The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-24 00:00:00

(From the Leader. )
That war is at hand appears to be the almost univer-
sal impression of this country. Russia has just trans-
mitted to her representative at Vienna, for communica-
tion to the representatives of the other Powers, two
Notes, either one of which, separately, may be regarded,
at once, as an ultimatum on the part of Russia, and a
rejection of every attempt at accommodation. These
Notes from Count Nesselrode annul all that has been
done during the protracted negotiations, always except-
ing that one consistent State, which has never swerved
from its moderate and decided course—Turkey. One
of these despatches refers to the substance of the modi-
fications proposed by Turkey, in the Vienna Note, and
the other refers to the Note itself adopted by the Four
Powers. The two subjects are essentially distinct, and,
although published subsequently, we may take the one
upon the Turkish modifications first.

The note of Redschid Pascha, setting forth the Turkish
objections to the Vienna Note, took particular excep-
tion to the wordy which represented the Emperor of -
Russia as watching over the orthodox Greek Christians,
and the Sultan as confirming the immunities secured by
the solicitude of the Emperors. It is admitted univer-
sally, even by the most Russian journals in London, by
the Ministerial papers both of London and Paris, and
by the semi-official journal of Berlin, the Zeit, that the
note of Redschid Pascha was drawn with consummate
ability, and that the position taken by the Porte was
almost un exceptionable. The Porte said that to admit that
phraseology would be to recognise the Czar as the
Dictator, the Sultan as his Registrar. The Em-
peror of Russia now says that.he will not give up the
original text, because to omit the words would be to
confess that lie had no ground of complaint against the
Sultan ; and that they do not add anything to the force
of the treaty of Kainardji--the Emperor insisting upon
a new recognition of his protectorate, exactly as Prince
Menschikoff himself demanded it. Tne overweening
tendency of this demand is aggravated by the insolence
of the language, which speaks of "the ill-disposed in-
tention" of the Ministers of the Porte, and the " con-
descension" of the Emperor.
In the Note the same spirit of arrogance is turned
against the Four Powers, perhaps with one remark-
able exception. In this dispatch, Count Nesselrode
expresses the dissatisfaction of the Sultan with the
Vienna Note, which he had reluctantly accepted as an
act of condescension. He declares that he did not ask
or desire the good offices of the Four Powers. He
speaks of them as the allies of Turkey, especially inter-
ested in the honour of the Sultan ; he holds them ac-
countable for not having rendered their Note a final
proposition ; and avows that if Turkey be permitted to
make exceptions —which it was rather his privilege to
do than the Sultan's—he reverts to his original freedom,
and shall continue his quarrel with Turkey alone, setting
aside the Four Powers. We have here but described
the naked purport of the Note, not straining its intent,
although not literally following its language.
There is a dishonesty as well as insolence in this pre-
posterous statement. Count Nesselrode puts before the
allied Powers a dilemma, which shows how he under-
stands a " question of words." If the modifications
were unimportant, why should Turkey insist upon them ?
if important, Russia could not assent to them. But in-
asmuch as the modifications involved the negative of that
original proposition by Prince Menschikoff, which was
declared to be inadmissible, some such emendations of
the text were of course inevitable, and Turkey might
turn against Russia its own dilemma. It is, however,
plain, that although Count Nesselrode is spurred to the
irksome duty of sharpening his diplomatic casuistry upon
this ugly subject, Russia does not wait upon reason, nor
care even to maintain appearances. Under the decorous
gibe of Count Nesselrode appears distinctly the rude
bludgeon of the bully, who is intent only upon wreaking
that brute force, in which he supposes himself to possess
a transcendent advantage.
The two despatches of Russia, taken together, mean
that Russia yields nothing ; that she perseveres in her
original purpose of extorting a spiritual vassalage from
Turkey ; she sets aside the Pour Powers, and will exe-
cute her will in their despite. The announcement of
this course has had a various effect upon the Peszr
Powers. With regard to Prussia's intention we are not
yet informed. Austria has withdrawn. arid has no
doubt, as we had constantly predicted, played through-
out into the hands of Russia. Count Nesselrode dis-
tinctly states that the Emperor of Russia assented to
the general bearing of the Note which was sent to him
by telegraph from Vienna, before the Note itself was
despatched, and he admits that he had a right to
suppose that Turkey had had cognizance of its terms,
which, thanks to the Conference, she had not. He pats
Austria on the back as the Emperor's friend, whose
good offices he had accepted ; and dismisses the other
Power—that is, France and England—as the " allies
and protectors" of Turkey.
Turkey appears to be ready. It is well known that
her armies are impatient to begin, and her most imme-
diate danger appears to consist in holding them back.
A. manifesto to his people, in which the Sultan explains
the actual posture of affairs, and declares his intention
of maintaining his rights—a manifesto which he ori-
ginally suppressed, in deference to the Four Powers
—has been published in his Gazette. The com-
plaints of Austria against the course taken by
France and England, imply that M. Drouyn de
Lhuys, who has taken so leading a part in the confer-
ence, was too firm for Russia's ally. In England, the
response to the insolent dispatches of the Russian Em-
ofthEengFloisrienignen-
impossible. The Morning Post announces the attitude
of the affair to be suddenly and totally changed. that
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not
declare Te r e i is,
rwtheerbeslinebvme,isssictotir,cteolybae
especially of that active Mitister whom the public would
office Lord John Ruszsell has spoken for himself ;he
has declared in the speech delivered within the last few
understood to represent the views more
bdeaygslaadt at the
operke,set:tatmtohme
st the strong, to vindi-
is to maintain the weak again
cate the independence of States, and to secure for nations
those liberties of which others would deprive them.
hfea fact,
dinh
The people of Greenock responded to that declaration
with cheers, which implied how glad they were to wel-
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hiLso
sredntJimoleinnisi:n
moment
sdeuetyin
speech that he spoke their sentiments as well as his own.
The meeting at Sheffield is, we believe, but the first of a
series—in fact, we have reason to know that impatient
spirits in other towns have only been held back by the
fear of not meeting with that unanimous response which
is now bursting forth in different parts of the country :
as at Stafford, where a meeting is to be held in the
Shire hall on Monday evening next. England feels her,
self insulted, and is at last awakening to something at
her old spirit.
recog-
nised

OS