The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

JULY 30, 1853.

•" own way: but don't put us in a frenzy." Why,
then, should not Ministers go on and prosper
in their policy of entrusting to them the pa-
tronage and guardianship of Ireland ?
Their reverences have, we think, just cause
of complaint against their allies. The original
compact seems to have been that, on the con-
dition of getting from the Government all they
asked for, the priests should keep the peace
of the country. A doubt has been cast upon
their ability or their will. Ministers are re-
newing an act which the priestly mouthpieces
say is unnecessary. Their excuse must be,
that they are not doing it voluntarily : they
would willingly concede all, but a bigoted
majority of people prefer policemen to pastorals,
and would rather trust to legal protection than
to the tender mercy of priests. We do not,
therefore, expect a rupture of an alliance by
which both parties hope to gain, but rejoice
that, for the present at least, the safeguard of
the law is likely to be continued over districts
where secret societies and riband associations
rival in cowardly atrocities the Thuggism of
India. Spite of a devoted minority of .13, the
bill has passed the second reading.

A "SOLUTION" OF THE TURKISH

QUESTION.

"Voss 1 Empire d'Othsenn, ecroulant de tonics parts
Ce grand corps dechire, dont les divers epars
Languissent disperses, sans honneur et sans lie
Sur ces debris &Islam elerour —146 Chretiiimet4,."
Makontet Jr roltaire.

TO TILE EDITOR OF "THE muss."
Sir,—l feel persuaded that you will throw open
the columns of your influential journal to a few
observations from one who has had some experience
in the East. Whatever may he the result of the

negotiations now pending on the much-vexed Turkish
question, no man in his senses can believe that the
aspect of political affairs is about to assume anything
like a settled appearance in European Turkey.
The subject of the Russian occupation of the
Danubian provinces will still remain a fruitful
source of anger and jealousy to those diplomatists
who are bent upon upholding the entirety of the
Ottoman empire.
Now, sir, I will venture to make two categorical
affirmations, however startling and unpalatable they
may be to our statesmen :-
Ist. That Russia will never quit the principali-
ties.
2nd. That the progress of events will compel her
to cross the Balkan and advance upon Constanti-
nople. Time will show the error or truth of this
opinion.
But supposing everything proceeds according to
the wishes of England and France, and that we get
the Sultan out of his present difficulty—a difficulty,
be it remembered, which he has brought upon him-
self by his own vacillating and deceitful conduct
towards Russia, in the question of the Holy Places—
what guarantee have we that ere another year
elapses some fresh dilemma of our old and faithful
ally (!) may not force us again to rush to the rescue,
while all the commercial and political relations of
the civilised world are thrown into convulsion ? It
must be conceded, that while the Sultan is at Con
stantinople the peaceable condition of Europe is
never secure for a day. We stand perpetually on
the brink of a volcano. Now, sir, in place of the
Christian powers preparing to cut each other's throats
for the ridiculous purpose of upholding a throne
which is crumbling to pieces, how much mere
sensible would it be on their parts to unite cor-
dially and intimate to the Sultan that ho must
withdraw from the false position in which he now
stands, and accept an arrangement which, though
limiting his present empire, would really place him
in a condition much more befitting a sov,-reign power?
Let them escort him with all honours to Bmussa,
the capital of his ancestors. Asia Minor would make
him a magnificent kingdom, larger and more fertile
than France. While the Taurus, the Caucasus, and
the Mediterranean would be the boundaries on three
sides, he would retain the southern bank of the Dar-
danelles, which should be open to the fleets of all
Christian nations indiscriminately, the forts on both
sides being demolished. All interference by the
Christian powers on behalf of the Christian popu-
lation of Asia Minor should cease at once and alto-
gether. The Sultan should be left perfectly master of
his own house. What an efficient Mohammedan State
would thus be formed! What agricultural resources
would be developed by the Mohammedan population
which would naturally congregate on its now barren
plains, and it is needless to add what a wide opening for