Star. — London, England, 1829-01-15 00:00:00

RUSSIA, TURKEY, AND GiEECE.I TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Eta—Considering the numerous writers who have been, and 811 Prep eager to communicate to the public their several opinions on tbe . afrairs of the East, I should have refrained from adding to the soother, if I bad met with any one whose views so nearly *obi. sided with my own as to render any thing that I could adduce entirely superfluous, and the time bestowed in writing or reading it thrown away. I have refrained also from disinclination to oc cupy any space In your columns, while your attention was neces sarily called to record or comment upon the important events of the passing hour. But as the din of arms has for the present ceased, and thi war of words (in the British Parliament and the French Chambers), has not yet commenced, I am induced to take my poi, in order to throw out a few remarks, which may perhaps con tribute to clear up some points at present in understood—to dispel same doubts—abate some ill founded hopes—cure some extrava pot fearsand, above all, rescue the character of some eminent individuals from the misconceptions -of some, and the nulicloas imputations of others. In order fully to explain my Ideas, I shall go farther back than slight appear requisite, and should you be of that oplitioo, I leave you entirely at liberty to retrench any thing you please, so that 7ou do not destroy the connection of the hints that you retain. The eztraottlinery power acqiired by France under the dominion of NAMEON, and the meat's by which that power M4l overthrown, impressed owtbe Princes and Statesmen of Europe the necessity—firsuid adopt ing every measure to prevent the Continent from being again brought under a - similar yoke ; and, secondly, of. providing the means of effectually resisting the attempts of any Power that might show itself disposed to make the experiment. As imperial France had been defeated by the united exertions of the rest of Europe, it was resolved only to confine it to such limits as should ren der it more difficult for it again to trouble the Powers of Europe, and yet leave it sufficiently great and powerful to maintain its due place in the European Alliance. Some short-sighted politicians, it is true, looking only at what the other States had suffered from the ambition of Fiance, wished effectually to disable it, by - depriving it of all the acquisitions cf ' territory it had made on the side of Flan den, Germany, &c. They would have taken from it Alsace, L irraine, and French F.anders, which they would have divided among the Allies.... Had this opinion prevailed, the consequence would' have been that Russia, which even now was hardly satisfied with what is called the kingdom!if Poland, would have claim d a much Larger shale, and perhaps have extended her frontiers even to the Oder. It was therefore resolved, rather to have France great sad pnwei f rl, and to secure in her an efficient ally,it at any future time her aid should be wanted to protect central Europe against the ambit our designs of .Russia, which had proved that she was nut to be invaded with impu nity, while it might reasonably be doubted whether their successive visits to the finest countries of Europe, bad inspired her armies with greater attachment to their own desolate and dreary steppes. . The. personal character of the Emperor Alexander was indeed consideted as a pledge, that he would not attempt to disturb that state of peace which he had so mainly contributed to establish. Yet, when the in girrection of Wallachia and that of Greece took place, it was pretty. generally supposed.that Russia bad some concern in those events, or at least that it would never t resist the- temptation of embracing the opportunity, which seemed to present itself, of realising those pro jects for the destruction of the Ottoman Empire, which it has avowedly entertained ever since the time of Peter the Great. It may, I think, be allowed, that if Russia, which had even then nearly the same grounds of coin plaint that it had in 1828, had declared war, when. the Ambassador, Baron Stiogon: ff, was obliged to leave Constantinople, and when all Europe was filled with iudignation at the barbarous execution of the Greek Patti srchs and Bishops, and other excesses of Turkish fanaticism, it would not hive been thought to have acted unjustly; its chances of success would peg haps have been greater, Tut key less able to resist, and the other great Powers of E trope allied to Turkey not sufficiently recovered from the exertions a a long war to interfere with such effect as they can now do. Alexander, however, whose conduct with respect net only to the Greeks, but with regard to Naples, Fie& mont, and Spain, shows that he had an utter dislike, or, perhaps, diced, of every thing in the shape of a popu'ar tevolution, entirely disappointed the hopes and the wishes of one patty, the fears of another, and, the expectations of all. " The conquest of Turkey," says Mr. Lloyd, in his Liii of she Entpet or Alesouler, published in 1826, about three months after the Empe ror's death, " the favourite plan of the Russian Cabinet, from Pete' the Giest to Cathetine, has been adjourned, because the Emperor Alexander has judged it more advantageous and more glorious to maintain the pre ciutions rt.t.ulated by the members of the Holy Alli ance, than to gratify the wishes of Christian Europe, particularly of his own nation, and probably the secret wishes of his heart. The Greek nation is the bloody offering sacrificed by the fear of revolution, on the altar of Mussulman legitimacy ; and thus, from love of peace and regard to the general political system adopted in Europe, he has refrained from profiting by the most favourable opportunity, and the most just motives, to anoih.late the barbarous empire of the Turks in Europe, snd to restore the countries on the Bosphprus, and the clinical soil of Greece, to European civilization and social order: After the departure of the Russian Ansbauador from Constantinople, the diplomatic relations wets carried en at the Porte through Lord StrangfOrd sod the Austrian Internuncio; and it appears from a document lately yotrlished by the Comelier de Segsrae as an obi• cial ante of the Russian Cabinet, but the autheatcity of which remains to be proved, that after , the emerge* reinelinunions of Lord Strangford had obttined some concessions from site Porte. Russia propo,e4 to its Al. hes a plan for the pacification of.(iirerce, according to which Continental Greece, ♦is. Thessaly, flettia k At tica, cud Eastern Gitece, Epirus, and Ac..rninia, the More; and the islands, including Candia, sbould be Entitled into Pt incipalities, nearly on the same pluses Wallachia and Moldavia. How all these negociations might have terminated, had Aserander lived to return to St. Peter‘burgh from his last •isit to the Crimea, must remain matter of conjecture. But the military conspiracy which, after being long in preparation, so unexpectedly broke out on the accession of the preset Emperor, mutt have convinced the Russian Cabinet that it was absolutely necessary to find some more sc• live employment for the army, than lyi , tg for years idle on the banks of a narrow river, which they longed to pass, and almost in the sight and heating of battleb in which they burnt with impatience to participate. The war so impoliticly provoked by Pers;a, enabled the Emperor Nicholas to send the pardoned rebels to expiate their crime in fighting against a foreign foe,' and no doubt opportunity enough has been afforded them, of distinguishing themselves at the post of honour. This, however, was a mere episode, and the perseve . ranee of the Turks in their refusal, either to comply with the demands of Russia on its own account, or to 'listen to any proposals from the European Cabinets for putting an end to the troubles in Greece, at length convinced the latter that decisive measures muse be adopted ; and those which were peculiarly interested in the preservation of the Ottoman Empire fearing, that &they held back, Russia would intetfere and decide the matter according to her own views and intetestsoesolved to met themselves, first, to prove to the Sultan the danger and ftuitlesiness of an obstinate adherence to his present system—and secondly, to induce Russia to agree to some arrangement, by which the fears enter tained of its supposed ambitious projects might be al layed. With these views, as it may be presumed, his Grace the Duke of Wellington went on a special mission to St. Petersburgh, where, in his conferences wit's the Rus►ian Government, those base. were agreed upon, which are recorded in the protocol of the conferemes of the 4th of April, 1825, and were subsequently ma- tured in the stipulations of the celebrated Treaty of 6th July, 1827, concluded at Lindon between Great B,i- fain, Russia, and Fiance. The public has not been initiated into Vie secrets of these negotiations; but if ever they should be laid open, 1 feel persuaded that we shall see reason to ad mire that consummate diplomatic ability, by which Russia was induced to withhold its interference, and keep a large army inactive on its frontiers for some years t• and when 'at length it became evident that this state of things could not continue, obtained its assent to an arrangement which is so contrary to its pr..sunieti designs, and the unequivocal wishes of the nation. If the 0 toman Empire can be saved from the power of Russia, it will be by the Tteatrol the 6:h of July. We all know It is true, that Mr. Canning ha. been. loudly and violently upbraided t as having wantonly sacrificed the interests of an Ancient ally to the ambition of Russia, and to a romantic and boyish enthu.ias•ii in favour of the classic soil rot Greece; slay, Tyro S. Ate.. men, who would net have veoture.t to open their mouths in his presence, presume, now that e is no more , to impugn his m e y, lend of democratic and Revolutionary doctrines. I will not imitate suet. persons by attributors their assertions to hatred, envy. malice, and all uncl.atitableness but I will venture to assert that they are decidedly mistaken in their jisdg ment of Mr. Canning's character. of his motives in c• n eluding the Treaty of the 6th rd Ju y. and in the na tural tendency of that fail ous Convention. On this subject the tesiimony of the Courrier de &we. a Paper pug listed by a Ftenchnian, indeed, but undoubtedly in a pl •ce wheie it would be highly dangerous to offend the Turkish Auth-riti s, is ex tremely remarkable In is Nunsher of 26th July last ?eel, almost the only one I have happened to see, is the following paragr "' The Marquis of Londouderry has said in Paths anent, that it was Canning who brought the Russians over the Pruth. perhaps over the D tib , perhap, to the overthrow of the 0 toman empire." in Canning cannot now answer ; t ut it i. easy to refute these censures on the general system of his policy. The, Treaty f Londo Collallded to prevent liu-sia from cutting ti .e Gordian kn-t of the affairs of Greece, to give existence to &rec.-, without endangering that of the Ottoman Eriptie, in order. by the co-opera i•in of the great Powers. and eithout convulsions, to change i ts right into a fact, and lastly, by an act 01 peace, to .in a wietni y ehich history has hitherto Arian us daily as the le.u't r f toe force of arms. Certainly it W. 41 'a generous thou,ht, worthy of the civilization of an age, the impulse of which Canning followed with so much bankness and ability. All the spies.ions in the Treaty prove that noel iig was sought but peace, ani if the execution of it, as it was pi esci ined, had been ponct.ially followed. the ohje t of the author of it would have been long 'joie att. fitted. His death re:Weird those wavering who were to direct she affairs of the East : the initia ire was confided to military Chiefs. The crifliequetices are known if the battle of Navasin had happ n d during the lite of Canning, he would necess lily have cons. diced it as - a milit •ey fact; but looking on it as busting on tf e policy of tit! Treaty, he would have rejected it, and have endeavoured to prevent its consequences If this glen Mini ter sive still living, he would say to the Suttee. • Recognise the indepe defier of the Greek.. It is till time, for we have foreseen your opposition to a hard, but inevitable step. You have the option bet* e n a secure and tranquil prisses• aims, and continued troubles. Do not hesitate, and re member that your ancestors, in the most splendid pr ziodwof their power, made similar concessions Ma hornet H. granted to the i s l an d s i n t h e Arentpelag t the sight to be only tributaries to the Porte. and to govern themselves. When be congoesed Wallachia, in 1465, be guaranteed to the inhabitant s th e ir m ost i m p o .t aw , l privileges. For the payment of an annual tribute, lie gave them the privilege to be amenable only to their own tribunals, to fix themselves the amount of the public uses. to confine the affairs of the administiation to natives only. and to choose their own Woywodes, the Porte only reserving the right to confirm them. When, in the year 1565, Moldavia voluntarily sub mitted to the Rote, Soliman 11. extended the privileges enjoyed by . Wa:lachia to the • Molda.ians. Mustaplia , :111. who was sensible on what a weak foundation his power in the Mores rested, conceived, in the year 1776 the plan of establishing a Greek G.ovesno.ent, and • f attaching that part of his chimintotiOrthe bles.ings ol a good administration. But lie' iedVisCsaaiii year. Your ancestors, therefore, have frequently made such , 'concessions. Accomplish the magnanimous plan of $ N.B. Since his death. . . • • . .• Mu.tapha 111. make Greece free, under the pretense- 1 ship of the Porte." This, I hate no doubt, is a perfectly correct view of the policy of Mr. Canning with respect to the aff irs of Russia, Turkey, sad G enc. That Austria and Pamir did not join in the Treaty, did yr , t arise from ob jection to it. but rather from the proptiety. if not the ne.essity. of keeping s•+me great Power free tr m all engagements, in order that they might be able to act with more effect,ss mediators and advisers of the Porte. it the &thin should still persevere in his system. Had the Turks been any thing but what they are, it is pro bable that the Porte wculd have followed the counsels of its seal friends, which alone can avert it, ruin. Bu' while they have penetration enough to see that Eng land and France ate iwetested in their preservation. they are too blind to perceive that the Treaty of the 6th of July holds out the only reasonable prospect of giving peace and tranquillity to their empire. Instead, therefore, of profiting by the advice of tl e Powers whr. really wished to secure the integrity of their empire, and who had already done so much towards the accomplish ment of thkobject, by suspending so long the menaced vengeance of Russia, they seem to have fancied that the evident interest of these Powers in the preservati nof the O. toman Empire woulti lead them even to embar k in 4ar with Ittl4li 4, for their own sake ; the forbearance of Russia they asctibed to its Jre.d of the other NU els, infl .. consequently did not hesitate to accumulate the groiinds , for complaint which they gave their powerful 'neighbour. The battle of Navarin, which undoubtedly % dad not enter into the plans of the three Powers, gave the Tusks good grounds to doubt the sincerity of their friends, and was soon followed by that celebrated Cir cular or. Proclamation of 20th D-c. 1827, addressed to all the Pachasarl the empire, in se inch the urn t instil ing language is employed in speaking of Russia, and ea• plicitly declaring, that all the concessions hitherto madi by the Potte, including- even he "Treaty of Aker criann. l had been mere evasions, for the purpose of gainin . g tunic and that theie had never been and intention of fulfilling such absurd stipulations. Conceding, for the sake st argument, that Russia really did entertain the anilltious pr jeers which others besides the Tusks would rise ibe t.i fes , it mist be acknowledged, that nothing could be more welcome to her than 'ltch an unseasonable declaration. Accordingly, the Ru,sian Court, as was to be fore seen, considered this document. in addition t s the pre• vino: grounds for complaint, as taiitamount to a decla. lion of war, and replied by a Manifest.. in which the Emperor Nicholas 4111101111CeS *his iiitent•on of exacting teparattnn for all the wring, done to ltus.ia ; accom panied by guarante.s for the flee navigation ef t' e Black See, as wed as complete indemnity for the ex penses of the war. This Minife,to, however, conta ns the important declaration, that the Empetor will not make any acquisi Inn of territory ; that Isis dominions are already so extensive, as fury to require ail his mo.t anxious cares; and, lastly, that any advantages he may obtain in the contest shall be made to conduce to the furtherance of the objects of the Treaty of London, to the letter and spirit of which he declares himself re solved to adhere. His Imperial Majesty having made a declaration so explicit and unusual, it does cot appear necessary to inquire into the motives which induced him to it. We may suppose, either that he was sincere in his unwilling ness to make conquests, or that he was actuated by the apprehension that without such apromise he would no_ be suffered by the other European Powers to engage in a "war, the probable results of which would so seriously ~fittct their iiiterevs. This being the state of the case, it seems evident that the Emperor must desire the war to be as short as pls. sink, and to bi- accompanied with as small an exoenee of blood and treasure, as is consistent u iih the •ttaii.b.,, nient of his objects. Why should lie seek to conquer eroviiier s which be ha. engaged not to retain? to incur rsp use s fog which he says he will iequiie a full indent troy% but which it will be more difficult for Turkey to give, in proportion as the amount is swelled and her assn reso u rces wasted, by the prolongation of the con t st? I, therefore, come to the conclu ion that it is neither his intention, his s ish, nor his lamest to get piss ession of Constantin ple ; but that, on the contrary. ne will embrace any alternative, consistent with his honour, that shall enable him to avoid approaching the Turkish capital. F. r let us imagine him in possession of Constararnople, what would follow? Supposing his esprsss renunciation of all idea, of conquest to have been drawn from hiM by fears of the interierence of the other Powers of Europe, will he' not have !11l more reason to apprehend such nitrite:mice, if, contrary to hi, primise, he should think if setaiiiing his co: quests? N r letit be sail that he would he then able to throw aff the mask and defy them: the strength of his erns ice would not in the firm , isistancelte increased by a•conquest which, it will WI allowed, is nu likely to be achievtd ssithout an immense' sacrifice of his bravest troops. Ir, on the alter hand, fothful tohis word, he should he wiling to renounce so gloricus a prize, o ith what patieace would the Rus sian ilati , in arid army endure such a sacrifice of their king cherished obj-et, now at length attained ? I do not think it necessary to be more elplicit on this head. . 1 Actuated by these views, I conceive, the Rus ian Emperor "meted on the war, with a force which was deemed ai!etps.ite to make such an im, cession on the Tuikish Emperor as should, demonstrate to the Otto- Man Go ernivent that he was r. solved to obtain redress for hie grievtitisce;; and that the other Powers would not :preveirt•hins so doing. This, with the deliverance f the M•irea, would. it was th.aught, induce the Sultan to hire at length to terms of accommodation. —This expectation has been disappointed. Though the Russian armies have advanced farther into European Turkey, and in a shorter time than they ever did before; though they-have obi ained mo.t important advantag s in Asia, yet the resistance of the Turks has been so much More energetic than was anticipated, that the Sultan seems less disposed than ever to listen to terms. Stall atirous to prevent the necessity of proceeding to Constantinople, the Russian Government resolved on the bockade of the Datdanelles, in the hope that want of provision, might at length oblige the Sultan to c 'n eedy, and it'seems to me very probable that England and France have acquiesced in this view. What may be the result of all these complex relations, it-would be presumption to attempt Is) foretell. Let us nit, however, listen to the puerile nonsense of those who compare the retreat of 15,000 Russians from Silistria, to the distance of 50 or 60 miles, to the retreat lion. Moscow in 1812; or who dream of a winter campaign to be carried on with energy by the Turk., who never made a winter campaign betere, while the hardy Re:- shins are unable to keep the field. Above'all, let the real friends of; Turkey endeavour, if possible, to bring about in • hOneurible peace before hostilities are se. stewed ; let them not , inspire the Sultan.. and his Grs. eminent wi h fallaciOu's hopes; and, let them be ware of using the language of taunt and insult to Russia, and of compelling that F.swer to put forth all her energies, arid to show thaeshe is able to shake to its foundation the tottering fabric of Ottoman power. 11. 1 LIVERPOOL, 3Axtmfte .19. This morning was the time 6zed for the coniecra'ioa of the national church in this town. The anxiety mans. tested by persons wishing to be present on the occasion was so great, that upwards of two thousand tickets sere i•sued. At el. yen o'cl ck. by ei . ich tm • the church was comfortahly fille.i by a most respectahle assembly, th- Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of tl e diocese, ire. ceded by his mace and folios , . ed by the Clergy of the t ian and neis : hburhood; entered the Chinch In m the vestry, and took his seat at the Communion tab'e. when Dr.Ward.thr Registrar to the Bishop's CourrarChester, reed the deed of uJowment t f the church arid t h e peti tion f r consecration. His Lordship. accompaeiei as t chore, tit- n walked down the ce Are aisle of t' e church and back again to the altar, repeating the 24th, Palm, the responses being made by die minis ters, and took his seat at the comxnuni .n 7 table, having received the deeds from the registrar, he red.', with an audible voice, the prayers suitable for t e occasion. The registrar then read the sentence ..t secration, which was signed by tie B ship, and ps di red to be enrolled in the court of the diocese. Tim morn ing service was then read by tfie Rev. J. B. Moir's, alter ich his Lordship ascended the pulpit, and preached a very excellent and appropriate sei min Irim a part of the ilitts verse of the 17th char ter of S7.Matthew. The service Javing been concluded, the Bishop. accompa nied as, be had previously been, walked throigh the chinch to 2. shed erected at the eist, side of the Nadal gr. trod, and read the prayers solemnly, setting the *krouncfairait for the purpose for which it is intended. , The Bishop next proceeded in the stare cat Ow of the Worshipful the Mayor to St. J rho's' Chinch, she e aslp of ground, taken:floa the back .of she Lunatic As) tuns, and added to the chu ch-yas if, was consec rat J • fur the interment of the dead. lie al ea wardiprocteded to the new cemetery secently for toed in this town, and consecrated the same: To-morrow ( ednesda v) and the neat day, his Lindship will hold COlifii ta hIANCHISTSIt, J 431. STATE. re TRAM—. Hitheito the atticipa.i tts. which wet. very generally indulged of en improvei meat in business when the new year commenced. hale not been reali ed ; it continues , s languid and unsatis. factory as ever; and yet we 6.id that many consider the piospects of the swing trade mote faiourable. In . the meantime, bow-Ter, ue have to mike that the ad. vices from several losegn markets are bad. The great 1411 i.. the exchange at Rio (from 12 to 14 per cent.) he sites the lo.s to the F. merchants ra, on the remit lance. for goods Already sold, ail, keep back. for a wl ile at least, fur,her shipmen.s.. The prospects of hu mess to the Continent of Env ore are good, the stocks there being light, ind tl e - demand steady. The lo• pr ice of cotton, and the certainty of a reasonable ;nice for that article continuing throupb the year, is much in favour of the spince.s and roatutactuiers; but from present appearances there is a probability that they will be in some measure hams sed by their workpeople, who seem determined to make an efUrt to improve their con dition by tut ning out. The masters are now acively arranging means of counteraction. and at Stockport (where no fewer than 15 mills are -tending in conse quence), have, to be beforehand with the men, pro posed.a reduction. H 'wetter these disputes may ter minate., the F..yeseyikeffect nf thentis to diminish - m. - Jena; slitter their elistence now perhaps may be attri• bitted, in 0,44 the very *titles' state if the market. CORON ER'S INQUEST. -.was- - Yesterday evening an inquiry of a singular and mysterious nature for k place at S.. Thoma.'s Hmi.i tal. before Thomas S .elt n, Esq. 'Coroner,' relating to the death of an individual styled James Allen, aged ab ut 42. The unfortunate deceased, who passed for and as sumed the dress of a man, was killed under circus' - stances which will be stated. Death °centring on the. way to the hospital. an examination of the body took place, when it was found to be of the f mare seg. • William Shrieve deposed, that he was a sawyer is the em t boy of Mr. Crisp, ships; right and builder, of Dockhead; the deceased, whom he had known for 'he last three year, was in the same service; on M. Hilly afternoon la*, about half past three o'clock. they wets at work in a sawpit in Mill.street. Dockhead, wh. n a large piece of timber fell on the head of the deemed, who was at the bottom of the pit, and she fe:l .enseless, bleeding from the nose; mouth, and ears ; she vas placed On a •hotte-, to be conveyed to this hospital, but espired before arrival. By the Conoitire—The deceased hid a very weakly voice, v ith ro br.rd or whiskers; witness Assays thought that as . a man he v as deective. By a Juror—The eeceased lepresented herself as having been a married man Fr upwards cf 21 yeats ; and his w ifei now living—an hot est, judo, taints woman. Mary Daley.deposed that she had known the de. ceast d, and the female who passed as his site. f a number of years; ,bout a year ago the wife in!or wed witness that she was sure her Jemmy had imp, se's' • 'upon her, for he certainly was not a clasper mans— (Great laughter). Witness Often advised Mrs. Allen to l e ave her uporthle a,husband, hut she sail s' had root the heart to do it. Witness never thought tl.edeceaaed above a gander of a man. hut still pie had no idea he was a genaine avontaa—(Laughter). ....• By a jittOf —The dec e a se d', a d l e f t his wife . selreal. times on account of jealtnisr—(A laugh). By a Juicir—Wetness can swear moat positively that poor Mrs. Allen was a perfect woman in all points; •••• it was her belief, th t although she had been mar. tied twenty.one yews, she was as much a maid as a her (witness's) grand-daughter.—(l: ud laughter.) Mr. John Martin, dresser to Mi. Green, surgeon to the Hospital, deposed, that the deceased, who was at tired in male apparel, was dead when brought to the • hospital; the bones of the skull v ete fractured in several places, Which was sufficient to cause immediate Jeath; on examination, witness discovered the deceased to be a female. Both the Coroner and Jury expressed their *fermi.)). ment at 'sn extramdinary a circumstance as two femalt s living together as man and wife for a period 4.1 ttrrney one years; it certainly was both unprecelentrii and mysterious. Mts. Daley sal recalled, and questioned as to wheal err she kfiew to a certainty that the marriage cereitony passed between. the deceased and the either fen-tile? The v itneawsaid she bad seen ne certificate at the marriage; tat ceremony took Otte at Camberwell Church, about 20 sears ago. The Joey expressed a wi.h to have the female who lived with the deceased before them ; but the C• rnner saidethat it was unnecessary, they had only to is giri,e how the deceased (immaterial, male or female) cast e o her death. After some further discussion, a verdict of " Asa.. dental Death" was returned. Yesterd.l Vt.count Alm.ett.t.e held a Levee 11 NA. vt.l Officers, at the Admiralty.