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No. 42.

My Lord,

Mr. Manley to Lord J. Russell.-(Received July 30.)

Copenhagen, July 26, 1860. A

I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith to your Lordship a printed copy of a circular despatch of the 23rd instant which has been addressed by the Danish Government to their Ministers abroad, in reply to, or rather refutation of, the statements put forth by Baron Schleinitz in his Memorandum inclosed in his despatch to the Prussian Minister at this Court, M. Balan, and communicated by him to M. Hall, in answer to his note of the 10th of June on the subject of the late discussions in the Prussian Chamber with regard to Schleswig. M. Balan has kindly furnished me with a copy in German of the Memorandum, but as he assured me that it had been already communicated to your Lordship by M. de Bernstoff, I do not think it necessary to transmit a translation with this despatch.

I have, &c.

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Circular addressed by M. Hall to Danish Representatives abroad, July 23, 1860.

[See No. 41.].

No. 43.

(Extract.)

Mr. Hamilton to Lord J. Russell.-(Received July 30.)

Frankfort, July 27, 1860.

IN the sitting of the Diet yesterday, M. de Eisendecher, the Oldenburg Envoy, proposed that the Diet should take into its most serious consideration the Danish Duchies question.

After considerable discussion M. de Eisendecher's motion was negatived.

No. 44.

Memorandum communicated to Lord J. Russell by M. de Bille.

THE present excited state of public feeling in Germany on the subject of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein renders it more difficult than ever for the Danish Government to bring about a settlement of the constitutional organization of the Monarchy. Under these circumstances it becomes a matter of necessity to provide in a temporary manner for the position of Holstein in the Danish Monarchy, until that position shall be finally settled either by the Duchy entering into a constitutional union with the rest of the Danish Monarchy, or by her obtaining a separate position more or less independent of the rest of the Monarchy.

The Danish Government proposes to provide for this temporary state of things by giving to the Provincial Assembly of Holstein full legislative power, in conjunction with the General Assembly ("Rigsraad," or Council of State), for the rest of the Monarchy, as to all matters concerning the whole Monarchy, so that no general measure of that description would receive the force of law till it had been sanctioned, on the one part, by the General Assembly ("Rigsraad") for Denmark-Schleswig, and, on the other, by the Provincial Assembly of Holstein.

If the two Assemblies should disagree, and persist in the disagreement, nothing would be left but to make, as far as the circumstances of the particular case might require, those public matters which have hitherto been treated as being exclusively under the control of the General Government, henceforth matters of provincial legislation on the part of the Provincial Assembly of Holstein, in so far as they concerned that Duchy.

According to the present financial system of the Danish Monarchy, the expenses of the General Government are in part defrayed by proportionate contributions from the revenues of the different constituent parts of the Monarchy, viz., Denmark Proper, Schleswig, and Holstein. It is proposed by the Danish Government to fix, once for all, the maximum contribution to be furnished by Holstein, by taking the average of what that Duchy has contributed during the last four years to the expenses of the General Government, and to make any demand, over and above that amount, which circumstances might call for, dependent on a special grant by the Provincial Assembly of Holstein.

Such a temporary arrangement of the constitutional question of the Danish Monarchy would, it is hoped, afford time for calm reflection, tend to promote a conciliatory spirit on the part of Holstein, and prepare the way for the final adoption of a constitutional organization of the Monarchy on a basis satisfactory to all parties. It would, moreover, in excluding foreign interference with the domestic troubles of Denmark, allow that political agitation to subside which has hitherto been fostered by such interference, and rendered unavailing every effort of the Danish Government to effect a settlement of the constitutional question of the Monarchy.

Sir,

No. 45.

Lord J. Russell to Mr. Paget.

Foreign Office, August 2, 1860.

· WITH reference to the affairs of Denmark, I have received lately a Memorandum from the Danish Minister accredited to Her Majesty. A copy of it is herewith inclosed.*

It is to be observed that, with regard to Holstein, the concessions proposed for a temporary arrangement are very large.

For instance: "The Danish Government proposes to provide for this temporary state of things by giving to the Provincial Assembly of Holstein full legislative power, in conjunction with the General Assembly (Rigsraad,' or Council of State), for the rest of the Monarchy, as to all matters concerning the whole Monarchy, so that no general measure of that description would receive the force of law till it had been sanctioned on the one part by the General Assembly (Rigsraad'), for Denmark-Schleswig, and on the other by the Provincial Assembly of Holstein." And again: According to the present financial system of the Danish Monarchy, the expenses of the general Government are in part defrayed by proportionate contributions from the revenues of the different constituent parts of the Monarchy, viz., Denmark Proper, Schleswig, and Holstein. It is proposed by the Danish Government to fix, once for all, the maximum contribution to be furnished by Holstein, by taking the average of what that Duchy has contributed during the last four years to the expenses of the General Government, and to make any demand over and above that amount which circumstances might call for, dependent on a special grant by the Provincial Assembly of Holstein."

The defect of this Memorandum is, that it does not touch at all on the affairs of Schleswig; but it might be accepted as a basis by the German Powers, if Denmark, with a view to a friendly and final arrangement, would make certain concessions to the German inhabitants of Schleswig.

Should this view be entertained by Denmark, Her Majesty's Government would suggest to the Danish Government the expediency of modifying or repealing such of the laws now existing in Schleswig as can fairly be shown to be in contradiction with the Royal Patent of 1852, by which the King of Denmark promised to place the German and Danish populations of Schleswig on an equal footing.

The principal points upon which there appears to be cause of complaint arethe forced confirmation in the Danish language; the forced system of private education; the prohibition of the meetings of scientific societies; and the system which is employed in the correction of the electoral lists

If the Danish Government would, in addition, grant Schleswig a Constitution, guaranteeing to the Duchy legislative and administrative independence, and

*No. 44.

would leave the question of the language to be used in the churches and schools to be determined by the wishes of the population in the so-called Mixed Districts, it appears to Her Majesty's Government that they could not fairly be liable to the charge of not having fulfilled their engagements, or of seeking to incorporate the Duchy.

You are instructed to read this despatch to M. Hall, and to ask him whether, without any negotiation with Germany or with the European Powers, he would feel himself authorized to empower the British Government to instruct Her Majesty's Minister at Frankfort to hold out an expectation that the measures here suggested in regard to Schleswig are likely to receive the sanction of His Danish Majesty.

No. 46.

I am, &c.

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My Lord,

Mr. Manley to Lord J. Russell.-(Received August 6.)

Copenhagen, August 1, 1860. IN conversations I have lately had with M. Hall, I again observed to his Excellency how desirable it would be, in order to render the proposition for an arrangement of the Holstein question acceptable, that it should be accompanied by some declaration on the part of the Danish Government to redress certain grievances now complained of by Schleswig.

M. Hall, after denying any right on the part of Germany to interfere in the affairs of Schleswig, said he despaired of being able to make any concession to that Duchy that would prevent Germany from interfering in her affairs, as some pretext or other would always be found for so doing.

I reminded his Excellency that there existed, as he himself owned, at present some just subjects for complaint, such as the universal employment, in the mixed districts, of Danish as the language of education, prohibition of certain scientific societies, &c.

M. Hall said, with regard to the first, that it was really no subject for complaint that the population of the mixed districts did not exceed 50,000; that it was necessary that one language should be employed as that of instruction, and that it was most natural that it should be Danish, and that German was equally taught in all the schools.

That with respect to the suspension of the right of meeting of certain societies the Government had been compelled to do so on account of their having assumed a political nature and endeavouring to promote SchleswigHolsteinism, and that it would therefore not be possible, before some arrangement with regard to Holstein had been come to, to restore to them their former right.

His Excellency, however, seemed willing, on a just and impartial report being made of any real grievances that might exist, to make a declaration or promise to England, but not to Germany, of their willingness and intention of redressing them, provided the plan for the arrangement of the Holstein question were accepted. He added, however, that, in fact, there only existed two points which could afford the least matter for complaint: the first was that the ceremony of confirmation, in the mixed districts, was always performed in the Danish language; the second was that of the suppression of the scientific societies.

With regard to the first his Excellency seemed to think that a remedy might be found by leaving it to the choice of the majority of the different communities as to the language in which that ceremony should be performed. His Excellency concluded by saying that if the Danish Government made these concessions to Schleswig they ought, in return, to have some guarantee that, for the future, Germany would not interfere in the affairs of that Duchy.

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(Extract.)

No. 47.

Mr. Paget to Lord J. Russell.-(Received August 20.)

Copenhagen, August 14, 1860.

I RETURNED to Copenhagen on Thursday morning the 9th instant. M. Hall was at that time on a visit to the King at Glucksburg, but I had an interview with him on the following day, after his return to the capital. I informed M. Hall that Her Majesty's Government took the most lively interest in the affairs of this country, and were most anxious to contribute to the arrangement of its differences with the German Confederation.

Your Lordship, I said, had given these matters your serious consideration, and had instructed me to return at once to Copenhagen to submit to his Excellency the views of Her Majesty's Government, and urge their adoption by the Danish Government. There was nothing, I said, either in the concessions themselves, or in the mode by which it was proposed the Danish Government should make known their intention to grant them, which was either injurious to the strength or integrity of the Danish Monarchy, which Her Majesty's Government were most desirous to uphold, or incompatible with the position which the Danish Government had taken up in its discussions with the German Powers.

I then read to M. Hall, in compliance with your Lordship's instructions, your despatch of the 2nd instant. When I had concluded his Excellency asked me if I would give him a copy of it, with which request, however, I did not feel myself authorised to comply; but on being further pressed by M. Hall, who said it was of the greatest importance that he should make himself entirely master of its contents, I consented to leave the despatch with him for his own more complete information.

My Lord,

No. 48.

Mr. Paget to Lord J. Russell.-(Received August 20.)

Copenhagen, August 16, 1860.

I HAVE just had an interview with M. Hall, and I have the satisfaction of informing your Lordship that I have some hope of the Danish Government agreeing to the concessions for Schleswig indicated in your Lordship's despatch of the 2nd August.

M. Hall informed me that having been for two or three days in the country he had not as yet been able to go into the question with his colleagues sufficiently to enable him to give me a positive answer at this moment, but he had had a preliminary discussion with them which was not unfavourable to the measures suggested by Her Majesty's Government.

There is to be a Council of Ministers ad hoc to-morrow, and I am to see M. Hall on Tuesday next for the purpose of learning their decision.

The point on which M. Hall feels the greatest difficulty is the change of system with regard to the languages; but he thinks the same result may be produced by other means, and, at all events, he hopes to prove to Her Majesty's Government the sincerity with which the Danish Government is acting in this matter, and their desire to do all that is in their power, and all that can be reasonably asked of them, for the solution of this question, and to strengthen the hands of Her Majesty's Government in supporting their cause at Frank fort.

I have only time, before the departure of the messenger, to add that I again made use of such language as was calculated to confirm the Danish Minister in the conciliatory spirit which he now evinces.

I told M. Hall I should write to your Lordship this day in the sense of this despatch.

I have, &c. (Signed) A. PAGET.

(Extract.)

No. 49.

Mr. Paget to Lord J. Russell.-(Received August 27.)

Copenhagen, August 21, 1860. I CALLED, by appointment, on M. Hall this afternoon, when his Excellency placed in my hands two Memorandums, copies of which are herewith

inclosed.

The first relates to Holstein, and is a development of the Memorandum communicated to your Lordship by M. Bille. It did not form the subject of any discussion between M. Hall and myself to-day, and I therefore intend on a future occasion to ask his Excellency by what means he intends to ascertain whether the Confederation will be satisfied with the contemplated temporary arrangement before proposing it to the Diet, and what kind of guarantee he expects from the Diet that they will desist from further interference in the affairs of the Monarchy, which, as your Lordship will observe, are the conditions (to me I confess entirely novel) on which the Danish Government make the adoption of the plan in question to depend.

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In giving me the Memorandum relating to Schleswig M. Hall informed me that it contained every concession which could possibly be made to that Duchy. The concessions suggested in your Lordship's despatch of the 2nd instant relate:

1. To compulsory confirmation in the Danish language, on which point the Danish Government is disposed to yield as regards the religious part of the ceremony, but not as to the examination preceding the confirmation, which must still be performed in Danish. I doubt, therefore, if this will be considered as any great boon.

2. To the compulsory mode of private instruction. The present system will be modified in so far that persons will be at liberty to exercise their own choice as to the preceptor for their children, without the right of interference of the clergyman or other authority of the parish, as is now the case, but the children must pass an ulterior public examination in the Danish language. This is an improvement, but it would have been more satisfactory without any obligation attached to it.

3. To the revision of the electoral lists. On this point the concession appears to be complete.

4. To the meeting of non-political societies. The existing prohibition will be removed, and liberty be given for Holsteiners and Schleswigers to associate, provided the designation of the society does not bear a political signification, and has not political objects in view.

When I had read this Memorandum, I expressed to M. Hall the disappointment which I felt that it did not contain any allusion to the other two points alluded to in your Lordship's despatch; namely, the new constitution for Schleswig, and the alteration of the present system regarding the languages employed in the schools and churches in the Mixed Districts.

I do not think it necessary to trouble your Lordship with the details of the further conversation which took place between M. Hall and myself, and in which I made use of every argument I could think of to induce him to reconsider the points in question. Although M. Hall failed to convince me that the interests or authority of the Danish Government would in any way suffer by yielding upon them, I was unable, I am sorry to say, to obtain from him any promise of a more favourable decision.

With regard to the concessions which the Danish Government declare themselves disposed to make, I can only express the hope that when carried into execution they may be favourably received by the populations, and may tend to calm the irritation which at present exists. They do not certainly come up to what I had hoped to obtain from M. Hall, nor will they probably be considered as fulfilling what the Danish Government has promised; but the fact must not be lost sight of, that the real question at issue between Denmark and the Confederation is relative to Holstein, and not to Schleswig; and that, therefore, any concessions whatever made towards the latter Duchy must be taken as so much gained for a part of the kingdom in which the Danish Government does not admit the right of any foreign Power to interfere.

The last paragraph of the Memorandum, though sufficiently vague, does

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