The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-18 00:00:00

SPEECH BY THE EMPEROR OF
RUSSIA.

The Emperor Alexander delivered an address on Friday.
the 1012, to a body of representatives of the Nobles and
Communal Council of Moscow in St. George's-hall in that
city. His Majesty said :

"I thank you for the sentiments you have been
good enough to express towards me in reference
the present political state of affairs, which
has now become more clearly defined than before.
I am pleased and ready to receive your address.
It is already known to you that Turkey has
yielded to my demands for the immediate conclusion
of an armistice in order to put an end to useless
slaughter in Servia and Montenegro. In this
imequal struggle, the Montenegrins have, as on all pre-
vious occasions, shown themselves to be real heroes,
Unfortunately the Fame cannot be said of the Servians,
Uotwithstanding the presence of our volunteers in the
Servian ranks, many of whom have shed their blood
for the Slavoniau cause. I know that all Russia most
warmly sympathizes with me in the sufferings of our
brethren and coreligionists. The true interests of
Russia, however, are dearer to ma than all, and I
should wish to the uttermost to spare Russian blood
from being shed. This is the reason why I have striven,
and shall still strive, to obtain a real improvement of
the position of the Christians in the East by peaceful
means, In a few days negotiations will commence in
Ceeitiantiqople between the representatives of the
Treat Powers to settle the conditions of peace. My most
ardent wish is that we may arrive at a general agree-
ment. Should this, however, not be achieved, and
hould I see that we cannot obtain such guarantees as
PTO necessary for carrying out what we have a right to
demand of the Porte, I am firmly determined to act

independently, and i am convinced that in this ease
thaitihole of Russia will respond to my summons,
should I consider it necessary and should the honour
of Rugsia require it. I am also convinced that
Moscow, as heretofore, will lead the van by its example.
May God help us to carry out our sacred missiora
A S. Petersburg telegram states that the speech
the Czar at Moscow has been received with enthusi,
throughout the Russian Empire. All classes of
population, it is said, express their readiness to col
tribute, as far as they are able, to the work of pro-
tectieg the interests cf Russia. People are of -
place their fortune and all their resources
disposal of the Government in order to defray the.
necessary expenses.
no,
--

41e-prini
learni

The North German Gazette (Berlin) onifon ay, com-
menting on the recent speeches of Lord Beaconsfield
and the Emperor of Russia, says :—"The menace of
war in Lord Beaconsfield's speech must not be taken
too seriously, but it, becomes serious by the conse-
quences it has entailed, for it contains a provocation to
him to whom it is directly or indirectly addressed, and
is, besides an encouragement to Turkey to resist the
reforms and the exhortations of the Powers that are
pacifically inclined. The mention of the Slavonic
cause by the Emperor of Russia has a universal his-
torical significance. The advent of the Slavonic cause
Into the affairs of the world under such auspices opens
up an infinite number of fresh points of view." i

The Nord of Tuesday morning, in an article on the
Eastern crisis, remarks that the speech of the Emperor
Alexauder is quite a different thing to the language of
a Minister, whose responsibility'Atay end any day
with his retirement from office; and that it derives
still greater significance coming from a Sovereign
whose pacific disposition is Po well known. While,
however, not attempting to lessen the impoitince of
the declaration, the Nord thinks it will tend rather to
facilitate peace than precipitate war, by defining pre-
cisely the position taken up hy Russia in the matter, and
making known that she will not be content with any-
thing short of the liberation—not the political, but the
." moral, social, and humane" liberation—of the Chris-
tians of the East:

With reference to the language employed by the
Czar, the Berlin Ministerial Norddentsche Zeitung
prints the following remarkable eentencei :
..h.Clnonnfon
This is an event of immense historical bearing. Though we
cannot forget that the Monarch who uttered these words is
he who, contrary to the wishes of many of his advisers and
subjects, stood by us in the serious bouts of our modern his-
tory, neither can we overlook that the introduction by the
Czar of the Slavonic cause is an incident suggesting a per-
feotfy innumerable quantity of reflections and fresh pottOs of
**few. We shall have to revert to these things more than
once."

A Vienna correspondent telegraphs that the lan-
guage of the Czar respecting the Servian army has
given so mach offence at Belgrade that the belief gains
credence that the anptschina, on assembling at the
beginning of December, will urge peace at any reason.
able price with Turkey. The semi-official St. Peters.
burg Gazette publishes a letter from Vienna to the
effect that Austria has resolved to march into Turkey
at the moment that Russia does so, and remove her
troops again if the territorial integrity of the Ottoman
Empire be not violated by Russia.

In a leader noticing the above speech of the Emperor
Alexander, the Globe remarks :

The speech of the Czar has caused quite a panic on I
the Continent. Everything seemed to be going on eo ,
smoothly that even pessimists had begun to hopo that
the inevitable war in the East was not to be yet; that
in the meantime the knot was to be untied, not cut.
Suddenly on his way home the Czar gets up in an
assembly of Moscow notables and makes a tremendous
display of political fireworks. Grand tableau! Berlin
you' into hysterics and shrieks that war is coming;
Vienna trembles at the fearful prospect which opens
before Europe; Rome is alarmed and agitated. Paris
alone, which has a quick sense of the ludicrous, seems
to have read the speech with tolerable equanimity;
but even scree Parisians have been expressing doubts
as to the immediate future. It must be confessed that
if the Imperial utterance were taken literally it would
be thoroughly alarming. Never did Emperor strike
an attitude with more effect. The calaa and peaceful,
not to say timid, sovereign, must have rehearsed his
part well, attending most docilely to the instructions
of that great stage-manager, Prince Gortschakoff!;
for Bobadil himjelf could not have assumed a
more terrible aspect or spoken braver words We
venture to think, however, that far too much im-
portance has been ascribed to the manifesto.
When Europe was suddenly startled by the pre-
sentation of the Russian ultimatum, every poli-
tician of the least insight, after the first fright,
saw clearly that it was mere theatrical display,
meant really for the Russian people rather than for
the Turkish Government. The Czar's speech seems
to be a demonstration of exactly the same kind, pas-
sionate in appearance, but in reality cautiously calca-
lated. The Czar is careful to express his general
desire for a pacific solution, but adds that it neces-
sary guarantees are not obtained for what he has a
right to demand of the Porte, be is "firmly deter-
mined to act independently." He feels convinced
that the whole of Russia would respond to his
summons, and, in the usual style of tho, e who
know they have a doubtful cause, expresses faith in
superhuman aid in carrying out " orr sacred miesion."
I Had war actually been intended, who can suppose
that language et this kind would have been used?
Diplomacy has not yet b,•tn wholly iergotten
lambi i. ouutry in whim
it so vigorously flourishes. It we had been on the eve
of a vast conflict, we should heve been treated to all
sorts of reassurances; the amiable designs of Russia
would.liavelieUset forth in glo win 7, colours. Having
no thought of going to war, the Czar feels he can
affordhimself theFluxury of dazzling his subjects by a
slight gleam of h 4 ,sword.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 14, Evening.—All the Powers are
stated to be in accord respecting the proposed Conference,
which is expected to commence Its sittings at the end of the
present month. The Ottoman Government has made some
objections, but its adhesion appears certain, England having
made urgent representations to the Porte with that object.
It is said that the Russian Government has given large
orders to Berlin houses for articles of twittery equipment.
The Russian Consuls are, it is said, being withdrawn from
the interior of Turkey. The Russian Consul in Bosnia has
turned over the care of his duties to the Austrian Consul.
The Emperor of Russia has ordered The mobilization of part
of the Russian army. A circular addressed by Prince Gorts-
chakoff to the Russian representatives abroad explaining
this measure points out that the Emperor does not wish for
war, and will if possib!e avoid it. His Majesty Is, however,
determined that the principles of justice which have been
recogtiz‘d as necessary by the whole of Europe shall be
carried out in Turkey under efficacious guarantees.
- -

A Times telegram says that " M. Kartsoff, the Diplomatic
Agent of Russia at Belgrade, has read to General Tchernayeff
an order signed 'Gortchakoff,' and couched in these terms
Imperial Orden—General Tchernayeff is forbidden to enter
Russia.' The bearing of the Russian Government towards
General Novosellow, who has recently commanded the Army
of the lbar, is something very different. He has not only re-
ceived permission to return to Roasts, but is invited as a
guest to the Imperial banquet to be bald at St. Petersburgh
on the feast of Sr. George. Tchernayt if proceeds to Vienna,
there to meat Madame Tchernar.ff.'

A special telegram from Berlin to the Peal Mcal Gazette nye
that should Russia persist in a waxlike course there is a good
reason to believe that she will be pertectly isolated In the
adoption of such a policy. The German Government is
understood to have pledged itself, as against Austria, to a
policy of observant neutrality, with an engagement to watch
the Polish provinces, and presumably to assist in the repres-
sion ni any Polish rising. .
- -

From Vienna it is stated ttat besides the large military
force the Turks have at Erzsrum, there will shortly be esta-
blished a second camp at Schumla. Of the Turkish fleet one
squadron will remain in the Bosphorus; Hobart Pacha will
take another to the Black Sea; and two others will cruise in
Abe hteellterranean.
VhijOHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
r. ON -BDUChiTION.
Tuesday eV-ening- Sit Stafford Northeote, M.P.,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, distributed the prizes
and certificates to the successful competitors on the
occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the Birkbeck
Literary and - Scientific—lnstitution, Southampton-
buildings, Chancery-lane, a great number of gentle-
unen interested in -the 'Educational movement- being
prt.mit. •
-A- considerable One. was occnpied in the presenta-
tion of the prizes. Altogether 202 candidates succese-
fully passed the examinations of the Science and Art
Department, 62 those of the Society of Arts, and 121
those of the Educational Council of the Institution.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer said until that night he
hardly knew there were so many branches of human learning
—(a laugh)—aud, undoubtedly, it WM a revelation to him
that there was any single institutien in which so large an
amount of valuable Instruction was given. (Cheers.) It was,
a lesson in itself to heir the list of subjects for which prizes
were given read, and when those who took the prizes were
seen he thought there was cause to rejoice that
such opportunities were now given to those who de-
sired to learn. It we compared the educational condi-
tion of England a hundred years ago with its educational
condition at the present moment, the roost striking
reflections would naturally suggest themssives. It occurred
to him that the deference lay, not so much in the number or
greatness of individual great men, but In the difference
between the mass of the population at one period and the
. other. (Cheers.) Be need not compare the statesman or
historians, or philosophers or poets of a hundred years ago
with their successors of the present time. He need not
even speak of the men who in former times were great in
the walks pf abstract science. He need not speak of such
men as Herschell, or Black, or Cavendish, and others whose
names would occur to his hearers. But coming down
nearer to that class with whom we should wish to draw a
comparison in the present day, he would say that we had
no men in these days, groat as they were, who were superior
to the pioneers of our mechanical and engineering science,
such as Bolton, Watt, Brineley, Smeaton, Wei gwood, and
others (cheers); but where the men of 1776 could not for a
moment be compared to the men cf 1876 was in the amount
of information, education, or general cultivation possessed
by the great mass of tho lower middle and lower working
classes of society. (Cheers) Many of his hearers had doubt-
less read the excellent essay to which the Lord Chief Justice's
prize had just been awarded, on the services rendered by Dr.
1311kbeck to the cause of education. In that essay he found
it mentioned that when Dr. Birkbeck first proposed to
establish-his classes for the working classes he was met with
these objections. Dr. Birkbeck was told ;—" The work-
ing men will not come to the classes, or if they come
they will not listen, and it they listen they will not under-
stand." Contrast this state of things with that which existed
at the present day; contrast it with the interest which all.
classes now displayed in the promotion of the useful educa-
tion of the lower and working classes of society. No more
striking contrast could be presented between century and ,
century than that which could be thus worked out. What ;
inference ought we to draw from this? It might seem
natural to use no other language than that of cordial con-
gratulation, and of encouragement to make further efforts,
but it was not sure that it was not necessary to throw,
in a word of warning also. Some years ago there
was still a great deal to be done in order to
overcome the remains of scepticism on the part
of those who could communicate information, and to
t ht he
roes e
werewh o
pwo
ienr t
sett oo
re
enoceoiav rea
tgoef,o r waatkei nn upt,v
eann da t ipnrteesreens
tt
which their attention ought not to cease to be direced.
-Matters had now come to a point.; at which it was necessary
ti) use words of -caution and regulation as well as words of
encouragement and congratulation. What were the effects
of these great educational advantages do the working classes
themselves and on the actual and probable condition of the
country? Nowaddys he was almost ashamed to quota tio
well-worn a couplet as that of Pope--

"A 11-ttle learning Is a -dangerous thing."

For lais part he was not 'disposed iiltogether to admit the