The Press.
London, England, 1856-01-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

Those proposals were correctly characterised
in our last issue as " frank and conciliatory."
They were conceived in a spirit not of hostility
to those of the A,llids, but of concord and
agreement with thorn. . The same objects
wieie pronosid, and Russia submitted what
she balived Might prove a more clear 04
satisfactory method of ,attaining them. It
was admitted by the times, on Thursday last,
that Russia had condeded " the neutralis&
" tioh of the Black Beg; the abolition of the
" Protectorate in Piitlldaivia and Wallachia;
" and of all right to ihteffere in the domestic
" affairs of the Ottoman Porte." Further, said
our contemporary,—" The language of the
" Emperor is mild and conciliatory. He seems
" to have appreciated the moderation of the
" terms proposed to him by the Allies, and to
" have been willing to meet them in a corre-
" sponding spirit.' This is so true, that we
have every reason to believe that the Russian
modification of these terms was considered
satisfactory by the Governments of Austria and
France. But Austria had engaged with the
Allies that the Proposals should really be an
ultimatum ; that she would listen to no dis-
cussion on it; that she would receive no
counter-proposals ; and that she would with-
draw her Ambassador unless Russia signified
her acceptance within a prescribed time. She
remained true to her engagement, and Count
ESTERHAZY would undoubtedly have left St.
Petersburg on the 18th had not Russia pre.
vionsly notified her acceptance (pure et simple)
of the Propositions with which he was charged.
But the negotiation would probably have been
taken up at the point where Austria had
dropped it, as the belligerent Powers would
have felt extreme difficulty in justifying the
continuance of a mighty European war for any
such narrow—and, so far as they were per-
sonally concerned, unimportant—object as
the rectification of the Russian frontier on the
side of the Danubian Provinces ; more espe-
cially as it was understood that Russia was
willing to withdraw from the mouths of the
Danube, and from all interference with the
navigation of that great watercourse.
As it is, we are saved from that period of
doubt and perplexity which would have
ensued had Russia abided by her counter-
proposals. Had she wished to place the Allies
in a false position, and to embroil rather
than clear the question, she might have
done so by resisting the full extent of
that cession of territory which was re-
required from her. Neither in England nor
in France would the War have been popular
for an object which could not in any way ap-
peal to the sympathies or affect the interests
of the people, and which assuredly was not
essential to the integrity of the Turkish terri-
tory. The new frontier line was suggested by
Austria, and was of no European importance
except as it affected her interests. This was
the weak point in the Allied Propositions ; it
was, moreover, a new point, and, by yielding it,
the Cabinet of St. Petersburg has supplied a
strong presumption that she is not disposed
to throw any obstacle in the way of a defini-
tive Treaty. When principles of pacification
are settled that Power shows the greatest
wisdom which cedes points of no essential im-
portance, and smooths the way for general
agreement. The greatest moderation may then
be the highest magnanimity.
There is no longer any substantial obstacle
to the speedy establishment of peace, though
much may yet depend on the spirit in which
the belligerent Powers meet to discuss the
precise terms to be adoped. The Propositions
accepted by Russia are drawn with sufficient
looseness to admit of plausible differences, if
discussed in a jealous or hostile spirit. The
last article, in particular, is so extremely in-
definite as to admit of any kind of interpreta-
tion that the Allies may choose to put upon it.
Nothing can be made of a Proposition which
reserves to the Allies the right of introducing
any conditions they may think proper. As a
mere formality it would be utterly unimportant ;
but if, as is generally understood, it is in-
tended to refer to a condition that no fortifi-
cations should again be raised on the Aland
Islands, it would have been better to have had
the condition distinctly expressed.
Against all apprehensions on this ground
we have to set the fact that Count EsTzattAay

SATURDAY,

held confidential communication with the
Cabinet of St. Petersburg, and that he proba-
bly gave frank explanations of those parts of
the propositions w were open to doubt.
We learb by the toteripli, that on Thursday
" Coontft. ktEssanabli and ESTERHAZY Signed
"at PetersbUrg M PrObocol containing the
" conditions propcd by. the Allies, as the
" fohntil4on t prailninaries of peace "
Nothing hut treat owns design (of which
there is 'to susnlisiott) or extreme wrong-
headedness can now prevent the speedy con-
clusion of a Treaty which, whatever objections
may be urged to it in detail, must tend in its
general scope to the security of Europe, and
to the firmer establishment and wider exten-
sion of those principles of international equity
which restrain the rage of conquest, and com-
pel the mightiest nations to guide their
foreign policy by plain rules of fairness and
honesty.
It is desirable that no time should now be
lost in adjusting and signing preliminaries
of Peace. Until this be done, hostilities must
proceed—the preparations for War must con-
tinue—profuse expenditure must go on—
blood may be needlessly shed—the interests
of commerce must be impaired—and the public
mind of Europe be kept in a state of feverish
suspense. Even as matter of finance, each
day of doubt must cost this country two hun-
dred thousand pounds. The time has arrived
when the belligerent Powers must place con-
fidence in each other's professions. There
can be no other security fur the maintenance
of Treaties ; and, in this case, there is the less
reason for mistrust, as neither party can
hope to gain any advantage by deception.
The pledge of Russia, frankly given to-day,
must be as valid as if given three or six
months hence. We should have to trust to
her good faith then,—why not trust to it now ?
As regards material guarantees, the Allies
hold sufficient in their hands, and they will
only be given up when Peace is formally, us
it is already, we do not hesitate to say, vir-
tually assured.

MR. WALPOLE FOR " CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY."

WE are heartily glad that the leading mem-
bers of the University of Cambridge have
resolved on supporting the claims of Mr.
SPENCER WALPOLE for the vacant seat. Nor
are we less rejoiced to learn that the
Right Hon. Gentleman has responded to
the call. The choice of such a candidate does
equal honour to himself and to his friends,
and w•e have not the slightest doubt of his

being triumphantly elected. Consideration of
his merits fully justifies the legitimacy of his
pretensions.

In Mr. WALPOLE there is a great assemblage
of presumptive claims founded on collegiate
recollections, professional distinction of the
first order, and distinguished services. At
the Chancery Bar he rose to eminence by his
clear intellect and sustained power of forensic
logic, and his first speech in the House of
Commons was heard with universal applause.
On a brief political experience he was ad-
vanced to a Secretaryship of State, and if his
party had remained in office his reputation
would have still further been enhanced. Yet
even during his brief tenure of office Mr.
WALPOLE showed many excellent qualities at
the Home-office. Since then his experience of
Parliament is enlarged, his acquaintance with
social facts is more familiar, and the concen-
tration of his talents in politics has invigorated
his fine powers.
We are also justified in reminding the
constituency of Cambridge University of
the sacrifices made by Mr. WALPOLE on be
half of the Conservative party. The course
followed by Si.t ROBERT PEEL deprived the
Conservatives of their natural leaders. Wonders
were accomplished on an emergency by the
united exertions of Lord DERBY, Lord GEORGE
BENTINCH, and Mr. DISRAELI. But when a
decrepit Whig Ministry fell by its own weak-
ness in 1832, Lord DERBY found that he had
difficulties to encounter from the circum-
stance of his leading associates not haying had