§ LORD ROBERT CECILI wish to ask the noble Lord at the head of Her Majesty's Government a question of which I have given him private notice—namely, If any explanations have been demanded from the Austrian and Prussian Governments with respect to the proclamations of the pretender, Prince Frederick Augustenburg, which have been made in the presence of the Austrian and Prussian troops in various places in Schleswig? If no such explanations have been asked, I wish to know if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to make such a demand? And I wish also to ask the noble Lord if he has received any official information to the effect that, in the opinion of the Prussian Government, the despatch which he read to us on Thursday night has no further validity after war has broken out?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, Her Majesty's Government have remonstrated with the Austrian and Prussian Governments upon the steps taken both in Holstein and Schleswig, under shadow of the protection of the Austrian and Prussian troops, to proclaim the Prince of Augustenburg as Duke of those two Duchies, such a proceeding being thoroughly inconsistent with the good faith that ought to have been observed by Austria and Prussia, admitting, as they do, the binding nature of the Treaty of 1852, which compels them to acknowledge the King of Denmark as Sovereign of all the States that were under the sway of the late King, and inconsistent with their declaration that they are ready to maintain the integrity of the Danish monarchy. The Prussian Government has stated, it is true, that it disapproves the 218 proceedings in Schleswig, and that orders were to be sent from Berlin to set these matters right. With regard to what took place in Holstein, it must be remembered that Holstein was occupied by troops acting under the orders of the Diet, and, therefore, not under the immediate authority of the Austrian and Prussian Governments. The Prussian Government, moreover, has not denied the positive declaration that it abides by the Treaty of 1852, and is prepared to respect the integrity of the Danish monarchy. The latter part of the despatch containing this statement has been already detailed in another place—its meaning certainly is not very clear—but the conclusion which it implies is that, whatever questions may arise, the Prussian and Austrian Governments are prepared to discuss this question in concert with the other Powers, who were parties to the Treaty of 1852. For some time it was alleged in Berlin, that if resistance were made in Schleswig to the entry of German troops, and resistance led to conflict, that conflict would establish war, and war would put an end to treaties. In reply, we said that such would be a most preposterous doctrine, for if it were once established any strong Power, having an inconvenient treaty with a weak Power, would have nothing to do for the purpose of freeing itself from that engagement, but to make an unprovoked and unjustifiable attack, and then to say, "War has broken out, and war puts an end to treaties, and we, therefore, by our own unprovoked and unjustifiable aggression, have freed ourselves from the engagements into which we had entered." That is a doctrine which I am sure no Government that has any respect for itself, or any regard for the principles of good faith, could seriously uphold. It would be utterly disgraceful for any civilized country to stand on such a position. In answer to the last question of the noble Lord as to what has taken place, it is sufficient to say that the Prussian Government, since the commencement of these warlike measures, has informed us that it abides by the Treaty of 1852, and maintains the integrity of the Danish monarchy.