The Express.
London, England, 1857-08-22 00:00:00

By a letter dated the the ea of this month, flea I
Constantinople (saes the Vienna P ), we are
informed that Sckamyl has recovered a part of
I)aghestan from the Russians. The brilliant suc-
cesses which they boosted they had obtained over
&cxhomy', are therefore shown to have been either
iggersted, or of short duration.
The result of the Circassian victories consists in
this—that the Hessians have had their communica-
tions forced and interrupted between Kiplar and
Patient, that Schamyl has obtained possession of
ten forts, which the Russians had onen able to
erect with unspeakable toil and great of human
fe during a apace of twelve years. This brilliant
success induced Schamyl to make the following
proclamation
" In the name of the great and compa sionate God
and his only prophet, I give you, my faithful ones, to
know, that I will rather die fighting against the
enemies of the true faith, than suffer them to hold
were it only a clod of our soil.
" The time is come ; we have victoriously taken
np the offensive sgainst our inveterate foes. We
are, it is true, still alone, but God is with his faith-
ful ones. Islam requires no foreign protection, and
if three or four years ago my inactivity was blamed,
if I did nothing to support the allies of our brethren
then fighting against the Russians, that was merely
becanse it was not pleasing to God that unbelievers
should come and help Islam. Islamites ! let as
show to the world that the true believer wants no
succour when he tights against the enemies of God,
of the prophet, and of holy religion!"

SARDIN lAN VIEW OF THE QUESTION OF
THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.

(Fame ova owm

TURIN, Arovar 18.

We are all rejoicing here that good sense his tri-
umphed in the conferences at Osborne, and that in
this instance principles arc not to be sacrificed to a
mean and rather tortuous policy. Even on this oc-
casion. Lord Clarendon will in the end have to ac-
knowledge that the conduct of Piedmont throughout
has been most loyal, and that her opinions have
always been on the side of truth and justice. We
do nut, therefore, admit, what the Times and the
Morniny Post have repeatedly alleged, that Pied-
mont in this matter looked to nothing but her own
aversion for Austria. The political course we pursue is
not that of intemperate passion, for we know that small
states, if they are deprived of moral influence, sustain
extreme and irreparable injury. Piedmont certainly
has it very much at heart not to displease either of
her powerful allies, England or France, and when
there was no compromise of principle involved, as in
the vexatious incident of Bolgrad, Sardinian diplo-
macy has shown itself to be conciliatory, zealous,
and indefatigable ; or that to its ability and modera-
tion was it in great part owing that a solution so
honourable for England was obtained of that cons
plicated question. Again now, with regard to the
question of the canalisation of the Isthmus of Suez,
seeing that the English cabinet opposes it and
combats it by every means, Sardinia abstains from
acting in favour of it, or procuring for it the patron-
age and assistance of other parties more powerful
than herself, although no country would be so much
benefited and advantaged by that undertaking
as Italy. Count Canner has even denied himself
the gratification of alluding to it, whenever he has
spoken in our parliament of the prospects and leg
timate aspirations of our commerce. But in the
affair of the Danubian Principalities, it has been igh
pOllbible for him to hold himself neutral, and much
leu could he act in accordance with your mom
ment •, and since this has been more than once our
plained of rather sharply by your Foreign
allow me briefly to state the case in precise and
positive terms.
At the sitting of the Congress of Paris on the Bth
of March, Count Walewski proposed the union of the
two Principalities as the only means of satisfying
the desire of those populations, and of bringing them
to real and enduring prosperity. The text of the
protocol says " Lord Clarendon portage et appal'
la meme opinion, en se fondant particulierement cam
futilite et la convenance i prendre en serieuse consi-
deration les deux des populations." Count ClITOllr
added that the desire of the populations for the
anion was one of old standing ; and that an article
of the Organic Statute of 1831 had by anticipation
decided the controversy, establishing by that act the
principle of the eventual union of the Principalities.
In consequence of this, and notwithstanding the
opposition of Turkey and Austria, it was decreed at
the sitting of the 14th of March, that " Sa Majesti
le Sultan convoquers immediatement dans chums
des deux provinces on Divan att hoe. • • Oss
Divans seront appelts i exprimer les viral dee
'adonis relativement i l'organisation definitive du
Principautis." Of this resolution, indeed, so ante
could complain. The friends of the union of thetua
Principalities could not object to it, feeling 11•111111 i
that the free and sincere votes of the Moliuteneend
Wallachians would demand the union ; ear meld the
opponents of the union object to it, because they le
their turn pretended that the popular vote wouli
not be for the union. But towards the esti
of August last year the Sultan's government
addressed a circular note to its diplomatic
representatives enjoining them to ask of the
powers which signed the treaty at the eaa.
greai, that the question of the union of the Prins&
palines should not be left to be decided by the vete
of the populations. England addressed an inquiry
to Baria upon this occasion, and the latter replied
with a long despatch, in which all the reasons which
appear to militate against the union of the Rou-
manians in a single state are, one by one, examined
and confuted, regarding them from the point of
view of the real interests of Turkey, which in this
matter are identical with those of England. I have
Dot space or leisure now to transcribe these argu-
ments, which the Daily News and other impartial
journals have in some measure conjectured in their
discussions of the same subject. The chief argu-
ment is this—that the Roumanians, if divided, will
be weak and discontented, and will therefore at the
first opportunity fall a very easy prey either to
Russia or Austria. On the other hand, the Rou-
manians, united and strong, will be satisfied
with Turkey ; whilst, as they will be conscious
of sufficient strength in themselves, they certainly,
even if on account of religion or any. other motive
they shonld preserve some sympathy with Russia, will
net therefore choose to be at her disposal, or to
become a Russian province; since every people
cherishes its own autonomy and takes pride in main-
taining it. The Sardinian note concluded with
some considerations more particularly addressed to
the British government. ' lf, as has been affirmed,"
said this note, " and as everything would incline us,
notwithstanding the denials of Turkey, to believe,
the union is an ardent wish of the Principalities, can
the Western Powers resist it? Can they, in the
face of the civilised world and of history, assume the
aspect of hay ing sacrificed the actual interests and legi-
timate aspirations of five millions of Christians to
the exaggerated scruples and ill-founded fears of
Turkey. And will England, animated by such
generous sentiments and such liberal ideas, ever be
disposed to contend against the principle of na-
tionality in its most legitimate application? Will
she leave to other governments whose traditions are
less liberal than her own, the merit of being the
champion of that principle ? She will not thus incur
the risk of losing the whole influence which she has
gained with the great liberal party in Europe, and
which is the chid advantage she has retained, for the
interest of civilisation and civil progress, for the
interest of the whole West."
Since this Sardinian note unfortunately dote am
seem to have persuaded the English cabinet, sad
since Lord Clarendon has persisted in modifying lb
first desire expressed at the sitting of the oth
of March at Paris, in favour of the union of
the Principalities, what reason can he advance for
complaining of the scanty complaisance of Sardinia,
beau'', she has participated in all the latest acts of
the French diplomacy at Constantinople ? Ow mole
opinioa, one sole principle, ase own, has
guided Piedmont in this matter, tram the first
mention of it in the congress of Paris, until the
threat of recalling her legation from Constantinople.
Of all that our government has written slue the
13th of August, 1838, to Cavaliere Heusi, its cam-
=Latimer in the Principalities, it has not deemed it