The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-16 00:00:00

/fr)
,ye/t

b t rt

No. 11.—VoL. I.

g4t rtss.

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, MI

THE present state of affairs in Europe very
much resembles the gloomy period (1771-2)
which preceded and which witnessed the par-
tition of Poland. None of the indications of
that epoch of disgrace and disaster are want-
ing: plausible proclamations, declarations of
philanthropy and disinterestedness ; war car-
ried on in the name of peace, and order vindi-
cated with all the arts of turbulence ; invading
forces who only " occupy," and confederate
spoliators who only " observe."

The relations of the various Governments
bear also a painful resemblance. The King of
POLAND, harassed, outraged, and perplexed,
appealed, like the Sultan of Tummy, to
treaties of alliance and to treaties of
guarantee. He invoked the aid of England
and France. They gave him—sympathy ; an
offering, perhaps, not less valuable than a
combined fleet with orders of inaction. France
was then exhausted and spiritless ; England
was governed by a Minister timid and narrow-
minded, and who, like some others, owed his
Irm/h post to Court favour and personal in-
trigue, and not to the confidence of a great
party in the country. It is due to France to
remember that, notwithstanding her difficul-
ties, she made in 1772 a cordial and unreserved
proposal to England to join in an alliance
offensive and defensive to prevent the parti-
tion of Poland, and that England, after some
frigid hesitation, refused her offer. Lord
SHKLBURSE subsequently said that he looked
upon that rejection as one of the most unfor-
tunate circumstances of our modern history,
and that all the (1111111,116 es which afterwards
uccuiTed in Europe might be traced to the un-
resisted partition of Poland. The w•easure and
energy of England, instead of vindientan*t the
independence of nations, were immediately
wasted in a colonial war of unparalleled 3116-
lintune, in which France became the success-
ful ally of the insurgent subjects of our
Sovereign ; while, as it were in retribution for
that perfidious interposition, the French re-
turned from their transatlantic triumph, only
to introduce into their own country the prin-
ciples which soon extirpated their warlike
nobility, and subverted alike their altar and
their throne. Then the lava of Jacobinisin
was poured over a partitioned and emasculated
Europe, without national character, energy, or
faith.

Europe has not yet recovered from these
awful revolutions. A long, but a disturbed,
peace has stancUed, but has far from entirely
healed, these wounds, And yet the nations
murumr that another great crime is about to
be committed, not less heinous than the
Polish partition. If it occur, and occur as
easily, it will lead to consequences not less
eventful, and not less full of terror.
What hope have we that they will not occur?
There are negotiations going on, according to
Lord JOHN RUSSELL; that is to say, as it
reaches us, there are certain propositions, as
they are styled, not joint, but varying, and

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1853.

made by various powers to Russia, who, it is
hoped, will deign to seleet one of these sug-
gestions. and admit that it will servo her pur-
pose. We deny that negotiations are going
On. To negotiate, there must be two parties,
and Russia has already told UM that the door
is closed. Even while our Cabinet deliberates
over their own batch of propositions, or cer-
tainly before these can have ►eachied our
Ambassador, there comes what is called a
" circular despateh," which, in truth, was
despatched to no one, but is really a brochure
of mocking irony published to Europe by the
Czar, and its whole tone is one of conte►nptuous
defiance.

But then the Emperor of RUSSIA must 110
mad or ill, or both, to encounter all Europe,
and to enter into a struggle without allies.
What struggle? There can be no struggle
where there is no resistance. The Emperor's
first. campaign is nearly closed, and lie has
conquered two splendid provinees without
firing a shot. His second campaign will emu-
menee in duo season, and he will conquer the
rich Bulgaria with the same facility, and with
as little injury, as he has appropriated the
principalities. For a madman and an invalid
there seem to be sufficient coherence and
vigour in his movements. But then—un-
happy Prince !—he has no allies. Ho has the
most powerful—he has Mix. Time is the
ally which has gained fi►r him Wallachia and
Moldavia. It was the 26th of February when
Prince MENscanton, opened the campaign at
Constantinople. It is getting on to the 26th
of July. We have had in the interval stout decla-
rations by Ministers in both Houses of Parlia-
ment ; bold notices of motions given and
withdrawn by docile members of the same ;
we have had both the English and the French
Cabinets nearly broken up, and the Turkish
Cabinet quite changed : we have had endless
despatches, protests, ultimatums, proclama-
tions ; notes, parting, explanatory, and cir-
cular ; orders for admirals to a►+t and to be
inert ; combined fleets and contnelietory
allies ;—and what have we done '? Why, we
have recommended the Sultan not to consider
the invasion of his dominions by a foreign
anny as a emus Belli. A maim belli! Why, it
if, no longer a question whether it is a ease for
war; it is war ; and war the most triumphant
and successful.

The answer from St. Petersburg to the pro-
positions Of our ow•n Government is expected
about the 24th inst.

PRICE SIXPENCE.

of 1.01%1 Aar RDEEN to lIRIIIII BRUNOW, When the
'Present. GOVel'ilinellt. Wits formed, that his
Lordship tilt. that animus., or cordial and eon-
emineetion, between England and
Franee was impossible. It may be truly said
that this indiscreet and prejudicial declara-
tion led to the passage of the Truth.
There is also another reason why we feel it.
our duty to call particular attention to this
doeument. It illustnttes a considerable por-
tion of the earner of a Minister who, when in
office, was the systematic 010(4 of Mittel( and
depreeintion by the journals under Russian
tail ABERDEEN illthlence. Tune hits already
materially vindicated the Ammeter and con-
duct of Lord Mm.mrsuritY, and has proved
that, while the envious, the ignorant, and the
intriguing were, too successfully, raising a pre-
judice against him on the most petty allega-
tions and the most paltry grounds, our affairs
have been seldom entrusted to a Minister
more vigorous, prudent, and indefatigable.
His quick and sound perception of the dia-
meter of others, and the firmness of his own.
eminently qualified hint for the important
oilier which he tilled to rho advantage of his
country. WO are eonvincod that, had he re.
*maned there, the present datigemtut estate of
utfitirs would never haw occurred.