The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-30 00:00:00

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MOH WAXIER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
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LONDON, WEDNESDAY', NOVEMBER 30.

A TIMID Principality is Dow getting thoroughly
entangled in the quarrel on the Danube,—and no.
body who has watched the gradual spread of the
mischief in that quarter will be surprised by the
news that Berrie is now practically in the same
boat with it. sister provinces of Moldavia and Wal-
lachia The Cz.sa has for yeses been looking and long-
leg for Senn', just as he has been lusting for the
countries lower down the stream, and, whenever there
has been an opportunity for interference in Serviaa
politics, he has always seised it. Years ago litctiokse
attempted to put aside the Prince chosen by the
Berrien., and strove to set up another who was mom
likely to lean to his side. On that asemies Ronda
had, moreover, the countenance et Lord ABEZDZEN
—just as the CAA* has it Dow.
The last news from Berrie (coming through
Vies* declared that the Bervians were arming to
prevent the passage of the Bosnian volunteers to the
camp at OMER PACIIA. On the face of that intelli-
gence it appeared that the Serbs were ready at
coos to oppose the views of the Stl.v.tx, and that the
loyal Bossism would have to conquer their neigh-
bours the Serbs before being able to cross the
mountains which stand between their own land
and the scene of contest with the Russians.
&rent, in truth, seemed turning against the
Porte, and ready thus far to help the Cam All
the probabilities of the case leant, however, in the
other direction,--as a glance at the map and a mo-

ment's recollection of recent Servian history must
tell. Berrie lies higher up the Danube than the
two Principalities which Russia has invaded ;
it is more wildly mountainous, is most
densely wooded, is so well supplied with
rivers that ordinary roads have been almost dis-
pensed with. It has few or no manufactures, but
is content to rear in the fertile valleys of its
mountain•country sufficient sustenance for its million
of people. Having Hungary as next neighbour across
the Danube, Bosnia on the west, the wild Montene-
grins towards the south, and Wallachia on the east,
Berrie is—and has been—both by position, nature
of country, and quality of neighbours, as little under
external control as it is possible for a oountry in that
part of the world to be. Her people have always
been warlike, with • mountaineer love of freedom.
They have never had much to be plundered of, except
oak trees and their personal freedom; and few foes
have seriously tried to rob them of those possessions,
for the simple reason that Scrvia seemed, as the
Cue says, "a hard nut to crack," and might by
very bad usage be turned into • second Circassia in
resistaaco. Centuries ago it was conquered
by the Turks, and has since confessed
a nominal allegiance to the Sorrax, whilst
enjoying a rude practical independence. Belgrade
has been held by a Pacha, and a small tribute has
been paid to him : but this lenient taxation has en-
eared to those who paid it a valuable considera-
tion—the support, when needed, of the Turkish
flag. In short, Sonia has been a part of the Otto-
man Empire as respects its position towards Austria
and Russia, but has been as free as its position in
Europe and its own intelligence would per-
mit. Like our own colony of Canada, for in-
stance, it owed an allegiance to a distant
monarchy, but paid only for a few officials
employed on its own soil, and managed its own
affairs. Its superiority to its neighbours in free-
dom is shown at once by this fact, that it has en-
joyed, and still enjoys, • Representative Assembly,
and is governed by a native Prince. The existence
of this Berrien Parliament has always been quite
enough to excite against it the hostile feelings of
Russia and Austria. Despots don't like representa-
tive assemblies and discussions. They are things
that may be loosed for, and striven for, by people to
whom they are denied. On one side the Danube
was seen • really noble people, the Hungarians,
enslaved ; on the other, in the mountain fastnesses
the Serbs, practically free. Little wonder then that
the despots of that part of Europe wished to upset
the Serbs, or that, in the quarrel arising from the
Russian march over the Pruth, a third Danubian
Principality should be ingeniously involved in the
scrape. And other reasons besides the usual hatred
to free institutions may have come into the Weak-
tion. If besides Moldavia and Wallachia the Curt
could seise Servi• also, he would be able to sell, for
his own benefit, not only the corn of the two lower
Principalities, but the timber of the upper and
western-mast one ; besides setting his Cossacks
to trample down three little centres of indepen-
dence, the Servian Representative Assembly being
one of them. Or—if it would pay better—
!Jervis might be handed over to his fellow-despot
and humble ally, Aestria, as her share of a general
spoliation. In either cue the vexatious independ-
ence that really exists in the wooded hills between
Belgrade and Montenegro would be " put (lowa."
la previous attempts to act upon Sere* the organs
of Ramis have always reminded Europe that the
&velem are Christians sad hate the Moslems.
The Serbs are members of the Greek Church, has
always been the cry; and, therefore, their natural
head is the Patin-Cran of St. Petersburg. About
this assertion there is about as much truth as in the
allegation that NICHOLAS was more tolerant than
Aeon-Mu:um The fact is that, though the
Serbs aro Greek Christians, they hold about the same
relation to the Greek Christianity of Moscow and
St. Petersburg as the Christianity of an English Dis-
senter—a Baptist, • Quaker, an Independent, or a
Methodist—holds to the Pore of Rome. The English
Dissenter would be described by a Russian politician
to be a member of the Great Catholic Christian
Church as distinguished from the Greek Christian
Church, and therefore the Russian might go on to
argue that the English Quaker or Methodist, for
instance, had • strong desire that the Pore should
hold spiritual and temporal sway over Great Bri-
tain ! This may be taken as an illustra-
tion of the Muscovite argument on the re-
ligious leanings of the Serbs. They certainly
rt, belong to the Greek Church, but they do Noi
admit the supremacy of the PATRIARCH of St. Peters-
burg, or desire to fall under his control any more
than the Dissenters of Clapham sigh for the pastoral
tyranny of Pio NONO. The Serbs are as indepen-
dent in their religions views—and hitherto in the
enjoyment of those views—as happily our English
dissenting brethren are in their peculiar opinions.
They equally prize that independence; and the
falsehood of the allegation, that the Serbs sigh
for religious fraternity with Russia, is as false as that
they wish to strangle their own political welfare. To
them the CZAR would be as great a curse as he is to
the Wallach,; and for either NICHOLAS or FRANCIS
Josern to get a footing in their country would be to
sound the instant knell of their Representative Assem-
bl}•, their religious independence, and their rude
prosperity.