The Express.
London, England, 1856-04-10 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

RUSSIA.

IMPERIAL MANIFESTO.

On the Ist instant, the following Imperial Mani-
festo was published at St. Petersburg:
The obstinate and bloody struggle which has dis-
tracted Europe for nearly three years at last has
ceased. It was not Russia that commenced it.
Even before it burst forth, my late august father, of
imperishable memory, solemnly declared to his faith-
ful subjects and to all the foreign powers that the
sole object of his desires and efforts had been to pro.
tect the rights of our co-religionists in the East, and
to cause the persecutions of which they were the
victims to cease.

"A stranger to any selfish view, he could not
expect that his just reclamations would result in the
scourge of war; and regarding its calamities with
a profound sentiment of sadness, he did not cease, as
a Christian and as the father of the people confided by
Providence to his care, to manifest his disposition in
1 favour of peace. Bat the negotiations which opened
a short time before his death, upon the subject of the
conditions of that peace, which was the necessity for
us all, remained without success.

"The governments which had formed a hostile
coalition against us did not discontinue their arma-
ments: during the progress of the negotiations they
even iecreued them ; the war had to take its course,
and we continued it with a firm hope in the grace
of the Most High, and with a firm confidence in the
unshaken devotion of our beloved subjects. They
have justified our expectation. During this period
'of painful trials our brave and faithful sol-
diers, as well as all our people, without dis-
tinction of class, have, as ever. shown themselves
worthy of their high vocation. Throughout the ex-
tent of our empire, from the coasts of the Pacific
Ocean to the borders of the Bahia and the Black Bea,
one thought, one impulse has inspired every soul, and
led him to spare neither fortune nor life in the de-
fence of his country. Labourers quitting the plough
and their fields have hastened to arm themselves for
our holy cause, rivalling our veteran soldiers in
courage and abnegation. New and brilliantly striking
feats have signalised this last contest with powerful
foes.

"The enemy has been repulsed from the coasts of
Siberia and from those of the White Sea, as well as
from the ramparts of Sweaborg ; the heroic defence
for eleven months of the fortifications of the south-
ern part of Sebastopol, erected under the eyes and
under the fire of the assailants, will live in the me-
morise of the most distant posterity.
"In Asia, after the glorious victories of two pre-
vious campaigns, Kars was compelled to surrender
with its numerous garrison, composed of the entire
army of Anatolia; and the Mee of the Turkish troops
who went to the succour of the place were forced
to retreat. In the meantime, by the salutary and
impenetrable decrees of Providence, an act was pre-
paring which harmonised with the wishes of our
august and beloved father, with our own wishes, and
with thou of entire Russia, and which realised the
object of the war. The future condition and rights
of all the Christians of the East are henceforth
guaranteed. The Sultan solemnly recognises them,
and in consequence of this act of justice the Ottoman
Empire enters the family of the European States.
"Russians! your efforts and your sacrifice* have
not been in vain! A great work has been accom-
plished, although by other and unexpected ways,
and we can to-day, in the calm of our conscience,
put an end to those efforts and sacrifices, in restor-
ing to our dear country the invaluable benefits of
peace. In order to hasten the conclusion of the
treaty of peace, and to dispel for the future even the
thought of ambitious views, or projects of coequests,
which might be attributed to us, we have consented
to the adoption of certain measures of precaution
destined to prevent a collision between oar vessels
of war and those of Turkey in the Black Sea ; also
to the establishment of a new line of demarcation
in the southern part of Bessarabia, nearest to the
Daspbe.
"The concessions are without gravity (grariq, if
we put them in the balance with the expenses of a
prolonged war, and the advantages tranquillity holds
forth to the empire of which God has confided to us
the destiny. May these advantages be completely
attained by our efforts united to those of our faith-
ful subjects! With the aid of the Almighty, who
has always protected Russia, may its internal organ-
isation be consolidated sod perfected ! May equity
and clemency reign in its uounsels ! May the impulse
towards civilization and all useful activity spread
itself everywhere with new force, and may every
one enjoy in peace the fruit of his la-
bour, under the shield of laws equally just
and protective for all I Finally and this
is the most important, the dearest of our
wishes—may the :saving light of faith, in enlighten-
' ing souls, in fortifying hearts, preserve and improve
more and more our social morality, which is the
surest pledge of order and happiness.
" Given at St. Petersburg, March 19 (31), and the'
second year of our reign.
(Signed) "ALEXANDER."

The Patric mays of the above manifesto :

We could not with a pod grac3 attempt to criticise this
document, which was cot meant for Europe, but for Ramis
only. The French people/eel au o strongly whatever touches
its national bottoms, not to understand • similar sentiment
on the Fart of others. We know how the war began, how
it was carried on, and how it terminated. We have full
ream to be satisfied with the peace that has been con-
cluded ; that is enough for us, as it will be for Europe.
Why should we be astonished that the Emp.ror
Al:sander, in speaking to his own people, should
loot upon, sad speak of things from • different
point of view; that for the sake of his father's me-
mory he should repudiate the responsibility of the war;
that for the honour of Russia he should magnify the share
of glory which she has acquired; or, that in coesiderstion
of her interest., he should extenuate the concessions that she
has been obliged to make ? These sentiments are tco
natural to provoke the slightest obsere.tion. .They in Do
respect diminish the results obtained, the instortance of
which will be acknowledged by history.

The Pays speaks in precisely the same sense.
A letter from St. Petersburg of the 31st ult., says,
"I was preterit this morning at eine of the finest mi-
litary spectacles that could be given to the public. A
grand review was held of ail the corps of the reserve'
and of the guard, of the crews of the fleet, aad of the
active divisions of St. Petersburg, and the corps of
cadets and the militia, in the presence of the Emperor,
who returned two days before from his journey to
Finland. His Majesty arrived on the ground ac-
companied by the Grand Dukes his brothers, and
passed along, the ranks of the troops, which were
not less in number than 75,000. The Imperial party
was hailed with the most enthusiastic cheers. In the
afternoon there was a reception at the winter pa-
lace, and to-morrow a Te Deem will be sung in the
chapel."

A letter in the last number of the Gaudle de
llopiters sap, "Dealt continues its nuance in the nab
of the militia, magma in the Eno. Dn. Rai pert, Felix,
Nygren, clued, end Carom, have jut died, victims of
typing fever."