The Press.
London, England, 1854-04-01 00:00:00

.lix 21rirxixi+

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1854.

POSTSCRIPT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—FnmAy.

Lord CLARENDON, in moving an address to her Ma-
jesty in answer to her gracious communication, hoped
that nothing would disturb the opinion that Europe
had formed of the unanimity of the country. The
Ministry had been blamed by one party for its
hesitation in the negotiations, by another for its
rashness, but the verdict of the country had been in
its favour, and its efforts for peace had been hailed
with general acclamation. He then adverted to the
secret correspondence which would have remained
in the archives of the Foreign-office had the Minis-
try not been challenged. That correspondence had
shown them honest to Turkey, honest to their allies,
honest to the enemy himself. He went through the
correspondence, showed that the Czar had himself
agreed to consider the question a European one,
that he bad no wish for territorial aggrandisement,
and declared this, not on the word of a monarch,
but of a gentleman. This assurance came from his
own pen. Lord Clarendon then read portions of a
despatch from the Czar. In it was declared that the
best means of supporting Turkey was, not by over-
bearing demands, but by assistance; that none of
the powers ought to take advantage of Turkey's
weakness to claim advantage for itself. This was
in May, and it offered all that could be desired to
quiet suspicion. No man with such a memorandum
before him would have refused his confidence. The
claims cf the Czar now amounted to a virtual con-
trol over Turkey, of which he discussed the ruinous
consequences to Europe. It was not what was
called the Eastern question, but the battle of
civilisation against barbarism. Even now the dread
of Russia weighed heavily upon the world, mainly
from the dextrous use she made of the intestine
divisions of others. The Czar treated Austria with
so much contempt that, even in the present year, he
sent her a convention to sign for his own advantage,
and when Austria asked what would be done in the
event of her signature he refused to answer. He
had reason to be well satisfied with Austria, whose
conduct had been straightforward, and whose efforts
had been unceasing for the preservation of peace.
Unfortunately, she differed from Prussia in her
opinion of modes of action. Nothing would be more
fatal than a difference between the two German
powers, which would end in a revolutionary outbreak,
as the revolutionists would look on the power opposed
to Russia as their friend. No peace, he was assured,
would be certain if Russian aggrandisement were
not effectually checked. He looked fqrward to the
establishment of the rights of the Greeks, which
would be effectual only if the spontaneous act of the
Sultan. Trusting to the protection of Heaven, we
might look forward with confidence to the results of
this just contest. He then read the address—an
echo of the royal communication.
Lord DERBY did not rise to oppose the address,
feeling himself the importance of unanimity. The
war, however, lamentable—was just and necessary,
and his only fear was hats the
in the Ministry even
.yet
continued to hope agai bope re:establ
ment of peace. He feared that they did not yet
realise the importance, the difficulties, and the dura-
tion of the struggle in which we were engaged, and
of which it was vain to hope for a speedy issue.
He said this not to discourage the enthusiasm of the
country, which would only be increased by being
fully conscious of the magnitude of the struggle. It