Letter to the Earl of Malmesbury on the Schleswig-Holstein Question.
By "Germanicns Vindex." (Daily Post Steam Printing Works, Liver- pooL)—The author first points out that Ring Christian has no claim to the Crown of Denmark, except as the husband of his wife and the nominee of the Danish Parliament. But no title can be better than this, for the arrangement can injure no one so long as there is issue of the King's marriage in existence. Secondly, he denies that the Duke of Augustenbarg renounced his claim to the duchies as heir male ; but he admits that the Duke promised for himself and his family never to offer under any circumstances any opposition to any of the late King's resolutions regarding the order of succession to any of the countries then united under his sceptre. If the Duke's son knew nothing of this, the Duke's conduct was fraudulent. Besides, why did the Duke's son keep back his protest till the King of Denmark had paid the stipulated price of the Duke's estates? And if he did know of his father's promise how is it he is not bound by it ? The fact is, however, that this question is whollyunimportant, for even if the Dukes of Augustenburg have forfeited their claims, there are still the Prince of Noer and three elder brothers of King Christian in the road. " Germanieus Vindex" therefore establishes a truism, and fails to establish an immaterial proposition ; which does not prove that the heir male of the late King of Denmark is entitled to succeed to the Duchies. His method of reasoning is to state an absurd fallacy and then say, "This is perfectly .clear" (p. 19). We think German jurists would be better pleased to have no such vinclicator as " Germanicus."
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