The Sun.
London, England, 1837-03-25 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND PRUSSIA.

(From the Hanoverian Gazelle of Feb. 27.)
In reference to an article in the J7e:•cure de France oo
the subject of the negotiations of Prussiit towards ob-
taining from Russia a treaty: of .commerce, and of the
political obligations of the • former towards :I),r latter
power, a late number of the Hamburgh Cori espondenten
contains an answer which puts the relations of ittlSSi4
towards Prussia on a footing of such icy cobluess .as is
somewhat .unusual betWeerk friendly powers. 'I he article
will make a great impression in Prussia, as .flot-oniY.:4lo
the benefits which have been conferred On Pruss►a put
prominently forward, but its cabinet attacked for their non-
intervention im the last war against the Poles. The article
t‘ ill not gain Russia friends, and in our opinion it would
have been much better if it had never -been • vritten.-
Without stopping to consider the question of t. 6 Polish
war—which Russia, by the way, would never have
brought to a -satisfactory conclusion, if the basis of its
operations had not extended beyond the Prussian frontier
—we will meet tl►e three following pOints :—lst. It is
►ru, that towards the end of the sevenyears' war Peter 111.
took part with Frederick 11. ;--but the article turbots to
ment►on what is no less true, that Catherine 11. shortly
afterwards abandoned that. cause. It would have been far
better6if the seven years' war had been left out of the ques-
tion altogether, and that the slumbering remembrance- of

,he battles of Zorndorf and Kunnersdorf, and the ravages
ben committed on the soil of Prussia, had not been
awakened—remembrances, let us add, which seemed to
have been obliterated fur ever by the glorious deeds of the
two Powers in common in the years 1813 and 1814. 2d.
The assertion that Russia undertook the war of 1806 and
1807, solely on account of. Prussia, is manifestly unfounded.
We ask wfiether it was the Prussians or the Russians who
previously commenced the war of 1805 ? Would it nct
be better when they talk of Prussia to pass over Biala stock
and the peace of Tilsit altogether ? 3d. It is true that the
liberation of Prussia and Germany in 1813 was in some.
manner decided by the passage of the Russian army over the
Vistula ; but what would that _worn and greatly-exhausted
Russian army have done without the heroic support
afforded it by Prdssia ? Upon this relied that German of
immortal memory, who told the Emperor Alexander so, in
face of his Field.marshals and Ministers. These things are
known to the whole world, but •we have deemed it neces-
sary, as honest German journalists, to refer them most dis-
tinctly, when we see the honour of a German hind and a
German people thus attacked by a foreign Cabinet. The
article we complain of is as follows :
‘‘ FnotsTmas or-Russis, FEB. I6.—An article of No.
34 of the Hamburgh Co; espondent, dated from Prussia
the 31st of January, and stated to have been extracted
from the Mercure de France, has given occasion here to
many remarks. We are informed that the new Russian
tariff has produced no very favourable impression upon the
mind of the commercial public of Prussia, wherefrom it is
•made to appear that the proposed treaty of commerce.
stipulating a reciprocal tariff on the part of Prussia, has;
fallen to the ground. Without turning aside to
consider the extensive question of the commercial
relations of the two countries, we shall confine
our attention to the conclusion of the article. The Auto-
crat of ail the 'lassies- will be able perfectly to appreciate
the attacks upon him ; but will, notwithstanding, be in,
some degree moved by these attempts to gainsay his pa-
triotism and love of justice, and prejudice his nation in the
minds of a foreign people. -Certain it is that Russia has
in no wise broken off any of the late negotiations, and that
she is still anxious to promote the mutual welfare of the
two countries. With regard to the assertion, that during
the late Polish war it only depended upon Prussia to have
extended the line of her custom-houses as far as Moscow, it
is evident that if Prussia had not stood in a somewhat
h6stile position towards Russia, she would not, seeing
the weighty reasons there were to the contrary, have
hazarded the common security by her neutrality.
The cause of Russia in that war was the cause, of
Prussia, and therefore Russia had a right to ex-
pect that Prussia would have expended her blood
and treasure in the struggle, and not have folded
her arms idly and looked on. If Prussia by this policy
bad sought and had succeeded in the endeavour to
annex -Poland to herself; it would not have been to the
detriment of Russith She would still have been able to
display as much power for the defence of her rights as she
did against, more numerous enemies in the glorious year
1812 However, we must not deny that during the Polish
war Prussia was of some assistance to Russia, inasmuch as
she afforded facility within her territory for the supply of
provisions and munitions of war. -But even in this a
keling of self-interest preponderated. Millions of Rus-
sian money were thereby put into circulation, insomuch
so that an address of thanks was voted by the town of
Konigsberg for the unexpected wealth which thus flowed
into the land. The next question that presents itself is
easy of solution. How would Prussia have acted had it
not been for the love of (rain? Leaving, however, these
considerations on one side, Russia feels herself beholden to
Prussia for her good intentions during the Polish war, and
will not forget them. Neither can Prussia forget its obli-
gations to Russia, and. if she did, history would be there
to put her in mind of them. Towards the end of the glo-
rious seven years' war, when that country, exhausted, stood
powerless in the face of her enemies, Russia, by causing a
separation in the coalition against her, enabled her to re- •
gain her superiority. After the unfortunate campaign of-
-1803, when Prussia had to struggle for her politicnl exis-
tence, Russia shed the clearest blood of her sons in Prussic
cause ; and in the immortal campaign of 1813, Prussia'
had to thank Russia for her deliverance from a shansefUl
yoke, and her establishment as one of the great preponde-
rating powers of Europe. These are the claims whiat
Russia has upon Prussian gratitude."