The Press. — London, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

.^Tiermr - r - N7R - liper - gr - Y•w7IFFIMPORT""III - - „ opt ." bt N0.236.—V0L.V. LONDON, SA.TURDAY,NOVEMBER 7,1857. TiM,l'Am rtss. is the primary point, that of Union, that the Conference will be first called upon to dis- ' cuss and definitively to decide. The position of these Principalities is ex ceptional. With an extent of nearly 6,000 square leagues, with a population of five millions, and with the most fertile soil, these provinces, capa ble of vast development under a stable and well ordered Government, are peopled by a race he. reditarily independent, but without collective strength. Disarmed butunconquered, the Ron mans for a series of years have suffered every extortion under a system of double governors named by Turkey and protected by Russia—a system fertile of political evils and of the grossest corruption. They have experienced cruel oppression at the hands of beneficent pro tectors ; and, more from their internal weak ness and disunion and their want of means of defence than from their geographical position , have fallen an easy prey to modern invaders. Turkey being u nable to protect them in her wars with Russia, or in her compro mises with Austria, the provinces have be come in turn the feeding-ground of powerful rival armies. For the last forty years such has been the history and the fate of the people of these provinces. The war with Russia in 1854 inflicted upon them more terrible severities than they had ever experienced ; they were plundered by Turkey, invaded by Russia, occupied by Austria, and ground to dust by all. What wonder, then, that the Roumans, disgusted with cor ruptions against which their spirit rose, and oppressed with exactions which would have exhausted the energies of a less united people,should at length have excited the commi seration of Europe. At the Treaty of Paris it was resolved to ameliorate their condition, and as the best means of arriving at a definite conclu sion upon that point, it was decidefl to consult the wishes of the people as to their future organisation. The Roumans have declared the national sentiment in a manner which proves that they have never lost their national pride, and maintain their inherent love for freedom and self-government in all its intensity. It was to these feelings that the Congress of Paris addressed itself, at a moment when it was felt that a point was reached when a change was both wise and necessary. It would seem politic and prudent to respect an independence we have vindicated and a spirit we have roused. The question is what form of government is best adapted to the occasion, so as to afford an effectual remedy for that corrupt and precarious system which at present holds the two countries in solution. The union of the provinces, a form of government which at least would tend more than any other to develop the resources of these countries, is objected to, principally on the ground that in the geographical position of the country, an] the moral condition of the people, the Principalities do not possess that material and political consistency so necessary to a substan tial sovereign State. When opposed to the evidence of facts, it is impossible to place any renance upon loose general declamation. The Prineipalities are essentially countries of natural production. They possess an agricul tural area unequalled for fertility in Europe ; they grow corn ; they have cattle in abun dance, and, as a consequence, hides and tallow ; they have great mineral wealth in the c iression, provinces is iefits of her sove reignty. Turkey, it is notorious, has never been able to protect these provinces from foreign occupation and foreign encroachment. By treaty she cannot garrison their frontier. No real humiliation therefore of Turkey would be involved in a measure which would place her beyond the need of exertion for the main tenance of her dignity or the assertion of her rights That these provinces would, if united, form a 'firm barrier against foreign invasion and an impregnable outpost to the Turkish empire, we have little doubt. The Roumans possess the germs of a military organisation in some respects similar to that of Prussia and Switzerland, and only requiring development to es+ablish a powerful army and an extensive reserve. With such a force, backed by the nationality of a united people and by the formal guarantee of the Western Powers, we need have no further fear for the integrity of the Turkish empire. It may be said that a development and like tendencies m dangerous neighbor But the Roumans and civilised race; 1 their fields and der soil, and express Turkey. When offi b Russia, upoi. army for the invasiol 1.4111 V IV , Lucy LICZ.V 61 CIIll• 1 1111 l Clil• Iv uuali.aa ali. SOMAS/ country, but they have no roads ; traffic is difficult, and transit impossible. Then they have no credit, no finance ; there is not a bank in the provinces. Thus they have the passive but not the active elements of prospe- rity. These are the very advantages which we are sanguine enough to believe a stable and united Government would en- deavour to develop, the very wants it would. endeavour to supply. Putting aside our own interest in this development, at least it must he admitted that any change from the --I present state of things would be advisable, if we allow the advantages of commerei4 • 1 4 prosperity and the benefits of material :, progress. As to the moral oradiliouS of the people, their whole history proves thent - . to be brave and enduring, docile and faithful not to be subdued by disaster, nor intoxicated by success ; and what better test can we have of the soundness of their morale than their desire to relieve themselves from corrupt Administrations in exchange for , 1 a firm and enlightened Government? We . .( apprehend that the objection to the union of these provinces has more a political than . a, moral foundation. We mean the humilia- . i. tion of Turkey, which is held to be involved in such a measure as the Union. We confess that we have not much • faith in the sovereign superintendence of Turkey ; her influence has never been exerted but in favour of extortion, oppression, and P injustice. The state of the provinces is the I i best comment upon the benefits of her cove- xilik L kingdom capable of such possessing apparentl war- light in then . 4 . v • • . , 8 ours to tbn • - : _N I are espq9i • c : ,.. . ~, •,.1 they desim . ° 1 41 B . relop the , 11 .' , . . e.• Is no h dered th -.I .t : 1` 441t ion conditia• ..'..'''' T I T;-,' sion of T t altyi7m "im''A'T. '---..s- LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1857. As the time approaches for the meeting of the Congress in Paris, it is natural that the ques tion which will occupy the attention of the Plenipotentiaries should be keenly examined and freely discussed. In this country it is already exciting much attention, for England will be called on to bear a leading part in these Conferences, which have for their object the definitive settlement of those particular changes to be admitted into the future organisation of the Danubian provinces. According to the Ministerial papers, Eng land will enter upon the business of the Con ference indisposed for discussion, with the question prejudged, and with a determination to disconcert any proposition leading to a re sult adverse to that at which she has already arrived. Upon a question to be submitted to a conference " for consideration," prudence, if not principle, should compel reserve. It is both a blunder and an act of bad faith to put forth such manifestos, which only tend to involve the European Powers in an intri cate and critical position. It is conduct not worthy of a great nation. At the Treaty of Paris, Lord CLARENDON held one language; it would seem now that he had entirely adopted a different tone. The part of England, we know, must necessarily rest with the Govern ment, but the country and Parliament will in sist on fair play, and will not permit Ministers, by a dereliction of their professions, to evade a present inconvenience at any risk of future danger, and at the total sacrifice of the good faith and interests of this country. One of the last acts of the Plenipotentiaries at the Treaty of Paris vas to draw up the instructions for the Danubian Commissioners. The task confided to them was clearly defined. They were to investigate the present adminis trative system of the two Principalities, and to obtain from the Divans ad Iwe, about to be convoked, an expression of the wishes of the people with regard to the definitive organisa tion of these countries. The result of these labours was to be transmitted to the seat of the Conferences for consideration and settlement. These investigations by the Commissioners of the great Powers have been continued for some months. The Divans cul hoc have been convoked, and by an overwhelming mAjority— in Wallachia without a single dissentient, in Moldavia with only two—the representatives of the people have voted in favour of the " Union " of the provinces under a Western prince." It LATEST EDITION.