Her Majesty’s Government do not hold that war would relieve Prussia from the obligations of the treaty of 1852.  The King of Denmark would by that treaty be entitled still to be acknowledged as the sovereign of all the dominions of the late King of Denmark.  He has been so entitled from the time of the death of the late King.  A war of conquest undertaken by Germany avowedly for the purpose of adding some parts of the Danish dominions to the territory of the German Confederation might, if successful, alter the state of succession contemplated by the Treaty of London, and give to Germany a title by conquest to parts of the dominions of the King of Denmark.  The prospect of such an accession may no doubt be a temptation to those who think it can be accomplished; but Her Majesty’s Government cannot believe that Prussia will depart from the straight line of good faith in order to assist in carrying such a project into effect. (No. 4, 445.)

You cheer as if it were a surprising thing that the Secretary of State should have written a single sentence of common sense.  These are important state documents, and I hope Her Majesty’s Government are not so fallen that there is not a Minister among them who is able to write a dispatch—­I do not say a bad dispatch, but a very important one.  I wish to call attention to its importance: 

If German nationality in Holstein, and particularly in Schleswig, were made the ground of the dismemberment of Denmark, Polish nationality in the Duchy of Posen would be a ground equally strong for the dismemberment of Prussia.  It appears to Her Majesty’s Government that the safest course for Prussia to pursue is to act with good faith and honour and to stand by and fulfil her treaty engagements.  By such a course she will command the sympathy of Europe; by a contrary course she will draw down upon herself the universal condemnation of all disinterested men.  By this course alone war in Europe can be with certainty prevented. (No. 4, 445.)

Well, Sir, that I think was a bold dispatch to write after the rejection, for the second or third time, of our overtures to France.  That brings us up to the last day of the year.

But before I proceed to more recent transactions, it is necessary to call the attention of the House to the remarkable contrast between the menaces lavished on Germany and the expectations—­to use the mildest term—­that were held out to Denmark.  The great object of Her Majesty’s Government when the difficulties began to be very serious, was to induce Denmark to revoke the patent of Holstein—­that is, to terminate the constitution.  The constitution of Holstein had been granted very recently before the death of the King, with a violent desire on the part of the monarch to fulfil his promises.  It was a wise and excellent constitution by which Holstein became virtually independent.  It enjoyed the fullness of self-government, and was held only by sovereign ties to Denmark, as Norway is held to Sweden.