The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-13 00:00:00

commercial glories ;—the love of freedom and the
hatred of slavery and oppression—the wish to see
our fellow-nations enjoying their national rights,
which is the soul of the present War—are amongst
the most unselfish, expansive, and elevating mo-
tives which can actuate a nation—infinitely nobler
than the :mainspring of trade. We admit, in-
deed, that our aristocracy and their German Ally
will take us in if they can ; they will aim, as we
have said, to convert the War to the pur-
pose of despots' independence and of peoples'
dependence ; but that is not the object of this
country, nor if the War continues will that be the
only object gained. The re-establishment of
Poland alone would do more to restore the inter-
national morality of Europe, to shake off the pa-
ralysing nightmare of Russian savagism, to in-
augurate Continental freedom, and even to extend
Free Trade itself, than all the selfish energies of
commerce would accomplish hi centuries. The
opposers of a Vienna peace conceive, therefore,
that they sympathise with the sufferers by the
War as much as the commercial advocates of
peace, that they are prompted by far nobler
motives, and that their policy will elevate the
political morality of Europe, and forward even-
tually the interests of commerce itself.

We trust that, in the coming week, the people
will, in every becoming mode, let their sentiments on
the War be known to their august visitor. He may
hear at Courtvery different views from those which
animate the country. Englishmen cannot con-
ceive that France would endure an inglorious de-
parture from Sebastopol, and they take for granted
that Poland is a name and nation dearer to her
than to us. Let Louis NAPOLEON understand
that our " shopkeeping nation" appreciates the
crisis, and only asks for leaders and governors
equal to it. We think it may be laid down as
certain, that a peace vamped up now must be a
miserable and mischievous one. Austria and
Russia will be the sole gainers. Ruisia will
certainly retain everything of moment. Her
Black Sea forts, the means of creating a navy un-
observedly at any time, the navigable mouth of
the Danube, and a share at least of the right to
interfere in Turkish affairs. She will merely
have received a temporary check. While
Warsaw on one side, and Sebastopol with Nico-
laieff on the other remain to her, she will triumph
again in her clever diplomacy, and the weakness
of the Allies. She will be as formidable to
Europe, and to Turkey especially, as ever.
Most detestable, above all, is the treating with
Russia as an honourable power. It is merely
compounding with a felon. She has been driven
away in the act of wanton and unprovoked ag-
gression. She committed the stealthy murder
of Sinope in seeking to get away. She had long
before at Warsaw and Cracow (Austria being ac-
complice) violated grossly her favourite Treaty of
Vienna, and it is sheer fatuity to treat with her till
we can dictate the terms. When France was at-
tacked by Europe she was required to yield to
the conditions of the victors. Let us at least
deal the same measure to the far more shameless
aggressor of this day. Of all the hateful diplo-
matic cant tolerated in these Conferences, is
Prince GORTSCHAKOFF'S, declaration about con-
senting to no terms which shall " infringe on the
sovereign rights of Russia." Such language
from those who sent Prince MENSCHIKOFF to bully
the SULTAN ! From the delicate-minded power
which " infringed" on the rights of the Princi-
palities and the SULTAN with all possible inso-
lence and violence ! We almost despise the men
who can tolerate such language from a Russian
envoy.

There can scarcely remain a second opinion as
to the duplicity and iiiala fides of Russia when
she assented to " tieat" with the 'Western Powers
on the basis of "the Four Points." It is now
certain that the new CZAR, however earnestly he
may have protested against the proceedings of his
predecessor, is rather unwilling, or unable, to
abandon the traditional policy of the Empire—
a policy indicated by the will of the first PETER,
and never for a moment lost sight of by his suc-
cessors under any circumstances whatsoever. The
extension of " Holy Russia," the absorption of
neighbouring States, seems to be a fixed idea, a
species of " monomania." It is fashionable to
ascribe many misdeeds to such a disease with
Muscovites of all classes. Even the miserable
serfs, greater slaves than the "Uncle Toms" of
the Southern States of America, men who cannot
call their souls their own, who are subjected to
flagellation at any moment at the mere will and
pleasure of their Lord and Master, have the no-
tion instilled into their minds from their earliest
youth, and are educated in a fanatical notion
as to " the mission" of the AUTOCRAT to
make all people confirm to "the orthodox
religion," even at the point of the sword, and
" to own his gentle sway," without resistance, or
even remonstrance. - Under such circumstances
it might be a dangerous experiment, even for the
AUTOCRAT himself, to agree to any terms, or
sanction any arrangement inconsistent with these
views. Although his mere will and pleasure is
accepted in place of law, or rather is the law for
the time being, there is a summary way of dis-
posing of any obstacle to the full realisation of the
wishes of any large section. There is CONSTAN-
TINE, too—the leader of the old Muscovite faction
—ready to assume the leadership at the earliest
call, and to assume the coveted position even at
the expense of his brother. 1

The late AUTOCRAT consented to treat on the
basis of the "Four Points." We have since seen
" the cloven foot" appearing in every track.
Everything is directed to the humiliation of Tur-
key—to the violent termination of the career of
" the sick man." No interference, forsooth, will
be allowed with the perfect independence of
Russia. She cannot, under any circumstances, be
induced to quaff the cup she so readily presented
to others. She will not permit the demolition of
a single fort, or the withdrawal of a single
vessel of war from the Euxine. How, then,
is the limitation of her power in that sea to be
accomplished. Simply, so' say the Russian Pleni-
potentaties, by her gracious permission to the
Western Powers to form naval stations, and bring
their navies into these waters ! Thus there may
be a counterpoise—if they are willing to under-
take the enormous and never-ending, and, we may
add thankless, office of becoming the
permanentel
"police" of Europe. But how to be ao
is t
complished ? Russia offers no portion ller
territory ; she will not cede a single rood
of land
in the Crimea or on the European or Asiatic
coasts. Turkey must supply the needful faci!i-
stoltra,cd.tii,,:rSyohne
either
thu must psriodveidaerethteombeeain.esli, chiefriquilisehred, s o
~. she will henceforward—should these extra-
tiltiley immtonmealleinr:tteP:tos'vfi strikYe of
waiters with
it:i:t:ll3.stg, be adopted--h.ave three
in her dominions, and in
her capital, ready at
existence as an indepeilvital blow at Eer very
the Mosillealisonthl-- and-
oienca to -Participate in her suit
their conve-
every inducement when. itent with
What
arrangementcould an y
was e f
if such
the :es::think
dangers and
an
braved so many
unshrinking valour ? Never wotithlclsl4ltZee4Gotviletr.
for. `which they

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