The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-09 00:00:00

Tbg

LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1855.

M. DROUYN DE L'Hurs has had an audience
with the Emperor FRANCIS JOSEPH. So much
has, at all events, been accomplished, and it is to
be hoped that the Austrian Government will be
prepared on the renewal of the Conferences, when
Prince GORSTCHAROFF has received the " in-
structions" so loudly talked of, to assume a position
one way or the other. Heretofore the Allied
Powers have been completely bamboozled by their
pretended friends. They have had scarcely less
cause to complain of Austria than of Prussia ;
for if the duplicity of the Government at Vienna
has not been quite so apparent as of that at Ber-
lin, the former has just as carefully avoided com•
mating itself or rendering any real assistance to
the Western cause as the latter. As we have repeat-
edly pointed out, it has not yet fired a
.single shot,
or drawn a sword in anger, while it has contrived
,to obtain the: sanction of England, France, and
Turkey to its occupation of the Principalities,
so that when desirous of taking au active part in
the pending hostilities it may aitn a formidable
blow at either side as the inauguration of its par-
ticipation in the War.

In truth the Austrian policy is, as it has
been for a series of ages, of an essentially selfish
character. Its sole object is, while carefully
avoiding all possible risk, to obtain the greatest
possible advantage for itself for the least possible
return. It might, perhaps, as so positively
asserted, be desirous of witnessing a certain limi-
tation of the Russian strength, so that it might
itself be placed on a closer footing of equality with
the quondam, COLOSSUS of the North. But it is
difficult to determine with any accuracy the real
state of its feelings. It must not be forgotten
that the AUTOCRAT has been regarded as the in-
carnation of despotism—the chief barrier against
the much-dreaded liberalism. The debt of
"gratitude" which it professed for the interven-
tion has not quite been forgotten. We use the
much-abused term in the sense in which it is gene-
rally interpreted by politicians, viz., " a lively
sense of favours to come." Austria cannot for-
get that the same influences which rendered the
aid of Russia so acceptable a few years since are
still in operation, that the hopes of the patriots of
Hungary, of Poland, of Lombardy have not altoge-
ther been extinguished, but that many fervent aspi-
rations for the liberation of their afflicted rases are
still daily offered by men ready to act wheneveran
auspicious opportunity may arise. It would not,
therefore, suit the tactics of Austria to greatly
humiliate or materially diminish the resources of
Russia. She would gladly emancipate herself
from the control exercised by that domineering
Power ; but she would, at the same time, wish
to keep a reserve available in the event of a civil
war, in which she could not hope for assistance
from either France or England. At present she
is eagerly watching the course of events, and will
not, we firmly believe, take a decided step until
the
balance of success so greatly preponderates on
one side or the other as to leave the result no
longer
donbtful. The capture or destruction of
41'01hea would be the signal for her joining
anythrtinazndall42-that is to say, if she possesses
-u-vagons to "heart"—with the
Allies—the evacuatio
Crimea, with the
-work ututecomplishedn ofa the
and casting herself into for flinging off disguise,
in consideration of the se the am of Russia, who,
Power, would be wininc,rvtieenof _n
unexhausted
hesitation, and would read forgive
all previous
. allows participation
in the spoil about to belly divided.
There' is therefore an additional
the destruction of Sebastopol should rbeemoa why I
as an indispensable condition of any arr regarded
that may be effected. It is essential angem9nt
as a pledge for the good faith of not only
Prussia, but of
Austria also. Until that is achioved—until the
" standing menace to Europe," and more parti-
cularly to the commerce of the Danube, is de-
stroyed, we cannot anticipate any display of ind.e-
Pendence or firmness on the part of the leading
States of Germany. As to the minor States, the
AUTO CRAT possesses so many means of influencing
their decision—of "bri&ing," to use plain language,
not merely the Ministers but the Princes themselves,
that :it would be futile to expect any co-operation
on their part. It would be just as absurd to look
for rim anti-Ministerial vote from the most venal
weiiter on Providence," when the whipper-in
had some dozens of desirable appointments at his

disposal. The suspicious neutrality of King
LEOPOLD—nay more, the mission of Count BRIET
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo-
tentiary to the Court of St. Petersburg, at a time
like the present, and considering the many rea-
sons why the Belgian King should not hesitate
to array himself on the side of France and Eng-
land, prove that many sinister influences aro in
operation, and that Austria is by no means sin-
cere in her professions of cordiality and friend-
ship.

All these matters must now be brought to a
speedy conclusion. Parliament will meet on
this day week ; and, despite the terrors
of the threatened appeal to the country,
will speak out when an opportunity again
offers. The chief danger is that some ignomini-
ous treaty may be cobbled up in the interval—
and any must be ignominious which does not pro-
vide for the immediate delapidation of Sebastopol,
and the restriction of the Russian navy in the
Euxine, within very narrow limits. We once
more emphatically caution Ministers, that a heavy
retribution will fall on any, no matter what their
rank or position, who, at this emergency, prove
themselves oblivious of the interests of the United
Kingdom, which are identical with those of our
faithful and chivalrous allies. A storm would,
indeed, be excited on both sides of the Channel
of which it would be impossible to predict the
results. Such dangers must be averted. They
would indeed be truly formidable, far more so
than the most desperate efforts of Russia, assisted
by her faithful henchmen of Austria and
Prussia, and even with all the friendly aid
which Count de BRIEY may be prepared to offer
on behalf of his royal master. There are a few
simple principles to be enunciated which should
be inflexibly adhered to—viz., an immediate de-
cision on the part of Russia as to its acceptance
or rejection of the terms offered, which cannot be
varied or modified in any degree, however trifling ;
and, secondly, that when Russia hasdetermined her
part, Austria and Prussia should also decide their
respective courses, and that with the distinct and
positive understanding that France and England
would sanction no continued neutrality, but that
our representatives would consider those who are
not for us as against us. An Irish baronet, the
recognised jester of the College-green Parliament,
alleged that " the best way to avoid danger was
to meet it full in the face." Tkere was much
truth in the assertion, despite the quaintness of
the language in which it was clothed. Our own
Ministers may rest assured that the most ener-
getic is also the safest course at the present emer-
gency, and that nothing is so likely to produce a
permanent peace as the unflinching demand for
the demolition of Sebastopol and the withdrawal
or destruction of the Russian fleet in the Euxine.

One cannot help thinking, now that we are on
the eve .f an Imperial visit, how it would go with
other monarchs of Europe if they should honour us
with their presence. If tke two Northern Kings
steamed it hither through the breaking ice we
fear they would bring something of the chill with
them. They might have had pluck, with two such
Allies at their back, to have joined the Alliance,
and relied on their own bravery and ours to
secure an independence to which they have of
late been strangers. Denmark was hampered,
however, with a Russian Ministry, now on the
verge of impeachment for financial malversation ;
and with a King who, it is to be feared, leans
strongly in his heart to the power which is watch-
ing to absorb him. If he got off without hissing,
he would yet hear the good old English cry to
" Come out, like a man." Sweden is reputed to
have received Lord DUDLEY STUART kindly, and
to have made Polish emancipation a condition of
alliance. If the reputation be just King OSCAR
has only to say so, and all London would hurrah
him with three times three, to the cry of King
OSCAR and Poland for ever.
Then the Southern Kings—the southernmost of
.dl,. say—King BOMEA and his POPE ! Woe to
•he former if the Bankside men got a hint of the

noble POERIEO and his irons far heavier than the
harness of their dray horses. Such a wretch
could not, and hardly ought, to escape without
first releasing and indemnifying his noble patriots.
As to Pro Novo, Messrs. SPOONER and NEWDE'r
GATE would, of course, have a handsome supply
of Papal aggression and Anti-M3ynooth artillery
ready, and the triple Crown would be somewhat
in danger from undesirable Protestant missiles.

East again—in more civilised Europe we mean,
are two capitals and their Sovereigns, an Emnpero r
and a King. He of Austria and he of Prussia. I t
would certainly be a treat to see themhere. We ma y
imagine them riding about to see the lions of th e
metropolis and its suburbs—the one easy of recog-
nition by his " standing lots of champagne," th
other quite as distinguishable by the repulsive
physiognomy of the cruel Hapsburgs. Wit
and raillery like that of our neighbours across the
Channel we could furnish but in small qtuantity ;
but we could make up for it with our own indi-
genous. JOHN BULL, although rather scant in
his stock of epithets, and that stock rather
coarse in quality, well knows how to in-
tone his honest, hearty, loathing, and dis-
gust for base selfish cowards. Their MAJESTIES,
if not comprehending a word of English, would
be at no loss to comprehend their position in the
eyes of English people. They would never forget
to their dying day the execrations and disgust of
honest freemen ; and would be thankful enough
to slink within four walls again, and to drown in
" champagne," or divert, if possible, by court flat-
teries the thoughts of freemen's words.
Coming towards the West, it is impossible even
to count the stars in the Royal nebula of Ger-
many. HERSCHEL, or some astronomer, has talked
of star-dust : perhaps all this King-dust is some
day to coalesce into a King of some magnitude,
visible through good glasses. We have, however,
no political ROSSE telescope sufficiently powerful
to detect anything like a King to be catalogued in
the remote future. Moreover, we have not leisure
just now to turn to the Gotha Almanack for the
list of names which we have never been able to
remember, except when a LOLA MONTES or some
piece of political fraud or cruelty worthy of our
police reports brushes up our recloillebs of
recollections.
m
On the northern and southern Western
France are two states of
behaviourrespectable postiotio7w,
which
one of them of respectable
Englishmen cannot forget. We should like to
Perhaps in the case
have their two Kings here.
l‘threenperbes print the last time, a daughter o
of one of them decency forbids. He
ill(iengmaorfritehd,e
visitor. It
Would feel quiteat
B°Ti-int-law of Lo_
ruler of France and our expected
who as Mr. SMITE had to make way for
might be hardly decent to
etoompplaanc
Lonis /1,1,0_ kas PHILIPPE in the
ascendancy of
Not among the ft7'se.
first to join unreserved:
ye theof
'Ps- The Kin,'" of Sardinia, however,
ituuialt
b:rtblilia.earsisatne t,ehde has
righta':
breoeynaltli.:
first to be likely to suffer by the
He has incurred sacrifices alliance against it.
for the cause
of ofa
freedom, while Austria has made
herself, and while Prussia voliind°u.e except for
rather make them to rivet her itulsaf she dare,
i' more firmly on her. He has acted All chains
constitutional sovereign.

Rut LEoroLD is also a eonstitutional sovereign!

LEOPOLD is fully as much in danger froth Russian
ascendancy as Sardinia. LEOPOLD, too, used to be
a liberal. The army of LEOPOLD is larger than
that of Sardinia ; and though he has not some
thousand guns afloat, we could lend him all the
transports he might want ; and as to size and
resources, the populations of the two kingdomi
are about the same, and Belgian wealth ought to
be the greater. What on earth, then, accounts
for their different position ? Is it a money ques-
tion ? Quite the reverse. Their public debts
are not seriously different, while the revenue
of Belgium exceeds her expenditure, and
that of Sardinia falls below it. There is no
reason, and there can be no reason, but the dif-
ference of monarchs. The King of SARDINIA re-
presents the brave and manly spirit of the old
Courts of Savoy. The King of the BELGIANS re-
presents the match-making, selfish, and time-
serving policy of the Coburgs. In the matrimo-
nial line, the grand trade of the Coburgs, he has
been pre-eminently lucky. First an English
Princess, then a French Princess, and now, per
son, an Austrian Princess ; possibly a Prussian
and a Russian match are to follow some day, and
it would not do to quarrel with the relations of a
future bride or bridegroom. The thing is patent
that he is nearly related to the British Crown,
but shows not the least sympathy with British
aspirations for Continental independence. He
was put on his throne, indeed, by France and
England ; yet there he sits, never thinking, even
when English Ministers were ready to beg
for a foreign regiment, of rendering the least
assistance in the grand struggle. We can hardly
conceive a more ignominious contrast than that
between old LEOPOLD and young CARLO ALBERTO.
Royal marriages really seem all to tell for Russia,
but never for England. FREDERICK WILLIAM'S
sister married NICHOLAS, and the petticoat union
has almost become a military one. LEOPOLD
marries a son to Austria, and he adopts the half-
Russianised self-serving policy of Austria. But
this same LEOPOLD married an English and a
French Princess—and all France and England
get from it is—nothing at all ; unless, indeed, we
may reckon it for something that Russian bullets
are discharged from Belgian rifles.
Well, what should we do with the Sardinian
and Belgian Kings if they did come. Notwith-
standing all M. KOSSUTH has said we would give
CARLO ALBERTO a hearty English welcome ; and
while the memory of the Princess CHARLOTTE
would save LEOPOLD from personal insult, he
would soon understand that he was not more wel-
come than FRANCIS JOSEPH of Austria.

It will doubtless have been observed that the
inflammatory Appeal recently addressed to the
Russian nation by the Thrice Holy Synod at St.
Petersburg—after proclaiming the continuance of
war with fire and sword against the chief of the
civilised races of Europe—closed with a Scriptural
quotation already coupled in the mouth of the
late CZAR with the most shameful and flagrant
mendacities. At the period of its original utter-
ance by the representative of the Northern Auto-
cracy it was regarded instantly, and, so to speak,
instinctively, regarded by the whole Christian
world as nothing less than a blasphemous profana-
tion. it was universally so felt throughout entire
Christendom. Nevertheless, it might then have
been imagined in extenuation by some of the more
charitable, that the words of the Royal Psalmist
were employed by the Russian EMPEROR under the
almost irresistible influence of a paroxysm of fana-
tical excitation. Some excuse for the impiety
might have been conjectured by those more mo-
derate observers, as discoverable in the mere circum-
stance that the CZAR addressed his subjects in the
united character of Prince and Pontiff—that he
spoke under the impulse of emotions of a mystical
religious-enthusiasm. Even so regarded, how-
ever, the sacred text foil upon the ear of Europe
—coupled as it was with so many monstrous and

ft igitiona mis-statements —as something much
more heinous than a daring indecorum, as, we '
repeat, nothing less than a monstrous and blas-
phemous profanation.
Yet what was uttered in a moment of excite-
ment by NICHOLAS I. has been reiterated,
deliberately and resolutely reiterated, by the
" Thrice Holy Synod," under the reign of his
successor, ALEXANDER 11. After appealing to
the deadlier passions of the multitude, to the evil
passions of hatred, fanaticism, and vengeance, the
Synod closes the whole catalogue of its adjurations
by repeating that same sacrilegious quotation from
Holy Writ :—/n, te:Dontine speravi : non confun-
dar in ceternunt ! It apparently promises, indeed,
to become stereotyped at the foot of every Imperial
ukase and Synodical proclamation, like the old
Virat Regina at the tail of our English play-bills.
It appears to us that some more appropriate versicle
might be extracted from the venerable rituals of
Christianity, for the purpose of being substituted
for this impiously vain-glorious boast of reliance
upon the Divine encouragement of every criminal
enterprise that may, now or at any future time,
be adventured upon by the Orthodox Greek Church,
operating throlgh its earthly medium, that of the
Imperial Russian Government.
Remembering the invariable discomfiture ex-
perienced by the soldiers of the CZAR since
t: ie commencement of their present struggle
w ith the warriors of England, France, and
Ti trkey remembering Oltenitza, and Citate,
an d. Bomarsund, and Alma, and Balaklava, and
fill Dorman, and Eupatoria—may we not discover
ttom-A ewhere in the holy text some more appropriate
ctuot, ttion to be placed by a fanatical priesthood
upon the lips of that inflamed and infuriated popu-
latic at? Is there no other sacred fragment of
Lati Rlity that might be so employed by the Rus-
sian s without the profanity inseparable from their
reite rated use of that divine cry of the Hebrew
Psal aist, expressive at once of his Faith, Hope,
and Love, in regard to Benign OMNIPOTENCE ?
We i naagine that a fragment of this kind may be
readi. ly enough discovered as a fitting substitute.
One o c curs to us, indeed, on the instant, as parti-
cularly.; apt if breathed forth by the Russians in the
presence of the diminished but invincible cohorts
cumin= led by the marshal's baton of Lord
RAGLAN —the retnnaut of that gallant band of
heroes v -ho performed such prodigies of valour on
the he' '4 ;hts of the Alma, as well as on those of
the T eiternaya and Balaklava—the army, deci-
mated frightfully, it is true, by disease and by
other ]nore deplorable, because more avoidable
and de astating, sources of destruction, but still
uuvanq ished and still terrible to its antagonists.
In lien o that profaned text, In to Dwaine spe-
raq : no? > confundar in ceternum—that text pro-
faned ver
recently bythee :‘3,TrhNricieciiHot;illysSpylnuodLo,'_'
as previot
he
melt' we
74 I
y byt
deadof impiety, and as wonderfully more
dieft-th would suggest another as happily less
1.1
leonis : et a corni-
Libera me de ore
that 8 1"1 121. The
huntilitatein meant.
app-cop riLl,t, 3 under existing circumstances. And
bus unie "ni well as of
illustra-
as
tion of U.:4 . i)e re-
'tude,
its ren jotouishing aptitude, b
lazoned
devices em
cognise 3. in he heraldic
which
impressive significance,
upon tl lat gr 2 the
through
has gm re, Ta6t,ged. and blackened,
uttering
lightnin ga of many a battle-field, the
and old banner of
palladiu A our loyalty, the tattered gonfanon of
England,