Inclosure in No. 143. Royal Patent of February 19, 1860, convoking the Provincial States for the Duchy of Holstein. (Translation.) WE, Frederick VII, by the grace of God, King of Denmark, &c., do hereby make known. We have deemed it right, in reference to section 10 in the Decree of the 11th of June, 1854, relative to the Constitution of the Duchy of Holstein, hereby to decree the Convocation of the Provincial States of this Duchy in an Extraordinary Assembly for Wednesday, the 6th of March of the current year. In bringing this to the knowledge of all our good and faithful subjects in our Duchy of Holstein, we enjoin, at the same time, on our faithful Provincial States, the Deputies, or in their place their substitutes, to be present on the aforesaid 6th of March, in our town of Itzehoe, in order to learn what we may have to lay before them by our Commissioner. The Assembly is so to conduct its discussions that they can be brought to a close in three weeks; to which persons, all and singular, are to conform. Given at our palace of Christiansborg, February 19, 1861. Under our Royal hand and seal. (Signed) FREDERICK R. (Countersigned) RAASLOEFF. No. 144. (Extract.) Earl Cowley to Lord J. Russell.--(Received February 27.) Paris, February 26, 1861. I READ this afternoon to M. Thouvenel your Lordship's despatch of the 23rd instant, stating, in answer to an inquiry made by the Count de Flahault, the views of Her Majesty's Government with respect to the Holstein question. M. Thouvenel observed that he coincided in the opinions expressed in your Lordship's despatch. No. 145. (Extract.) Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley. Foreign Office, February 27, 1861. YOU will endeavour to agree with M. Thouvenel as to the instructions to be given to the English and French Ministers at Copenhagen, and send an identical telegram to Mr. Paget, so that Her Majesty's Government and the French Government may express the same opinion. I am glad M. Thouvenel concurs in the views of Her Majesty's Government. (Extract.) No. 146. Earl Cowley to Lord J. Russell.-(Received March 2.) Paris, March 1, 1861. I SAW M. Thouvenel as soon as possible after the receipt of your Lordship's despatch of the day before yesterday, and informed him that I was authorized to concert with him instructions for transmission to the British and French Legations at Copenhagen, with reference to the point that the common Budget of the Danish Monarchy should be submitted to the consideration of the Diet of Holstein. This pretension did not appear unreasonable either to M. Thouvenel or myself. On the contrary, we considered that it was but equitable that the scheme of repartition of the common expenses should be made known to that Diet, and its consent asked to the quota to be paid by Holstein. We thought it better not to enter into the question whether the sum should be fixed once for all, or whether it should be voted annually, or for a certain number of years; but of course the Danish Government cannot expect that the Diet of Holstein will submit to be differently treated in this respect from the other component parts of the Monarchy. In virtue of your Lordship's instructions, I addressed a telegram to that effect to Mr. Paget. M. Thouvenel undertook also to inform the Russian Government of the instructions sent to the two Legations, and to suggest that similar instructions should be sent to the Russian Minister at Copenhagen. My Lord, No. 147. Lord A. Loftus to Lord J. Russell.-(Received March 4.) Berlin, March 2, 1861. I HAVE had some conversation with Baron Schleinitz on the question of the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg. His Excellency stated that if, at the approaching meeting of the Holstein States, the Danish Government would agree to submit the Budget to that body all difficulties as regarded the financial question would be thus arranged. He begged me to thank your Lordship for the steps you have taken in this matter, and stated that your Lordship had resumed very correctly in a few words the necessities required of Denmark, namely, "that the Danish Government should treat their German in the same manner as they treated their Danish" subjects. In the course of conversation I observed to Baron Schleinitz that I had been informed that both the French and Russian Ministers at this Court had spoken in favour of the maintenance of the "Provisorium," and of not attempting any definite arrangement under present circumstances. Baron Schleinitz confirmed this information, stating that he coincided in those opinions. He explained to me that no definitive settlement could take place which did not embrace likewise the question of Schleswig, and that, consequently, he was extremely glad that this very complicated and thorny question should not be unnecessarily mooted at a moment when it might create inuch popular excitement both in the Duchies and in Germany. I have, &c. My Lord, No. 148. Mr. Ward to Lord J. Russell.-(Received March 9.) Hamburgh, March 7, 1861. I HAVE the honour to inform your Lordship that the States of Holstein met yesterday at Itzehoe, in pursuance of the Royal summons. The Danish Minister for Holstein, M. Raaslöff, appeared as Commissioner on the part of the Crown (the Commissioner previously named, Count Reventlow Sandberg, having declined the office), and opened the meeting with a speech couched in general phrases, without any particular explanation of the propositions to be made by the Government. The States elected for their President the Baron Charles de Scheel-Plessen, who has filled the chair during several former sessions of the States, and is one of the foremost supporters of the Constitutional rights of the Duchy. To-day a Committee was to be appointed for the examination of the Government propositions, which have not yet been published in extenso, but were to be embodied in two projects of laws, the one for amending the provincial Constitution of the Duchy of Holstein, the other for provisionally determining the position of the Duchy of Holstein in regard to the common affairs of the Monarchy. I shall be enabled to advert more particularly to the nature of those laws in the course of a day or two. No. 149. I have, &c. (Extract.) Mr. Paget to Lord J. Russell.—(Received March 11.) Copenhagen, March 3, 1861. I RECEIVED on the evening of the 23rd ultimo a telegram from Earl Cowley, instructing me, in conformity with orders he had received from your Lordship, to unite with my colleagues of France and Russia in urging on the Danish Government the necessity of submitting for the approbation of the Holstein States the quota to be contributed by Holstein towards the general expenses of the Monarchy. On calling on M. Dotezac the next morning I found he had received orders of similar purport from M. Thouvenel, and Baron Nicholay had for some days been in possession of instructions from St. Petersburgh, which enabled him to act with us. It was, therefore, settled that we should at once proceed to M. Hall, and that we should invite our Swedish colleague to join us, to which he readily assented. M. Dotezac, in his quality of doyen, informed M. Hall of the object which brought us. He said that we came in the name of our respective Governments, from whom we had just received instructions to urge collectively on the Danish Government the necessity of submitting to the Holstein States the share to be paid by Holstein towards the common expenses of the Monarchy, that our Governments gave this advice out of motives of the sincerest regard for Denmark, that they considered the measure equitable in itself, and were unanimously persuaded it was the only one which could avert the Federal Execution. M. Hall replied that he would in a few days communicate to us the resolutions which were to be submitted to the King in Council on the following day, and that in them we should find the Danish Government had gone to the utmost lengths in the way of concessions to the Holstein States; that the object had been to give them as much autonomy as possible; and that every satisfaction had been given to their just demands. My Lord, No. 150. Mr. Paget to Lord J. Russell.-(Received March 11.) Copenhagen, March 8, 1861. 1 HAVE the honour to inform your Lordship that on the meeting of the Holstein States on the 6th instant, Baron Scheel-Plessen was unanimously elected President of that Assembly. No. 151. I have, &c. (Signed) A. PAGET. Mr. Howard to Lord J. Russell.-(Received March 11.) Hanover, March 9, 1861. My Lord, I TOOK an opportunity of asking Count Platen this morning what he thought of the proposals submitted by the Danish Government on the 6th instant to the States of Holstein, relative to the future Constitution of that Duchy, and to its provisional administration. His Excellency replied that he did not consider these proposals to be of such a nature as to afford a prospect of their being accepted by the States; and amongst their provisions likely to be objected to, he cited that according to which the members of the Upper Chamber are to be named solely by the King. His Excellency added that what he most regretted was that the Danish Government should not have complied with the demands of the German Diet, as well as with the advice which he understood had been given them by England, France, and Russia, by submitting to the States the Budget for 1861, because, had they done so, the question of a Federal Execution would have been set aside for the present. His Excellency remarked, however, that he did not believe the Danish Government had said their last word; and he expressed the hope that they would be induced to make further concessions. Count Platen, as your Lordship will remember, has always conveyed to me the opinion that the Diet, on its side, has no wish to precipitate matters, and that months will elapse before any decisive steps are taken by it in this question. 1 have, &c. Lord A. Loftus to Lord J. Russell.-(Received March 11.) My Lord, His Excellency replied that he had not yet had time to peruse them carefully, and could not as yet express any decided opinion upon them, but that he had observed with regret that no engagement had been taken to submit the Budget to that body, as had been requested by the Germanic Diet. This point, said his Excellency, forms the kernel of the whole question at issue, and has been the cause of the present litigation between Germany and Denmark. His Excellency expressed himself in very moderate terms, and is evidently very desirous that this question should not be pushed to extremities, nor be productive of a rupture with Denmark. He hopes that the Danish Government will come to terms directly with the Holstein States, and thus render unnecessary all further intervention on the part of Germany. These are the hopes of his Excellency, but they are outweighed by hi fears for the contrary. Consul-General Crowe to Lord J. Russell.—(Received March 11.) (Extract.) Leipsic, March 7, 1861. IT is now discovered that the occupation of Holstein may possibly involve an unexpected casus belli, in consequence of the complete uncertainty which exists as to what is the frontier of Holstein and Schleswig. In order to make this question as clear as possible, I have the honour to inclose a sketch map of the countries bordering on the Eider, with the frontier claimed by Denmark painted blue, and that claimed by the Confederation painted red. Your Lordship will see that the Danes claim the Island of Fehmarn; that they claim the centre of the waters of the Kiel-Busen as the line of demarcation, half the city and fortress of Rendsburg, and all the country north of the Eider. The Germans, on the other hand, also Fehmarn and the whole of the Kiel-Busen. They take the north bank of the Eider as the line of demarcation, including a piece of the old bed of the river east of Rendsburg, and beyond the present canal. They claim the right to fortify Friedrichsort on the north bank of the Kiel-Busen. They insist on having the whole of Rendsburg, with a large tract north of the river attached to it; and finally they affirm their right to the whole district of Stapelholm. It is not to be supposed that if the Bundes-Execution takes place the troops of the Confederation will avoid Rendsburg. It is far more probable that they would occupy that city and the frontier claimed by the Germans; and it would lie with Denmark to consider the occupation of the disputed points as a casus belli. Fortunately the Bundes-Execution, which is taking its course according to the precedent of 1820, is likely to be much slower in its progress than I had anticipated; and I find according to the "Executions-Ordnung" of that year, that the time occupied in the necessary formalities may be computed as follows: Executions-Ordnung. Article 3. 1st Respite.-For fulfilment by Denmark of the Resolution of the Diet, or a justification (7th February to the 21st of March) Failing the fulfilment or justification the Execution Commission of the Diet has to report its decision, which must be submitted to the various Governments for consultation 6 weeks 3 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 6 weeks After submission of the Report, vote of the Diet in plenum. Article 4. 2nd Respite.-To carrying out the formalities of the Resolution voted by the Diet .. Submitting the vote of the Diet to Execution Committee Article 7.-The Execution being finally recognised, Commission to one of the Federal Powers to carry it out. Resolution of the Diet on this point 3 weeks Article 10. Last Respite.-To Denmark through the Federal Power charged with the Execution 3 weeks Total 28 weeks Thus the Bundes-Execution cannot take place till the middle of August, and may be protracted further. Denmark, of course, may precipitate matters by waving all respite. I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith translations of the King's notification to the Holstein States, the draft of a provisional arrange. ment to take effect on the 1st of April, 1861, and the draft of a special Constitution for Holstein. The Special Constitution for the Duchy appears to be drawn up, as M. Hall led me to believe it would be, in entire accordance with the wishes expressed by the States of Holstein in their Report of March 1859, and to give every security to both civil and religious liberty. I regret, however, to say that the accounts from the Duchy are anything but promising as to the success of the new propositions. Baron Plessen, indeed, inaugurated his election as President of the Assembly by a speech in which he dwelt much on the necessity of moderation and conciliation; but M. Orla Lehmann, a very strong Schleswig-Holsteiner, and a member of the German "Nationalverein," whose meetings in Holstein, as your Lordship is aware, have been forbidden, is chosen Reporter to the Committee. In the meantime it is reported that nearly 200 petitions have been presented to the members of the States, praying them to assent to no arrangement with the Danish Government which does not re-establish the political union between Schleswig and Holstein as it existed before 1848. |