The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-30 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom °us ow col

PARA Sumner &lama.

It seems that some words dropped by Lord Pal.
merston, in a recent debate, about the origin of the
Crimean war, have given great offence in 4'aris.
The Pays, after taking some days' time for con-
sideration, publishes the following article, signed
by the " Secretary of Redaction "
It is not without astonishment that we have read in the
report of the debates in the House of Commons, on March
73, some words of Lord Palmerston on the origin of the
Crimean war. The noble lord, in answering a question of
Mr. Henneery's relating to Poland, and with especial refer-
ence to • reproach addressed to him for not having adhered
to • proposal to treader the seat of war to Poland, made
use of the following singular expressions :—" It is to be
borne in mind that the war began by • quarrel between
France and Russia upon a Turkish question, and that is
reality it was France who began the war, or at any rate
she quarrel which led to the war." One would feel
perfectly astounded at such things being said in the face
a the Rouge of Commons, by the Prime Minister of
England, were it not that the fantastic escentricities of
the noble lord and the facile toleration of them by the
hems are so notorious. But really the noble lord pre-
sumes a little too much upon the license he has to say
whatever comes into his head.
Till now it was thought that it was for • European
interest of the highest order that England and France,
with a common accord, made war upon Russia in
1864 and 1855. This interest, sufficiently proclaimed by
facts, was moreover expressly set forth as the
cense of the war in the treaty of ►lliance signed by the two
powers. Well, but now Lord Palmerston changes all that.
Borland, according to him, only took up arras to support
Franee in • war provoked by • quarrel which she bad picked
with Ramie about the Turkish question. John Bull, we are
expected to believe, complacently sacrificed vast numbers
of men and • vast amount of money at Sebastopol, all for
the rake of a French quarrel. That great political interest
which so obviously caused the war in the Crimea, and which
in this age of liberal civilisation is so necessary to justify
any war whatever in the eyes of the people who may be
plunged into it by their government—that capital political
interest has now disappeared. The grand cause of order and
the balance of power in Europe so resolutely taken in hand
by France and England is now ignored. The hotheaded viva-
city of France, seconded by en noreftecting imitation on
the part of England—who, it must be centred, is not
mach in the habit of acting without reflection—precipitated
them both into • terrible war! Really, this is too much of a
good joke ; and it would be one to be regretted were it not
that the universal sentiment protests; sufficiently against
each pleasantries.
I do not suppose that the historical question
raised by the above article is likely to be fully
argued just now. There are more pressing matters
for the consideration of politicians in both coun-
tries. But I cannot send that article to England
without saying that I shall always believe that
France brought about the Russian war. Neither
England nor Russia meant to go to war, nor
thought they were near a war till quite at the last
. moment ; but the blue books show, as I think, and
thought at the time, that the French despatches
were artfully framed with the design of thwarting
every project of arrangement which was succes-
sively proposed. In short, and to speak plainly, I
believe that the young empire wanted a war, and
the place which it has subsequently filled in Eu-
rope shows that it was wise in its generation.
The opening of the new hippodrome at Vin-