t
time it seemed that one of the many endeavors to establish a strict
German Confederation had succeeded; and it became an object to attach
Holstein to this Confederation, in order to gain the command of the
Baltic. Prussia supported the Duchy; Austria and Bavaria opposed it, as
favoring the designs of Prussia. The other states of Europe were opposed
to the separation of Holstein from Denmark, upon the general
conservative principle of maintaining things upon their old footing, as
well as from an unwillingness to allow the commerce of the Baltic to
fall wholly under the control of the Zollverein. Meanwhile "the year of
revolutions," 1848, had passed, and, by common consent of all parties,
the old Frankfort Diet was held to be virtually abolished, and delegates
were called together to endeavor to construct a new Constitution. The
Hungarian revolt was shaking Austria to its centre, and Prussia, true to
her ancient instinct of aggrandizement, which has raised her from a
petty principality to the rank of one of the Great Powers, took
advantage of the compulsory concessions of Austria to her non-German
subjects, to arouse the jealousy of the German states, and almost
succeeded in forming a confederation, with herself at the head. But
Russia having thrown her sword into the scale, and decided the balance
against Hungary, Austria had leisure to attend to her German affairs.
She soon succeeded in detaching state after state from the Prussian
alliance, and began to insist upon the recognition of the old Frankfort
Diet, which, was supposed to be dead and buried under the ruins of the
two last eventful years. At this juncture, occurred the difficulties in
the Electorate of Hesse-Cassel. The Elector, resisted in his attempt to
levy taxes contrary to the constitution he had himself sanctioned, fled,
and demanded the protection of the Diet, which was granted, for that
body was composed of the representatives of the sovereigns, and knew
nothing of constitutions. The Diet ordered the Austrian and Bavarian
contingents of the Federal troops to march into the Electorate and
reinstate the Elector. But Prussia, being nearer to the scene of action
threw her own troops into the Electorate; not, however, avowing an
intention of supporting the inhabitants in their opposition, but under
the mere pretense of making use of the right of way from one portion of
her territory to the other, between which Hesse-Cassel intervenes.
Austria, in the name of