendment, or rejection. 3. That the Duchy of Schleswig shall send Representatives to the Parliament of Denmark, to vote in that Parliament the common expenses of the Monarchy, and to vote on all laws affecting the Monarchy. 4. That the separate Diet of Schleswig shall continue to be elected and to meet according to the present law. The functions of that Diet to consist in voting such sums as may be necessary for the maintenance of churches and schools and other local expenses, and in providing by equal laws for the welfare of the Danish, German, and other inhabitants of Schleswig. 5. When those terms are assented to, and solemnly proclaimed by the King of Denmark, the four Powers, viz., France, Great Britain, Russia, and Sweden, to guarantee to the Crown of Denmark the possession of the Duchy of Schleswig. 6. That Commissioners should be appointed, one on the part of Denmark, one on the part of Germany, and one on the part of the four Powers, to define the boundary of the Duchy of Schleswig. The guarantee mentioned in a former Article to comprise the Duchy thus defined and bounded. 7. That the Treaty and Engagements of 1852, so far as they are not altered by these Articles, should be inviolably maintained. I trust that all the Powers concerned will see in these propositions an evidence of the anxious desire of Her Majesty's Government to do justice to all parties, and to save both Denmark and Holstein from the chances and calamities of war. I am, &c. The Earl Cowley, Paris. No. 733. (III). J. Russell. GROSSBRITANNIEN. — Min. d. Ausw. a. d. kön. Gesandten in Stockholm. - Den schwedischen Plan vom 29. März betreffend. Foreign Office, April 19, 1861. Gross Sir, Her Majesty's Government have considered with great atten-No. 733. (III.) tion the long and able despatch of Count Manderström to Count Platen of the britannien, 19. April date of the 29th of March. Her Majesty's Government acknowledge the force 1861. of the observation of Count Manderström on the danger to be feared for Denmark Gross No. 733. (III.)from the dispute between Germany and Denmark, and upon the obligations inbritannien, cumbent upon Great Britain, as well from the Treaties she has signed as from 19. April 1861. her regard for the maintenance of the independence and integrity of Denmark, to promote to the utmost the prevention of the impending conflict. Turning from these general considerations to the practical proposals of Count Manderström, I am sorry to say I cannot express the same agreement. ¶With regard to the first proposal, I will only say that, so far as it fulfils the requirements of the German Confederation, it meets the views of Her Majesty's Government. ¶ With regard to the second, however, it is not in our power to say that the King of Denmark has fulfilled his promises in relation to the organization of the Duchy of Schleswig. Although this may be technically true, yet, in spirit, these promises can hardly be said to be fulfilled. With regard to the third proposal, Her Majesty's Government cannot expect that Germany, by consenting to the neutrality of the Duchy of Holstein, will in effect consent to deprive herself of an important part of the territory of the Confederation. As the chance of obtaining that consent appears to Her Majesty's Government infinitely small, there is no need of discussing the policy of the Swedish proposition. ¶ Her Majesty's Government will, in another despatch, explain their views on the whole question, and will be happy to obtain the co-operation of the King of Sweden. I am, &c. Mr. Jerningham, Stockholm. J. Russell. No. 734. (IV.) Gross GROSSBRITANNIEN. Gesandter in Berlin an den königl. Min. d. Ausw. Unterredung mit dem Preuss. Min. d. Ausw. über die deutsch-dänische Frage. Berlin, April 19 (received April 22), 1861. No. 734. (IV.) My Lord, I had some conversation on Monday last with Baron britannien, Schleinitz on the differences between Denmark and the States of Holstein. 19. April 1861. Baron Schleinitz referred to the speech which your Lordship had recently made in the House of Commons in reply to certain interpellations on that subject, and his Excellency observed that it was an error on the part of your Lordship to suppose that Prussia or Germany coveted or meditated the acquisition of Schleswig. He stated that he not only repudiated any such intention on the part of the Governments, but he could also state that no such idea had been, or was, entertained by the Liberal Societies, or the so-termed National-Verein," to which he presumed that your Lordship had intended more specially to refer. Not even in 1848, said Baron Schleinitz, did the National Assembly, in the height of the war, aspire to any such aim. Prussia, his Excellency repeated, desired no better than to have the question settled, for it was a thorn in her side, and a constant embarrassment of which she desired most heartily to be relieved. So little did Prussia look to the attainment of any separate interest or Gross ambitious aim, that she was desirous, in the event of an ,,Execution," that notNo. 734. (IV.) a single Prussian soldier should cross the frontier or take part in that measure, britannien, 19. April and that the army to be so employed should be composed of the contingents of 1861. the other German States, in order to prove that it was a purely German, and not a Prussian question. In referring to the present state of these affairs, and their being shortly again brought before the German Diet, Baron Schleinitz expressed a hope that Denmark would not reiterate in her communication to that Body the phrase which had been made use of in the Royal Message to the Holstein States, namely,,,that His Majesty had not been enabled to accede to the demand of the Diet," for any such communication would immediately close the door against further negotiations, and oblige the Diet to proceed at once to an Execution. His Excellency expressed this opinion so strongly that I thought it important that the Danish Government should be advertised beforehand of the desirableness to avoid any recurrence of language which would at once cut off all hopes of an amicable arrangement. I am convinced that the Prussian Government are very desirous that some means should be found to effect an arrangement of these differences, and I am inclined to believe that they will lend a willing hand to any such adjustment as will safeguard their honour, and by which they will not incur obloquy or reproval. ¶ I mentioned to Baron Schleinitz that if Prussia and Germany were really anxious to bring these differences to a conclusion, a favourable opportunity would shortly offer itself, when the influence of Prussia might be usefully exerted in the conciliatory and pacific sense in which he had spoken. The question would be immediately laid before the Diet. Both litigants would appear before that Body. The one party would submit its grievances, the other would make known the measures proposed for their redress. I considered, therefore, that the Diet, in lieu of acting as a partizan, would now have the opportunity of assuming the character of a mediator, and that the Diet might fairly attempt to harmonise the divergent views of the litigants. Thus, for instance, on the question of the Budget for 1861-62, on which doubts existed as to the real nature and extent of the concessions made by Denmark, I thought that the Diet, before delivering a judgment, should appeal to the Danish Government to ascertain the exact interpretation of the 13th paragraph. This course would enable the Danish Government to reconsider their decision, and would open a door for an amicable arrangement. For my part I could not but think that an appeal to Denmark in a conciliatory tone would be received by the Danish Government in a similar spirit, and that an understanding might be arrived at satisfactory to all the parties interested. I could not conceive it possible that a question which intrinsically was of very small dimensions could eventually lead to a rupture and to war. The conciliatory spirit evinced by his Excellency, and the sincerity with which he expressed himself in favour of an amicable arrangement, induced me to hope that the Prussian Government would exert their influence at the Diet in the manner to which I had referred. ¶ Baron Schleinitz concurred with me in the opinion I had expressed. He thought that it was of great importance that the Danish Government should be counselled not to take Gross No.734. (IV.)any step which would force the Diet to break off all further negotiations, but he britannien, said that these counsels cannot proceed from Germany. It is for the Powers on 19. April 1861. whom Denmark leans for support to advise the course for her to pursue, and to influence her decision. I have, &c. Lord J. Russell, London. Augustus Loftus. No. 735. (V.) GROSSBRITANNIEN. — Gesandter in Berlin an den königl. Min. d. Ausw. My Lord, Berlin, April 27 (received April 29), 1861. No. 735. (V.) I have not failed, on every occasion which presented Grossbritannien, itself, to impress on Baron Schleinitz the grave consequences which may result 27. April 1861. to the general peace if the efforts to bring about an amicable adjustment of the differences between Denmark and Holstein were to fail, and that coercive measures were to be resorted to by the Diet. In furtherance of these efforts I thought it desirable to read to Baron Schleinitz that portion of your Lordship's despatch of the 19th instant *), pourtraying the dangers which may result from a Federal Execution in Holstein, and expressing the opinion of Her Majesty's Government that the questions at issue are susceptible of an amicable arrangement. Baron Schleinitz expressed his entire concurrence with the opinions expressed by your Lordship in the above-named despatch. He stated that the two points mentioned therein as forming the demands of the Germanic Confederation were perfectly correct; but he added that if Denmark should meet the demands of the Diet with a direct negative, he did not well see what other course could be pursued by that Body than to resort to a Military Execution. ¶ His Excellency expressed a hope that the communication which was to be made this day by the Danish Minister at Frankfort to the Diet would be of such a nature as to admit of a continuance of the negotiations, with a chance that the explanations required of Denmark may lead to a final and satisfactory result. ¶ His Excellency observed that the position of Prussia in this question was one of great difficulty and even of danger to herself. Already violent reproaches were being launched forth against the Prussian Government, at the very idea that Prussia would take no military part in the Execution, if finally resorted to. *) Die Depesche vom 19. April, auf welche hier Bezug genommen ist, enthielt in Betreff der Bundesexecution Folgendes:,,It appears to Her Majesty's Government that . . . if the Federal Execution should take place, there is great danger that questions more difficult of solution may arise. On the Danish side, a blockade of German ports may be instituted, which would at once bring Germany and Denmark into a state of war. On the German side, the presence of a German army in Holstein would revive the question of Schleswig, a question upon which the passions of Germany are greatly excited. Another danger arises from the existence of a dispute concerning the frontier, a dispute which affects the town of Rendsburg and the harbour of Kiel." Gross Prussia was loudly accused of treachery to the national cause, and of a cowardly No. 735. (V.) abandonment of the interests of the German population in Holstein. Germany britannien, 27. April had a duty to perform in maintaining the rights and privileges of a portion of 1861. German territory, and Germany could not abandon her duty without a sacrifice of her honour and her interests. His Excellency again reiterated his oftexpressed hopes that Denmark will adopt a conciliatory course, and that the dangers which may arise from coercive measures, which must inevitably be the consequence of a refractory course on her part, may be thus averted, both to Germany and to Europe. I have, &c. Lord J. Russell, London. Augustus Loftus. No. 736. (VI.) GROSSBRITANNIEN. Gesandter in St. Petersburg an den Min. d. Ausw. St. Petersburgh, April 28 (received May 6), 1861. Gross 1861. My Lord, I waited on Prince Gortchakoff yesterday, and placed inNo. 736. (VI.) his hands your Lordship's despatch of the 19th instant, containing the Articles britannien, 28. April recommended by Her Majesty's Government to the consideration of the Great Powers for the settlement of the questions at issue between the Danish Government and the German Confederation, in connection with Holstein and Schleswig. Prince Gortchakoff read your Lordship's communication with attention, and declared himself, on a first view, satisfied with the tenour of your suggestions, except in regard to Article 5-that which contemplates a guarantee to be given by the Governements of England, France, Russia, and Sweden, to the Government of Denmark for the possession of Schleswig. His Excellency remarked that this guarantee appeared to him to weaken the guarantee contained in the Stipulations of 1852, which was more extensive in its scope, and was fortified by the adherence of a greater number of Powers. His Excellency then asked me for a copy of your Lordship's despatch, to which, he said, he would give his best consideration. Although not authorized by the terms of your Lordship's instruction to furnish the Russian Minister with a copy, I felt no difficulty in doing so; I have accordingly forwarded a copy of the document to the Prince, with an expression of my hope that I may be enabled to transmit to your Lordship a definitive statement of his views in the course of the present week. I have, &c. Lord J. Russell, London. Napier. |