The Press.
London, England, 1857-01-03 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1857.

No event could usher in the New Year more
auspiciously than a settlement of the dif-
ferences which have arisen with Russia as to
the execution of the Treaty of Paris. Those
differences were, it is true, insignificant in
themselves, but they had been made the sub-
ject of such prolonged and angry discussion ;
and the views of the Cabinets of England and
Russia were so decidedly opposed, that without
some moderating influence to reconcile their
differences and smoothe their animosity it is
probable that war might have broken out
afresh. We can now afford to say that there
was danger, if the opposed Governments had
been left to themselves, that the trivial nature
of the matters originally at issue would have
been

magnitude of their consequences. The cloud
in the distance, no bigger than a man's hand,
_ _

expands till it overspreads the face of heaven.
In the settlement of a perfectly. flew line of
frontier, 'from certain geographioal points
determined on, it is almost inevitable that
',perplexity will arise when the line comes to
.Ihe drawn by actual survey. Such perplexity
arose with regard to the Oregon boundary,
' which some years ago threatened to involve
us in a war with the United States. The
original treaty, determining the frontier,
seemed perfectly clear in its terms ; each
party could appeal with great plausibility to
its provisions in support of its own views, and
yet those views were utterly irreconcileable
with each other. A great ferment arose ; the
attitude of the two Governments became
hostile ; and had both persisted in asserting
their right, the sword must have determined
their dispute. The question was settled—as
every such question, short of an appeal to
arms, must be settled—by a Compromise.
Lord PALMERSTON, we know, vehemently de-
nounced the compromise, but the common
.sense of the two countries laughed his objec-
tions down. The Ashburton Treaty can
never be referred to without a tribute of ad-
miration to the practical sagacity displayed on
both sides in concluding it.
Were the Plenipotentiaries who meet in
conference to negotiate a peace compelled to
wait until every possible chance of future
.difference had been removed, it is doubtful
whether their labours would ever come to an
end. For while they were disputing, armies
would remain embodied face to face ; prepara-
tions for continued hostilities would go on ;
and the whole aspect of the war might be
totally changed by movements on one side or
the other. In every treaty much must be left
to mutual good faith; and all those minor
points of difference which necessarily arise
from giving effect to the great stipulations of
a treaty can seldom be arranged except by the
sound sense and right feeling which induce

Russian Government
wrong. make no doubt it will be
deemed / satisfactory by that great
majority of oqr public who think that in any
international differences especially those
which naturally arise from giving effect to
treaties—it is wise to arrange them by mutual
concessions, when they can be made without
endangering any principle of stability and
without any sacrifice of honour. It was un-
fortunate that our Government made so much
of these boundary differences in the first in-
stance ; but we are compelled to say that in
assenting to the moderate and satisfactory
compromise proposed it has acted with great
discretion, and in this instance has allowed
itself to be guided by principles of statesman-
ship truly Conservative.
This arrangement must lead, we believe, to
the complete and final settlement of the
Eastern question. The Government to he
established in the Principalities may still
exercise the skill, and even excite the rivalry,
of diplomatists. But now that the rectification
of the Russian frontier is disposed of, the work
of pacification must proceed, and the stipu-
lations of the Treaty of Paris must be com-
plied with. No obstacle exists to the establish-
ment of friendly relations among the leading
Powers of Europe ; and as their interests are
on some points diverse, and as it is impossible
for them to divest themselves of that vigilance
which due consideration for their respective
countries enjoins, their good understanding
will be a guarantee in itself that their proceed-
ings in concert will be regulated by supreme
and equitable regard for treaty obligations.
That conciliatory and moderate spirit which
has led to satisfactory settlement in the
present instance is a pledge of future tran-
quillity. The sagacity which has discovered
means by which adverse pretensions may be
reconciled without humiliation on either part,
and in such manner as to make the founda-
tions of settlement more secure, may reasonably
be expected to come into play again should
fresh difficulties occur. As Courts are brought

been left to themselves, that the trivial nature This Compromise may not I
of the matters originally at issue would have the party in this country wb
been lost sight of in the hostile feeling engen- humiliation of Russia, and u
dered by puts upon them. This is consider it absolutely certain,
commonly : Most wirS hate ' itrtsen . Vir e -t- arose as 'to the con
•a ,y, that -fire English Eic
from causes utterly di*proportioued to the be right and the Russia
magnitude of their consequences. The cloud wrong. But we make no d(
in the distance, no bigger than a man's hand, deemed entirely satisfactory
. _. . .