The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

.^Tiermr-r-N7R-liper-gr-Y•w7IFFIMPORT""III - - „opt."
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N0.236.—V0L.V.

LONDON, SA.TURDAY,NOVEMBER 7,1857. TiM,l'Am

rtss.

is the primary point, that of Union, that the
Conference will be first called upon to dis- '
cuss and definitively to decide.
The position of these Principalities is ex-
ceptional. With an extent of nearly 6,000 square
leagues, with a population of five millions, and
with the most fertile soil, these provinces, capa-
ble of vast development under a stable and well
ordered Government, are peopled by a race he.
reditarily independent, but without collective
strength. Disarmed butunconquered, the Ron-
mans for a series of years have suffered every
extortion under a system of double governors
named by Turkey and protected by Russia—a
system fertile of political evils and of the
grossest corruption. They have experienced
cruel oppression at the hands of beneficent pro-
tectors ; and, more from their internal weak-
ness and disunion and their want of means of
defence than from their geographical position,
have fallen an easy prey to modern invaders.
Turkey being u nable to protect them in her
wars with Russia, or in her compro-
mises with Austria, the provinces have be-
come in turn the feeding-ground of powerful
rival armies. For the last forty years such
has been the history and the fate of the people
of these provinces. The war with Russia in
1854 inflicted upon them more terrible
severities than they had ever experienced ;
they were plundered by Turkey, invaded by
Russia, occupied by Austria, and ground
to dust by all. What wonder, then,
that the Roumans, disgusted with cor-
ruptions against which their spirit rose,
and oppressed with exactions which would
have exhausted the energies of a less united
people,should at length have excited the commi-
seration of Europe. At the Treaty of Paris it was
resolved to ameliorate their condition, and as
the best means of arriving at a definite conclu-
sion upon that point, it was decidefl to consult
the wishes of the people as to their future
organisation. The Roumans have declared the
national sentiment in a manner which proves
that they have never lost their national pride,
and maintain their inherent love for freedom
and self-government in all its intensity.
It was to these feelings that the Congress
of Paris addressed itself, at a moment when it
was felt that a point was reached when a
change was both wise and necessary. It
would seem politic and prudent to
respect an independence we have vindicated
and a spirit we have roused.
The question is what form of government is
best adapted to the occasion, so as to afford an
effectual remedy for that corrupt and
precarious system which at present holds
the two countries in solution. The union
of the provinces, a form of government
which at least would tend more than any other
to develop the resources of these countries,
is objected to, principally on the ground that
in the geographical position of the country,
an] the moral condition of the people, the

Principalities do not possess that material and
political consistency so necessary to a substan-
tial sovereign State. When opposed to the
evidence of facts, it is impossible to place any
renance upon loose general declamation. The
Prineipalities are essentially countries of
natural production. They possess an agricul-
tural area unequalled for fertility in Europe ;
they grow corn ; they have cattle in abun-
dance, and, as a consequence, hides and
tallow ; they have great mineral wealth in the

ciression,
provinces is
iefits of her sove-
reignty. Turkey, it is notorious, has never
been able to protect these provinces from
foreign occupation and foreign encroachment.
By treaty she cannot garrison their frontier.
No real humiliation therefore of Turkey would
be involved in a measure which would place
her beyond the need of exertion for the main-
tenance of her dignity or the assertion of her
rights
That these provinces would, if united, form
a 'firm barrier against foreign invasion and an
impregnable outpost to the Turkish empire, we
have little doubt. The Roumans possess the
germs of a military organisation in some
respects similar to that of Prussia and
Switzerland, and only requiring development
to es+ablish a powerful army and an
extensive reserve. With such a force,
backed by the nationality of a united
people and by the formal guarantee of the
Western Powers, we need have no further fear
for the integrity of the Turkish empire. It
may be said that a
development and
like tendencies m

dangerous neighbor

But the Roumans
and civilised race; 1
their fields and der

soil, and express
Turkey. When offi

b Russia, upoi.
army for the invasiol

1.4111 V IV , Lucy LICZ.V 61 CIIll• 1 1111 l Clil• Iv uuali.aa ali. SOMAS/
country, but they have no roads ; traffic is
difficult, and transit impossible. Then they
have no credit, no finance ; there is not a bank
in the provinces. Thus they have the passive
but not the active elements of prospe-
rity. These are the very advantages
which we are sanguine enough to believe a
stable and united Government would en-
deavour to develop, the very wants it would.
endeavour to supply. Putting aside our own
interest in this development, at least it must
he admitted that any change from the
--I
present state of things would be advisable,
if we allow the advantages of commerei4 •
14
prosperity and the benefits of material :,
progress. As to the moral oradiliouS
of the people, their whole history proves thent - .
to be brave and enduring, docile and faithful
not to be subdued by disaster, nor intoxicated
by success ; and what better test can we have
of the soundness of their morale than
their desire to relieve themselves from
corrupt Administrations in exchange for , 1
a firm and enlightened Government? We .
.(
apprehend that the objection to the union of
these provinces has more a political than .
a, moral foundation. We mean the humilia- .i.
tion of Turkey, which is held to be
involved in such a measure as the
Union. We confess that we have not much •
faith in the sovereign superintendence of
Turkey ; her influence has never been exerted
but in favour of extortion, oppression, and P
injustice. The state of the provinces is the
I i
best comment upon the benefits of her cove-
xilik

L kingdom capable of such
possessing apparentl war-
light in then . 4.v • • . , 8
ours to tbn • - : _N
I are espq9i • c:,.. . ~,
•,.1
they desim.
° 1 41
B.
relop the , 11.' , . .e.•
Is no h
dered th -.I .t: 1`441t
ion conditia• ..'..'''' TIT;-,'
sion of Ttaltyi7m "im''A'T.
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