The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-15 00:00:00

THE NEW NESSELRODE NOTE.

The following is a full translation of the circular
note transmitted by Count Nesselrode to the diplo-
matic agents of Russia, an analysis of which has
already appeared. The passage of the Danube by
the Turks was not known at St. Petersburg at the
date of this document, as some of its expressions suf-
fice to show.

ST. PETERSBURG, Ocr. 19 (Oct. 31 is s.)
" Sir,—The efforts which we have not ceased to
make for the last eight months for the arrangement
of our differences with the Ottoman Porte have, un-
fortunately, been without effect to the present day.
Nay more, the situation seems to become more ag-
gravated each day. Whilst the Emperor offered
during his interview with his intimate friend and
ally, tie Emperor Francis Joseph, fresh facilities to
the Austrian Cabinet to explain the misunderstand-
ing which attaches to the motives stated by us for
rejecting the modifications which the Porte desired to
introduce in the note drawn up at Vienna, the
Porte, yielding, notwithstanding the counsels of
the European representatives at Constantinople, to
the warlike ideas and the fanaticism of the Muasul-
mans, has, as you will have learned, formally de-
clared war against us. That rash step has, however,
in nowise changed the pacific disposition of the Em-
peror. We still do not abandon, on that amount, the
resolutions announced from the beginning in our cir-
cular of the 20th of June. At that period his Im-
perial Majesty, declared that in occupying provision-
ally the Principalities as a material security for the
satisfaction he demands, he was unwilling to carry
any further the measures of coercion, but rather to
avoid an offensive war, so long as his dignity and
his interests permitted him to do so. At the
present moment, and notwithstanding the fresh
provocation offered to him, the intentions of my
august master remain the same. In possession of
the material pledge which the occupation of the
Principalities gives us, though still ready, in fulfil-
ment of our promise, to evacuate them the moment
that we obtain satisfaction,we shall content ourselves
with maintaining our position there, remaining on
the defensive so long as we are not forced to abandon
the limits within which we desire to confine our
action. We will await the attack of the Turks with-
out taking the initiative of hostilities. It will then
entirely depend on other powers not to widen the
limits of the war, if the Turks persist in waging it
against us, and not to give to it any other character
than that which we mean to leave to it. That
situation of expectancy does not place any
obstacle to the carrying on of negotiations.
After the declaration of war it is not to Russia
that it belongs to seek for new expedients, nor to take
the initiative in overtures of conciliation. But if,
when better enlightened as to its interests, the Porte
will manifest a disposition to propose or to receive
similar overtures, it is not the Emperor who will
place any obstacles to their being taken into consi-
deration. Such, Monsieur, is all that, for the mo-
ment, it is permitted me to inform you of, in the
uncertainty we are as to whether the Ottoman Porte
will give immediate effect to the warlike project it
hasjust adopted. Inform the Cabinet to which_you
are accredited of our eventual intentions. They
furnish an additional proof of the desire of our august
master to limit as much as possible tke circle of
hostilities, if they should, unhappily, take place, and
to spare the consequences of them to the rest of
Europe.
" Receive, &c.,
" NESS ELROD E."