The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-27 00:00:00

HIGH WATER, AT LONDON SILIDOX

Tm DAY;isiontiii, 611. I.Sce.....Aftersoce, 8!. 45w.
Xu-illosmow—Moraisg. Sim.

LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27.

THE increased liberty of discussion which the
Russian Government has lately permitted to its
newspapers makes it more difficult than formerly
to assign a source to the opinions which they ex-
press on European affairs. But unless the Journal
th, St. Petersboury has taken a liberty which even in
constitutional countries would be thought extra-
ordinary, we have in the extract of its columns,
which we published yesterday, a declaration by the
Russian Government respecting the disposal of the
lonian Islands. We have what is far more impor-
tant, a declaration of the principles of international
right, which the Russian Court recognises, and
according to which its participation in the affairs
of Europe will be governed. Of late years it has
been customary to refer very little, and in slight-
ing terms, to the influence of Russia in Europe.
Soon after the Crimean war the Government of
that empire took an opportunity of intimating
diplomatically that it had resolved to withdraw
from that leading part in European affairs in
which ita action had been so misunderstood. And
for a long while since it has done little more than
place on record, from time to time, its dissatisfac-
tion with the general course of events. We do not
anticipate that it is now about to surprise the
world by a sudden return to its old policy, or to
assume new and great responsibilities abroad ; it
is, however, interesting to know how one of the
great Powers regards the progress of the modern
doctrines of national right, and especially how
they are regarded by one which, though for a
time, by a peculiar combination of circumstances,
debarred from an active part in European affairs, is
not only still powerful but is rapidly increasing in
all the elements of power—in pop.ilation, wealth,
and liberty—and to which events may soon
restore its old importance.
It is well known that the English Government
is disposed to take advantage of the opportunity
offered by recent events in Greece to terminate
the anomalous political position in which the
lonian Isles were placed by the treaties of
1815, and to carry out the often-expressed
wishes of their inhabitants, by effecting
their incorporation with the Hellenic kingdom.
In England this resolution has been universally
approved of. We have held the Islands by a tenure
which is repugnant to a free and high-minded people.
We have held them solely by force, according to,
treaties indeed, but treaties which represented no-
thing but the superior military strength of those
who made them. We have governed the Islands
as well as we could, and much better than might
have been expected under the circum-
stances. We have done all we could for
a people who have never cordially co-operated
with us, but uniformly set themselves against our
Government. We have given them material and
administrative advantages. In the lonian
Islands, as M. EDMOND ABOUT bears witness,
communication is easy both by land and wrter.
The country is intersected in all directions by
admirable roads, and all the Islands are con-
nected with one another by an excellent
steam-packet service. The traveller sees at
• glance that they are better cultivated and more
flourishing than any part of the kingdom of
Greece. Nevertheless the people wish we were
gone ; their Legislature declares that such is their
wish ; and Englishmen, who so promptly and so
proudly reject the thought of preferring material
advantage to national feeling, cannot find it in
their hearts to blame them for aspiring to union
with their countrymen, under an independent
and national government. Our beit statesmen and
politicians are anxious to relieve this country from
the disadvantage of appearing to tyrannize over a
disaffected population in the lonian Isles, while
everywhere else we recommend the principles of
freedom. The possession of these Islands, it is felt,
impairs our influence abroad, and even makes us
at home uncomfortably conscious of a wide diner°. ,