The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-04 00:00:00

RUMOURS OF PEACE.

THE cessation of actual hostilities, and the anxiety,
doubtless, felt by Russia to find some means of
escaping the consequences of a war which threatens
almost her annihilation as an empire, have led to
increased exertions on the part of the peace party to
force on negotiations for arrangements, without the
slightest regard to the preservation of the national
honour, or the accomplishment of those objects for
which the war was commenced. This is one of the
dangers to be dreaded during the Parliamentary
recess, owing to the little confidence which can be
placed in the firmness of Ministers, notwithstanding
the warlike professions of Lord PALMERSTON. It is

well known that there are several members of his
Cabinet who are not averse to peace at any price,
because the war imposes difficulties with which they
are unable to contend ; and should Russia, from
necessity, agree to accept the conditions she so indig-
nantly rejected during the conferences at Vienna, the
opportunity might be seized upon to agree to con-
ditions with which the country ought not to be
satisfied. The four points which formed the subject
of discussion at Vienna were less than should have
been insisted on at that time, considering the expense
which had then been incurred, and the more than
doubtful security which would have been afforded for
the future independence of Turkey, the free navigation
of the Danube, and uninterrupted trade in the Black
Sea. Since then the expenditure of the Xllied Powers,
both in men and money, has been considerably
increased; our claim against Russia has been propor-
tionally augmented ; and, though we have partially
won the required guarantees by the capture and
destruction of Sebastopol, we have a right to expect
some compensation from the offending party for the
necessary outlay.
It is idle of the advocates of peace to pretend that
because the fortress of Sebastopol has been taken, there
is no further object in the continuance of the war.
The siege of that important stronghold of the enemy
was but an incident in the contest, a means to an end,
and that .end must be achieved before conditions of
peace should be conceded, without sacrificing the great
cause at stake. We have certainly for a time gained
the freedom of the Black Sea, for the Russian fleet
has been immolated to ideas of Russian policy ; but to
retire from our hostile attitude at the present juncture
would be to enable Russia to repair her losses, great
as they are, to recover her position, and render neces-
sary at no distant time a repetition of all the sacrifices
which we have lately had to encounter. An appeal is
made to mercantile interests as being the great
sufferers by the war, but the assumption is altogether
founded on error. A reference to the returns of the
Board of Trade, which we have alluded to in another
article, will show that neither our exports nor our im-
ports have diminished, but, on the contrary, have ex-
perienced a very satisfactory increase ; and even the
high rate of discount, which is at present the chief
burden, is not fairly attributable to the war, but to our
injudicious monetary system. On the other hand, the
mercantile community should bear in mind that the
destruction of Russian power and influence in the
Black Sea will open up sources of future trade almost
incalculable in extent, and worth far more than even
the great sacrifices which are at present being made
to obtain it. There is much that remains to be done,
even though Sebastopol be destroyed. The Russians
must be driven altogether out of the Crimea, which,
by judicious arrangements, might be placed under the
government of an independent ruler; the Asiatic pro-
vinces which Russia seized from Turkey during her
onward march of aggression must be restored to their
old possessors; the navigation of the Danube must be
rendered practically and permanently free to com-
merce ; the scattered Poles must be restored to their
former nationality, in order to form a barrier against
future encroachments ; and Finland placed once more
under the dominion of Sweden, to form a check against
the preponderance of Russian influence in the north.
These are objects desirable of acquisition, and at even
the cost of a far greater outlay than has yet been in-
curred ; but their realisation will be hopeless, if the
Ministers listen to the craven fears of those who have
neither the patriotism to wish, nor the courage to con-
tend for, the maintenance of the greatness and honour
of the country.
It is, however, gratifying to know that the feeling
of the vast majority of the people is in favour of the
war being prosecuted to its legitimate results, and
that a dissolution of Parliament would place the ad-
vocates of peace out of the power of doing mischief.
The Ministers must, however, remain true to their
professions. Lord PALMERSTON should remember the
fate of Lord JouN RUSSELL, or he will find that,
however high his position, or plausible his excuses, the
interests of a great nation cannot with impunity be
be trifled with.