The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-01 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1854.

any other person than Lord ABERDEEN
had been Secretary of State at this
period, the treaty of Adrianople would, never
have been concluded, and, in that sense, he
may be said to be the author of that disastrous
document. Many weeks after it was signed
he produced that despatch or its contents,'for
a copy of which he has recently moved in Par-
liament. It is a comment on the past, con-
ceived in the spirit of the traditionary policy
of our Cabinet, very just and unanswerable,
but quite useless. It was of this despatch
that Prince Menem-um observed, " Appa-
rently Lord Aberdeen has commenced his
career as an historian."
This State paper was a very convenient
record to have at hand in case there had been
any stir of indignation in Parliament; but in
1830 Parliament was in another cue, and'
events, very soon after, swept Lord ABERDEEN
from that scene where he has reappeared, in
his old age, to plunge Europe in confusion, and
to burden his own country with taxes, from
the same causes that previously influenced
his impolitic career, namely, an exaggerated
estimate of Russian power, and a most mils-,
taken and morbid assumption of Turkish,
weakness.
But in the interval, also, Lord Anrauisas has
been a Minister, and no sooner did he seem
rooted in power than in 1844 the Emperor of
RUSSIA personally visited Obi country to con-
fer with Lord ABERDEEN on the possible parti-
tion of Turkey. It is somewhat strange that
such propositions should be made to the
author of such an " acrimonious despatch" !
We hold that the proposals for partition were
not only made, but were accepted, as proved
by the " secret memorandum." But then it is
urged that the secret memorandum was not an
agreement. If it were not an agreement it
was an overture. What ;Rawer was made to
it? Let Lord ABERDEEN move for a cony 'of
that answer in the House of Loids, and.pro-
dnoe it, and we will acqUit him of complicity.
He may rest assured that such a document
would do much more to clear his reputation
than'the production of a dusty despatch more
than a quarter of a century'old.
Well, in 1853, Lord ABERDEEN is once more
in office,
.and we find him at the same work
again. n 1820 assisting Russia against
Turkey; in 1844 conspiring with Russia against
Turkey ; in 1853, with the same confidence in
Russian force, and the same despair of Otto-
man strength, deprecating. aU resistance, and
instructing his Secretary of State to write to
our Ambassador at Constantinople, that,
though " the Western Potyers might succeed
" in crippling Russia in the struggle, Turkey
" would, in all probability; disappear in the
" course of the contest."

The honesty of Lord ABERDEEN can only be
established at the cost of his powers of dis-
crimination, his judgment, and his knowledge
of affairs. The Minister selected to champion
the integrity and independence of Turkey has
looked upon that country for half a century as
a corpse, and has never concealed that opinion
from Russia. But can his honesty be estab-
lished even at this expense? In February he
vindicated his course by a conviction through-
out of the good faith of Russia ; in June he
attempts to clear himself by the production of
an ancient despatch, which records his per-
suasion of the inveterateness of Russian du-
plicity. But, whatever may be the motives of
Lord ABERDEEN, the result to the; country is
the same. He has involved us in a costly, a