ostilities in those provinces, marched into
Schleswig-Holstein over a pontoon bridge laid by the retreating columns of
the Prussians. As a concession to outraged German feeling, representatives
from Schleswig-Holstein were to be readmitted to the Diet of the Germanic
Confederation. This superannuated Diet met again at Frankfort as in the
days of the Holy Alliance. Before this a conference of Ministers had been
held at Dresden, at which Prussia was represented by Baron Lamsikell, while
Prince Felix Schwarzenberg appeared for Austria. With the powerful backing
of Russia, Austria could force the hand of Prussia into reacceptance of the
old order of things. As if to emphasize this, old Prince Metternich made
his reappearance in Vienna as if nothing had happened. On May 30, the
Confederate Diet met again at Frankfort. Baron Bismarck was appointed as a
delegate from Prussia. On the day after the opening of the Diet, the
sovereigns of Russia, Austria, and Prussia met at Olmuetz to renew the
former alliance of these countries. A period of reaction set in. The
Prussian Constitution was modified. The Emperor of Austria began to undo
the reforms granted by the Liberal Constitution of 1849. On August 20, he
arrogated to himself absolute powers in a series of Cabinet letters, in
which he declared that his Ministers were "responsible to no other
political authority than the throne," while the Reichsrath was to be merely
"considered as the council of the throne." Before this the Austrian and
Turkish Governments had come to a settlement respecting Hungarian and
Polish refugees in Turkey. With the exception of Kossuth and seven others
of the foremost leaders of the Hungarian revolution, a so-called amnesty
was extended to all refugees, provided they did not set foot in Hungary.
About this time another popular rising occurred in Bosnia. A Turkish army
was sent to suppress it, and Austrian troops took up their station on the
frontier. Many of the exiled Hungarians betook themselves to America.
Kossuth first went to England. A magnificent reception awaited him there.

[Sidenote: Palmerston rebuked]

[Sidenote: Boers lose Orange Colony]

Lord Palmerston, the British Foreign Secretary, in the meanwhile had
compromised himself with his colleagues in the Cabinet by his independent
threats of interference in regard to the Hungarian refugees in Turkey.
Queen Victoria sent a letter to Prime Minister Russell containing these
significant words: "T