contenu des deux Patentes que le Roi a publiées dans le Slesvig, et lui communiquer les observations qui se trouvent dans la dépêche Danoise que je vous adresse aujourd'hui. Sa Seigneurie saura par là que ces mêmes modifications que j'ai expliquées dans mes entretiens avec Mr. Paget, le Gouvernement du Roi les a adoptées, quoique la Prusse ait si péremptoirement repoussé les ouvertures qui lui ont été faites relativement au Holstein. Si le Gouvernement n'a pas pu réaliser ses intentions relativement aux sociétés, je crois avoir assez clairement démontré que dans les circonstances peu rassurantes du moment le relâchement des dispositions existantes amenerait facilement des conséquences dont sa Seigneurie ne méconnaîtra pas le grave danger. Lord John Russell sait que le Gouvernement du Roi est tout disposé à suivre dans les autres parties de la Monarchie les mêmes principes libéraux qu'il met en pratique dans le Royaume, et à s'attirer par là les esprits de tous ses sujets; seulement il faut qu'il agisse graduellement et en choisissant le moment favorable. Ce Ministre, qui a si bien compris "qu'il n'y eût jamais une question qui demandât plus impérieusement des considérations calmes, ou dans laquelle un commencement de lutte serait plus défavorable à tous les intérêts engagés," il reconnaîtra qu'il faut laisser les mains libres au Gouvernement du Roi, qui joint à sa bonne volonté la parfaite connaissance des circonstances et des esprits, et il comprendra que plus le Gouvernement sera assuré contre l'ingérence insupportable de l'Allemagne, plus il se verra à même de travailler vers son but. Lord John Russell a parfaitement bien saisi tout ce que la question Dano-Allemande, apparemment d'un caractère intérieur, renferme dans son sein. Il a compris que l'Allemagne, lorsqu'elle cherche à intervenir dans les affaires de la Monarchie Danoise, soit au sujet de la position du Holstein dans l'organisation générale, soit en prétextant l'oppression de la langue Allemande dans le Slesvig, vise à un but incompatible avec l'intégrité de la Monarchie. J'aime à fonder sur cette juste appréciation un grand espoir de trouver dans ce différend un appui énergique chez le Cabinet Britannique; car cette intégrité de la Monarchie Danoise, dont Lord John Russell dit dans sa dépêche qu'elle intéresse à un grand degré le Gouvernement Britannique, l'Europe et avant tous l'Angleterre l'a hautement proclamée dans le Protocole et le Traité de Londres comme un principe permanent de l'équilibre Européen. Je vous prie, Monsieur, de faire lecture à Lord John Russell de cette depêche et de lui en laisser copie. M. de Bille. J'ai, &c. C. HALL. No. 112.-Abstract of a Despatch from M. Hall to M. de Bille, January 19, 1861.-(Communicated January 28.) (Translation.) Two Ordinances concerning instruction and confirmation in Schleswig have been published by the Danish Government under date of January 9th last. In regard to instruction, parents are no longer required to send their children to the public schools, but can, if they prefer, have them educated at home, without, as formerly, being obliged to obtain the permission of the authorities for that purpose; nor is it any longer required that private instruction should be given in that language, which happened to be the language of, the public schools of the district. It being an established principle, both in Denmark and Germany, that it is the duty of Government to attend to, that parents do not neglect the education of their children, the rule which has, in consequence, been adopted, that in case of private instruction the children so instructed are, at stated intervals, to be examined by the directors of the public schools, is a rule which the Danish Government has not thought fit to abolish; but it is, nevertheless, the intention of the Government not to enforce the rule, except in such cases where there is a well-founded suspicion that the parents, under pretence of having their children educated at home, neglect educating them at all. In regard to confirmation, the new Ordinance does away with the obligation under which parents were hitherto placed of letting their children be confirmed in the church of the parish to which they belonged, and, consequently, also in the language there used. Parents living in a Danish parish are hence at liberty now to send their children to be instructed in religion and confirmed in a German parish, and vice versa. A distinction is besides made betwen the rite of confirmation (viz., the vow, benediction, and communion), and the preparatory religious instruction or catechism. In the mixed districts, where, hitherto, the Danish language was exclusively used in both respects, the rite of confirmation is now performed either in German or Danish, at the option of the parties. The amnesty granted by the King to those implicated in the insurrectionary movement of 1848-50, did not, of itself, include a restoration of the political rights or elective franchise, it being required that those to whom the amnesty applied should petition the King on the subject if they wished to be politically rehabili tated, in which case their petition was never refused. It is, however, the intention of the Danish Government to do away with this requirement and to make the amnesty complete in every respect. But the Government deems it advisable not to adopt such a measure now, immediately after the election having taken place, when the restoration of the elective franchise would, for the moment, be without practical effect, and the measure therefore, instead of giving satisfaction, be more likely to be treated with mockery by the German press. If such an extension of the amnesty, on the other hand, be postponed to the next election in Schleswig, so as to be made available then, the measure would, probably be better appreciated, and, at any rate, not to be liable to the same criticism. The Danish Government, therefore, intends to postpone this completion of the amnesty until that period. If the late negotiations with Prussia had brought about a friendly understanding with Germany, the Danish Government would have been prepared to recall the prohibition decreed in December, 1858, against societies who expressly limit their action to the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Under the present circumstances the Danish Government must, however, maintain the prohibition. The measure in question has been criticised as harsh and unjust, and as contrary to the promises which the Danish Government is said to have made in the course of the negotiations with Germany in 1851, but it is owing to a misunderstanding of the character and scope of the prohibition when such charges are brought against the Danish Government. The prohibition only extends to societies in Schleswig who adopt, as a natural cognomen, the words "Slesvig-Holsteinisch," or in some other manner express the idea that Schleswig and Holstein form together a country for itself, separate and distinct from the rest of the Monarchy. The societies or unions treated of in the negotiations of 1851 were, on the other hand, only such as were intended to be in common for the whole Monarchy. To permit, in the present state of things, the organization of societies limited exclusively to the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, would, in the opinion of the Danish Government, lead to the rapid formation throughout Schleswig of "separatistic" branch societies having their head-quarters in Germany or at Kiel, which town, in the event of a Federal Execution in Holstein, would no longer be under the control of the Danish Government. The Holstein branch of the "National Verein" has, at its last meeting shown what is the tendency of such societies. This society proclaimed as its political programme a united Schleswig-Holstein incorporated into a united Germany. The Danish Government has, in consequence of this revolutionary aemonstration, prohibited the society in Holstein. C. HALL. No. 113.-Mr. Paget to Lord J. Russell.—(Received January 28.) MY LORD, Copenhagen, January 22, 1861. A POLITICAL association, called the "Nationverein," which holds its meetings at Kiel, having recently adopted a resolution expressive of their determination to use every means to bring about the political reunion of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, and the closest relationship with "Centralized Germany," a Royal Decree for the suppression of this association, a translation of which is herewith inclosed, was issued on the 16th instant. Lord J. Russell. I have, &c. A. PAGET. (Inclosure.)—Extract from the "Official Gazette" for the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg. Ministry for the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, Copenhagen, January 17, 1861. In accordance with a Decree of His Majesty of the 16th instant, the German National Assembly is hereby suppressed, in consideration of the resolution taken by the Holstein members of it on the 13th January, whereby they recognize it as their special task to strive to effect the re-establishment and further development of the former connection of Schleswig with Holstein, and their closest relationship with a "Centralized Germany." In publishing this for the public observance, the police authorities are ordered to watch that the above Decree is carried out. RAASLOEFF. No. 114.-Mr. Howard to Lord J. Russell-(Received January 28.) On the receipt, yesterday, of your Lordship's despatch of the 22nd instant, I waited upon Count Platen, and, in compliance with your Lordship's instructions, inquired of him what would be the precise object of a Federal Execution in Holstein, supposing Denmark should not yield to the demands of the German Confederation. His Excellency asked whether I proposed to address to him a note containing the inquiry. I replied, that I did not consider myself authorized to do so by your Lordship's instructions, but that he was at liberty to take down in writing the words of your Lordship's despatch, if he thought proper to do so. This he accordingly did; and afterwards he said that the question was of too important a nature for him to reply to it without having taken the King's orders; that he would accordingly adopt this course, and would then give me an answer. Having called upon Count Platen, by appointment, this evening, he observed that your Lordship's inquiry appeared to him to involve two questions: the one as to the object of the Execution; the other, as to the manner in which the Execution was to take place. With regard to the first point, his Excellency said that he could only refer me to the previous resolutions of the Diet, and more particularly to the resolutions of the 11th of February, 1858,* as well as to that of the 12th of August+ of the same year. With regard to the second point, he said he must refer me to the regulations in respect to executions for carrying into effect the resolutions of the Diet of the 3rd of August, 1820, and to the stillto-be-expected resolutions of the Diet, which will shortly be prepared in the Federal Commission of Execution. any His Excellency added, that Hanover was not a member of this Commission; and repeated an observation, which he had on more than one occasion previously made to me, that Federal execution would only apply to the German Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, and not to the Duchy of Schleswig, which does not belong to the German Confederation. Your Lordship is, no doubt, in possession of the resolution of the Diet of the 11th of February, 1858, referred to by Count Platen. By this resolution the Diet declares that it does not recognize the validity of the Danish Ordinance of the 11th of June, 1854, relative to the Constitution of Holstein; of the Royal Notification of the 23rd of June, 1856, concerning the special relations of the Duchies of Holstein; as well as of the Constitution for the common affairs of the Danish Monarchy of the 2nd of October, 1855, as far as it is applicable to the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg; that it does not find in the laws and ordinances for the reorganization of the Constitution of the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, and for the regulation of their relations towards the rest of the Danish Monarchy, published since the years 1851 and 1852, the observation of the binding assurances, as resulting from the agreements entered into and given in those years, and particularly by the Patent of the 28th of January, 1852, in respect to an alteration of the Constitution of the said Duchies, as well as to the equal rights. and independent position to be granted to them in the aggregate State; and, moreover, that the Constitution for the Common Affairs of the Danish Monarchy is not altogether compatible with the principles of the Confederation. The Diet, therefore, calls upon the Royal-Ducal Government to introduce, in the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, a state of things conformable to the laws of the Confederation and to the assurances given, and which shall more particularly secure the independence of the Special Constitution and Administration of the Duchies, and shall + Page 801. * Page 799. |