The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-06 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

We have received the following letter from Con-
stantinople :
CONSTANTINOPLE, AUGUST 21.
So, it really is, as I led you to believe in my last,
the proposition of the four powers, accepted by Rus-
sia, has given rise to three objections—objections of
form, in the Council of Ministers, and in the Council
of State—but, nevertheless, the principle of a pacific
arrangement has been adopted to the very uttermost.
You may either, from this time forth, look upon
I peace as firmly settled, or, if it please you better, war
impossible.
In a word, the result of the deliberation of the
Grand Council of Government, which met both
on Thursday and Friday last, is now being submitted
to His Imperial Highness the Sultan for
his sanction and I am assured it is filled
with expressions of the deepest deference
for the friendly and conciliatory interven-
tion of the Four Powers. In point of fact the Divan
interprets, or explains away, a great deal more than
it objects to—and a deep feeling of respect for the
engagement undertaken in its name by the Four
Powers, evidently dominates all its arguments, how-
ever carefully expressed. The Divan rather relies
upon, and appeals to the generous loyalty of its
allies, than to any feeling of whatsoever nature, as
regards its adversary, who is in some meuure thrown
out of the discussion, by the fact of having accepted
mediation.

The most important'point—should I not rather say
the sole important point—in this somewhat restricted
acceptance of the note, is the express stipulation that
the Four Powers shall henceforth guarantee Turkey;
although, to my feeling, this guarantee followed as a
matter of course upon the fact of their accepting the
position of mediators.
In reality, this may be looked upon as a sort of
deraier reuort, to satisfy honour and dignity, and one
to which Turkey would not have been reduced if
the note of the 23rd July—equivalent, in trail, to
the proposition now accepted by Russia—had not
run counter to public opinion, and shaken the popu-
larity of Reschid Pacha, who wrote it entire!), from
the dictation of Lord tedcliffe. Had Russia only
received and accepted that note before the interven-
tion of the Four Powers, the dictator and writer
would alike have been caught in their own scare.
The instincts of the people are truer than the wiles
of diplomacy. However, they managed adroitly to
take advantage of the rejection, and !opined some-
what of their lost ground in public opinion by raising
debates upon words end forms. Curiously enough,
in the first note they had altogether neglected to
stipulate for the formal guarantee of the Four
Powers; an error inexpressibly more important in a
proposition emanating from themselves directly, than
in any arrangement which those Powers could have
made, as they must of necessity have been parties to
the fulfilment of their own stipulations.
As it is, everyone feels certain that the only harm
resulting from these quid pro quo word playing., can
be but a slight prolongation of negotiation, or rather
explanations—for Russia who made the attack
declares herself satisfied, and Tnrke7 cannot accuse
her allies of having proposed anytluog derogatory
either to her honour or her dignity.
Many of those who are " behind scenes" hers in
the diplomatic world, say that it is all owing to the
" amour propre" of Lord Redcliffe, who, angry at not
retaining the supreme direction of these somewhat
complicated negotiations, and also at not being able
to uphold his sworn friend Reechid, did his utmost to
force on a conclusion.

The Sultan, who knows every single thread of the
diplomatists, hides his time, to show at a fitting
moment that he appreciates, at their real value, the
conduct of the different actor' in the drama; but he
has the good sense not to undittake unnecessarily
the responsibility which would be east upon him if he
did not reckon upon, and do his utmost to allay the
over-excited feeling of his people.
He will approve the deliberations of the Divan, but
he either has already, or will shortly confirm to the
representatives of the Four Powers his unalterable
determination to maintain intact the result of their
intervention—doubtless each ambassador will give
his own colouring to his own cabinet of the various
arguments, but they cannot change the facts. Fur-
ther we might say, that the autoraph letter of the
Sultan to the Emperor of Austria will p further
than anything towards effecting a speedy settlement.
du rests, it is understood that the " powers" reserve
to themselves some slight latitude u regards the
modification of the proposition, should such be
needed, but always providing that they do not affect
the principle.
Morally and logically, therefore, everything must
be considered as settled; for henceforth, whether
Turkey or Russia break the treaty, the Four Powers
would of necessity rise against the inhinger, and
easily
d compel compliance; consequently neither
take a step so false in itself, and involving
such certain defeat.

Some years ago it used to be a common practice
with the writers and publishers of stupid books, and
the manufacturers and vendors of indifferent commo-
dities, to get a paragraph in praise of them slipped
into some newspaper published at a distance, and
quoted in one published in their own locality. This
not very recherche device of the puffins art has long
been discredited, and almost entirely given up. But
despotic governments and their organs are always in
arrear of their age. It need, therefore, astonish no
one to end Austria betaking itself to the primitive
male of puffing we have described, in the vain hope
of making its diplomacy acceptable and influential.
Thus we find the praise of Austria and vitupera-
tion of Turkey, in which the Ernes has recently been
indulging, immediately transferred to the columns of
the official journal of the government in Vienna.
The Times," says the Wegner Zeitung of the 2nd
instant, " has recently declared that the Sultan,
not the Czar, appears at present to threaten the
peace of the world." Then follow some titAits ex-
tracted from the lucubration' of the Times on this
theme, and the paragraph is wound up with the
intimation :—" At the close of the article from which
we have been quoting, the Thnee remark. that
Austria's views with regard to the province of Servia,
have been exposed to unjust suspicions." Thus the
Thnes's repetition of the lesson taught it at Russian
and Austrian embassies is to be passed off upon the
Austrians as an expression of the opinions and sen-
timents of England.