The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-17 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

Lord J. RUSSELL brought op certain papers baying
regard to the relations existing between various states and
t►e Court of Rome. He then proceeded to @yak sa follows
—Mr. Sraker, I now rise to propose that this hpuse, at its
rising, do adjourn said Friday next. I have already
stated that, before the prorogation of parliament, I
would tudearour to make some explanation to the
Muse ss to the relations at present existing between Russia
and Turkey. I hare to thank the hours for its forbearance
daring the present session, and in what I may have to say
I shall not enter upon anything that may be considered a
defence of the government, because the government has
not been attacked In this house on the contrary, every
disposition Us beat shown to leave fa the hands of bor
eassolive arias& of the segotiatigas whisk

have bens going on. (Ileac) I haws a few words to say,
however, as to the production of papen which sons nun-
bars of this house think ought to Lars bass Lid upon the
table, on this subject. I would sty that, oa inverting to
what has been d.:ne, on peerless oosasions, inn
under circumstances ezetedinuly critical, .I ban not

found that it has been usual
„to lay .‘ort the table of
the houses of parliament papers relating to aegotiations in
• state similar to the negotiations which have been, and are
now being, carried on mimes the powers of Europe. I
and that in 1840, when • convention bed been signed by the
various powers of Europe with respect to Turkey and,
Egypt, my hen. friend the member for Montrose (Mr.
Hume) asked my noble friend the member for Tivertoo
(Lord Palmerston), then Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, to produce that convention, and lay it on the table
of the house. That Itappesed on the 6th August, the pro.
rogation being on the 11th. My n .ble friend
declined to lay that convention on the table as it was zed
ratified, but ha entered into some explanations, and stated
that all the papers relating to the negotiations would be
laid on the table of the two h 'uses of parliament at a laorr
period. In 1844 sense discussions took place between this
tenantry and Franca with respect to occurrences which
took place in Tahiti, bat Sir It. Peel, then lint Minister of
the Crown, beyond mentioning to the house at its last meet-
ing, which was in September, that an amicable adjustment
had been made of those differences, did not make any com-
munication to parliament, nor were any papers laid upon the
table. In feet, air, I think that aceordiag to all precedents with
regard to matters of Ibis deseelidlon, the period for laying
paper on ibis table is when the negotiations, whether they
have elided amicably or otherwise, have been brought to
some conclusion that will enable government to my that
they are en a state to lay the papers before the home. It'
has been alleged that on • late occasion I departed from this
practice, in laying upon the table of the house papers
relating to the transactions which took place at Florence
with regard to the ; but I beg to observe that that
was a negotiation which, on the part of her Majesty's
government, was entirely concluded. (Hear, hear.) I
thought it necessary to make a represcntatien in strong
language to the Tuscan government. I bad received •
communication in answer, and it was not my intention to
proceed with any further representations or negotiations.
I wished rather to appeal to the public opinion of this
country and of Europe. I had no wish to carry on any
further negotiations upon the subject. Therefore the
house will see that the cases were different—that the
papers in the ease of the Medici were in a state to be laid
upon the table. Now, with regard to what has taken place
relating to Ramis and Turkey, all I propose at present to
do is, to give an outline to the house of the tram
actions as they have occurred, and to state what is
the present position of the negotiations. I do not
propose, it would not be fair or right for me to refer to
any papers which are in the nature of secret papers and
have not been laid before parliament, I will only refer to
those transactions which, by the publication of different
state papers and by the events which have arisen, have
become known to the house and to the country. When the
present government entered office my attention was imme-
diately called to the question of the Holy Places in Jerusa-
lem by the Russian mi,ister at this court, and I was
told that that question was one of a very im-
portant nature, and would give rise probably to some
anxiety. I immediately turned my attention to that
subject, and I think on the very day I took the seals of
office, I wrote a private letter to Lord Cowley, her Majesty's
ambassador at Paris, requesting, as my predecessor had
done, his earnest attention to the subject. At a later period,
I was infirmed by the Russian minister that it was the
determination of the Emperor of Russia to despatch a
special embassy to Constantinople, with • view to put an
end to the differences and complaints which existed on
that subject. Tile Emperor of Russia complained that
certain privileges which had been enjoyed by those pro-1
teeing the Greek religion at Jerusalem bad been withheld,
and that certain concessions mad* by the Sultan had been
withdrawn. It was, therefore, a legitimate object on his
part to obtain a settlement of this question, and the Russian
minister stated that as the concessions made at one time bad
been withdrawn at another, it was the object of the Rus-
sian government in some form or other, by some act of •
solemn nature, to obtain a settlement of these differences,
which would not be liable to perpetual disturbance there.
after. Of course I could not object to the special mission from
Russia to Constantinople, but I stated my hope that that

mission would be of a conciliatory ware, and that nothing
would happen that would disturb the pacific relations betweea
Russia and Turkey, and the other powers of Ramps
Prince Menchikoff, 4160411 e entreated with that mission
arrived at Constantinople, and had, I think, an median;
with the Sultan on the 2nd of March. There was an un-
fortunate incident which occurred, which created a goad
deal of alarm with regard to Feed Effendi, the then Turkish
Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was pointedly slighted by
the Russian ambassador, and who immediately gave in his
resignation. This and other circumstances tended to create
alarm, and Colonel Rose, then Chargé d'Affaires of her
Majesty at Constantinople, at the request of the Grand
Vizier, wrote to say that it might be desirable that
Admiral Dundee, who was then coatemplatiug a cruise,
should hasten his departure from Malta, and approach
nearer to the waters of the Dardanelles. However, about a
week afterwards them Mons were • good deal dis-
pelled; some of the reports which had prevailed were
found to be erroneous, and Colonel Rose wrote • second
time, stating that the Orand Viejer no longer persisted in
his wish, and be therefore withdrew the request he mad* to
Admiral Dundee. At a later period, in the beginning of
the foUowing month, the month of April, Lord Stratford,
who was then at Constantinople, was informed by the
Turkish minister that certain propositions had been made
to the Turkish government to which they were
unwilling to molds. I should say, that up to t►is time
the government of her Majesty at home, and
her minister at Peterobarg had always understood that the
demand to be made by Russia bad reference to the Holy
Places, and were all comprised, in one form or another, is
the desire to render certain and permanent the advantages
to which Russia thought herself entitled in f of per-
seas belonging to the Orsek church visiting them places.
Lord Stratford understood from the Turkish minister that
It had been much desired by the Russian minister that the
request made in behalf of the Russian government should be
withheld from the knowledge of the representatives of the
other powers. I believe that these demands woes unknown
to the government of France as they were to that of England,
and as unknown to the government of Austria se they were
to the government of Frame. A considerable time elapsed,
and the hoses has heard and will recollect reading in the
papers that there was first • convention In else form and
afterwards in another, and that finally Priam Menchikoff
presented • note to the Turkish government, to be signed
by the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, which he
stated was the last concession be could make, and he also
stated that unless that note was signed by the Turkish
Malian of Foreign Affairs, he, with his mission, would
leave Constantinople, and that Russia would not be me-

possible for the grave evils which might take plan. Lea•
gunge at least to that effect was contained in the sole of the
Russian minister. However, the Terkish government did
act think that the signature of such a ants would be
compatible with the indspeadenee of the Sultan, and they
declined to affil: the signature of the Minister of Foreign
Affairs to it. At the same time the Turkish minister, in-
stead of a direct and simple negative, wrote • note on his
part, which he stated he was quite ready to transmit to the
Russian ambassador if it could be taken as satisfactory, and
thus to close all disputes between them. I should mention
here that the question with regard to the Holy Places and
the various details relating to the Greek and Latin
churches had been previously arr►nged to the satisfaction
both of the Russian ambassador and of the Turkish minis-
ter. Prince Mcnchikoff, however, instead of accepting this
note of the Turkish minister or considering it as the basis
of further negotiations, immediately withdrew his mission
and retired towards the Turkish frontier. Sir, I consider
this circumstance as one greatly to be lamented. It has
always appeared to me that on th. one side and on the
other there were some statements that could be admitted,
while there were others which were, and must be, the sub-
ject of compromise and arrangement. The Russian
minister maintained that Russia had by certain treaties—
especially the treaties of Kainardje and Adrianople—the
right to expect that Christians in the Turkish territories
should be protected, and they declared, at the same
time, that they did not wish in any to MO,e the in-
dependence or integrity of the Turkish empire. The
Sultan's ministers, on the other part, maintained that it
was their duty, above all things, to maintain the inde-
pendence of the Sultan, which required that nothing should
be acceded to which could be injurious to his dignity, or
detract from his rights. But at the suns time they de-
clared that it was the intention of the Sultan to protect his
Christian subjects, and to maintain them in the rights and
privileges which they had enjoyed from the concessions
made and the edicts issued by himself and his predecessors.
Such being the statements on the two sides, I own
that it appears to me that the withdrawal of the Russian
minister from Constantinople, sided,:at the one time u it
Was, as a ammo of compulsion, by the propozotioo by