The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-24 00:00:00

nuptials takes place to-morrow. Great and gene- less so ; and it was not until after every means" of Cen-
ral enthusiasm is manifested upon this occasion. ciliation which patience, moderation, and a sincere
desire can suggest had been exhausted, that France
The Emperor has granted an amnesty to 356 and Great Britain had recourse to that extreme mea-
political prisoners, of whom 245 receive a full sure. It is true that the Russian Government attempts
pardon ; the sentences of the others are commuted to lessen the proportion which 'exists between the
effects and the cause,' adding that the two Powers
into various terms of imprisonment. are compelled to exaggerate the object of it by put-
The state of siege in Lombardy and the Vene- ting forth the most vague accusations against Rus-
tian territory will be raised entirely after the Ist sia.' In order to prove the gravity of the cause, it is
of only necessary for us to call to mind the declarations
May.
made at Vienna, in the documents of the. Conference ;
The Emperor has ordered 200,000 florins to I and as to the object, the revelations contained in the
be distributed among the poor of the various English document sufficiently prove that the accusations
provinces. . of France and Great Britain are far from being exagge-
rated According to the declaration of the Russian
Endeavours are making to bring about a friendly
Cabinet, we have less respect for the independence of
nnderstanding between Austria and Piedmont. the Porte than it has ; and one of the proofs which it
'Austria makes it a condition of renewed friendly ! adduces for this is, that the Ottoman Government has
intercourse that the Piedmontese Government shall renounced, by treaty, the power of making peace with-
renounce its legislative propositions respecting the out its allies. In entering into that engagement the
,Possessions of the clergy, conform to the wishes of Porte only contracts a reciprocal obligation, on the
Austria with respect to the reception and treatment footing of a perfect equality, and moreover in strict .con-
•of refugees, and enact a restrictive press law. fortuity to constant and general usage and the law of
nations, when several unite together to pursue by arms
a common object.
" The Porte (adds the Russian Cabinet) is about to
be forced to subscribe to an engagement which would
extend to all its subjects equality,of civil and political
rights.' That assertion, far from being well-founded,
gives us an occasion of showing, in a striking manner,
I what is the difference of acting between Russia and the
Western Powers in their relations with the Ottoman em-
pire. Russia has insisted on stipulating with the Porte,
either in a treaty or by means of a note, for the main-
tenance of the liberties of the sultan's subjects. The
other Powers have not for a single moment thought of
requiring from the Porte any such engageinent, either
in the form of a treaty or of a note. They have not, it
is true, neglected any occasion to suggest to the Porte
such measures as appeared to them best calculated to
ameliorate the condition of the Christians in the Turkish
empire ; but they never could have thought of restrict-
ing the sovereignty of the Sultan, when, on the con-
trary, they were taking up arms to defend it against
the pretensions , which were menacing it. It is for
Europe, and not for the two powers (continues the Rus-
sian Government) to decide if the balance of power in
Europe really runs any of the dangers, which, it is pre-
tended, arise from the excessive preponderance of Russia.'
On that point the wish of the Russian Cabinet is already
realised. It is the great Powers of Europe, and not
France and England alone, who have signed the acts of
Vienna ; and these acts declare loudly that the position
taken by Russia on the Danube places the general
equilibrium in' ;danger. According to the Cabinet
of St. Petersburg, it is, on the, contrary, France and
E gland who are exercising at present on Europe a
pressure, of a nature to disquiet all the neutral Powers.
Every one, however, knows, that far from manifesting
any disquietude, the neutral powers, on the contrary,
applaud the attitude assumed by the two maritime
Powers, and that at the present moment, from every
pail of the world, they send to thank the two Powers
for the recent -declaration which has just confirmed
the ensemble of the principles under which they had
in vain endeavoured hitherto to shelter their liberty
in time of war. Finally, the Russian Government
thinks that the isolation, into which it declares it is
about to be thrown, will only deliver the world up to a
more dangerous preponderance than its own could possibly
be. That Government forgets that not one of the Great
Powers aims like it at exclusive advantages, or wants to
act by itself alone. Far from permitting a preponder-
ance of any kind to be established, a common action
exercised by the Four Powers is for all the other States
a pledge of security and impartiality. The influences
which co-operate for the object in view constitute a just
counterpoise of one to the other, and guarantee in ad-
vance to Europe that the general interest which has
drawn the Four Powers together will not.cease a single
moment to guide their resolutions, and will be alone
listened to to the end. The observations which precede
will enable every one to judge of the new document
published by
,the Russian Government. The following
is its, text."—[Here follows the format declaration of
Russia, which has been already published.]

THE BLACK SEA.

A letter of The 6th from Odessa, in the Presse,
informs us that on the banks of the Dniester, below
Js' ender, there are many hundred large rafts
collected in readiness for the purpose of conveying
the troops and cannon, which form as it were the
reserve cf Odessa, down the stream, and placing
them at once at their station at the scene of action,
When the moment of danger shall arrive. The
tritish and French declaration of war against
'Russia was known at Odessa on the 4th. It had
Created a very painful sensation, of which the first
'Proof was shown in a general movement of the
People, who thought it was- wise to get out of
hen's way.

, GREECE.
Tunuf, April 23.—The ships bought from Russia
by the Greeks, and now at anchor in the Adriatic,
Are Watched by the English steamer the Spitfire.
The Semaphore of Marseilles publishes the fol-
lowing in a letter from Athens, 12th :
"The arrival of M. Metaxa at Athens has raised the
maanity of the court to a state of paroxysm. The ex-
Ambassador completely rules the minds of the King
414 Queen, he presides at the council of ministers, and
,ff4B frequent conversations with his Majesty—in fact, he
'S dictator at Athens. The late circular published by
Cunt Nesselrode, relative to the line of conduct to be
lowed by the Russian agents abroad, on the occasion
of the insurrection in Thessaly and Epirus, has excited
the greatest enthusiasm in the public mind here ;
there are persons who imagine themselves already in
Possession of the Ottoman Empire, and give way to a
thousand, acts of folly. 500 Greeks arrived here a few
"'Vs Since from Smyrna. The Government is about to
send them off to the frontier, toe expenses of their
Tourney to be paid out of the privy purse of his Majesty.
Althou
to 8 gh the number of the insurgents already amounts
,000, the insurrection makes no progress. A little
More energy on the part of the Porte would soon put an
''od to it and it would be ithmediately terminated if
Xranee and England would send 5,000 or 6,000
toeto occupy the country, for it would be wrong
magine that we are all enthusiastic for the -in-
lotrrection. On the contrary, the great majority
among us, particularly merchants, capitalists, honest men
Who live by their labour, and in general all those who
have anything to lose, are oppcsed to it ; but what can
We do ? We are obliged to be silent, and even to speak
contrary to what we think out of regard to our pro-
Pony and our lives, but let us be supported, and we will
B°oll show that it is only fools and madmen who take
Part in the insurrection and support the cause of the in-
aalrgeD tEt. It is folly to suppose that representations,
vice, and friendly proceedings will check the torrent
Which carries away the government ; it is only by strong
!Aid severe measures that the friends of Greece can save
her from destruction."

FRANCE.
ALLIANCE BETWEEN FRANCE AND
ENGLAND.
z The Moniteur of yesterday publishes the follow-
Aug
"IMPERIAL DECREE FOR THE PROMULGATION OF THE
CONVENTION OF ALLIANCE CONCLUDED BETWEEN
FRANCE AND ENGLAND.
Napoleon by the grace of God and the national will
•c4raperor of the French, to all present and to come salut.
"On the report of our Minister, Secretary of State in
tte department of Foreign Affairs, we have decreed and
depree as follows

EMBARKATION OF LORD RAGLAN.

MARSEILLES, Saturday.—Lord Raglan sailed at
two o'clock this afternoon, notwithstanding the
state of the sea, which is such that several vessels
have been obliged to put back to port.

Marshal St. Arnaud will go to Toulon to-morrow.

A Council of Ministers was held at the Tuileries
on Saturday. It is said that the subject of delibe-
ration was the proposed modification in the Mini-
stry. It is now said that M. Baroche will probably
succeed M. de Persigny as Minister of the Interior.
General Boutalt, member of the committee of
fortifications, is named commander of the Polytech-
nic School, in place of General Bizot, appointed to
the command of the engineers in the army of the
East.

"Art. 1. A convention of alliance having been signed
at London, on the 10th of the present month of April,
between rance and England, with the object of support-
ing the Ottoman empire against the aggression of the
empire of Russia ; this convention having been ratified
by the two contracting Governments ; and the acts of
respective ratification having been exchanged on the
15th of the same month of April, the said convention
of which, the tenor follows, will receive its full and en-
tire execution.

Major-General the Earl of Lucan has arriS-ed at
the Hotel des Princes, on his way to the East.
Our Bourse experienced on Saturday a slight
improvement. The Three per Cents. closed at 63f.
55c. for the end of the month ; the Four-and-a-
Half per Cents. at 90f. 25c.; and the New Loan
at 64f.30c. ; Orleans Railway Shares, 1,052 f. 50c.;
Rouen, 835 f.; Havre, 410 f.; Great Northern, 737 f.
50c.; trasburg, 722 f. 50c.; New Shares, 532 f. 50c.;
Paris to Lyons, 798 f. 75c4, Lyons to the Medi-
terranean, 660. ; Western of France, 557 f. 50c.;
Bordeaux to Cette, 507 f. 50c.; Great Central of
France, 402 f. 50c.; Lyons to Geneva, 420 f.; Bank
of Credit Mobilier, 500 f.

"CONVENTION.
"Their Majesties the Emperor of the French and the
Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, determined to lend their aid to his Majesty the
Sultan A.bd-ul-Aledjid, Emperor of the Ottomans, in
the afar which he supports against. the aggressions of
Russia, and forced, besides, notwithstanding their sin-
cere and persevering efforts to maintain peace, to be-
,„tc°4l„° themselves belligerent parties in a war which,
c
"'meat their active intervention, had threatened the
zistence of the equilibrium of Europe, resolved to con-
clude a convention destined to determine the objects of
thqir alliance, as well as the means to be employed in
ecroraou to fulfil them, and named to that effect as
their'• plenipotentiaries—
His Majesty the Emperor of the French the Sieur
rezander Colonna, Count Walewski, Grand Officer of the
Perial Order of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross of
the Order of St. Janvier of the Two Sicilies, Grand Cross
of the Order of Danebourg of Denmark, Grand Cross of
the Order of Merit of St. Joseph of Tuscany, &C., &0.,
j:4te,) our ambassador to'the Court of her Britannic ?la-
Sty ; and her Majesty the Queen of the United King-
?,nl of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honour-
ie George 'William Frederick, Earl of Clarendon,
-1) Ryde of Hindon, peer of the United Kingdom,
p,4 g"113, Councillor of her Britannic Majesty, in her
C'Y Council, Knight of the very noble Order of the
~arte
e! of
r, Knight Grand Cross of the very honourable'
yird
the Bath, Principal Secretary of State to her
':i'4ccio Majesty for Foreign Affairs ; who, having
fue—Pr°callY communicated their full powers, which were
tend good and in due rm, have determined and signed
Ivalv° f°u°wing articles." fo
[Here follow the articles, which
have already published.]
RELY OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT
TO THE DECLARATION OF RUSSIA.
oft The Moniteur contains the following reply on the
Of the French Government to the declaration
Russia, in answer. to the summons lately ad-
agree ed to that Power, and to which it did not
-g
"The
Russian Government has just published a de-
in answer to th\t summons addressed to it for
tut
has
est tune by France and England, and to which it
the not eonsented to subscribe. We have not
the intention to enter into an examination of
rgiallents refuted to satiety ; we will limit
that ee to some observations on the new errors which
‘; declaration is endeavouring to get accredited.
I. In
what the first place the Russian Government demands
title England and France pretend to exact the
evacuation of the principalities of the Danube. There
tie° one so' ignorant as not to be aware how much
summons is founded upon right. The Powers
• 7,4° signed the acts of Vienna have themselves recog-
irsed them as such: The Cabinets of Paris and London
°to d on this occasion in virtue of treaties, and their
conduct had the approbation of other Governments.
"Row (says the declaration of the Russian Cabinet)
%Aid we evacuate the principalities, without. even the
ahatlow of- the conditions to which the Emperor had
Made subordinate the cessation of that occupation being
fulfilled by the Ottoman Government? But these con-
ditions which Russia required., were manifestl unjust,
and the conference of -Vienna had formally confirmed on
that point the judgment of Europe,
f' The,declaration adds, that the Russian armies could
hot evacuate the principalitiea in the midst of a war
'Which the Ottoman Government 'had been the first to
declare.' The parts cannot be. more strangely inter-
-ILfprted. The invasion of the two prnvinces of the Tur-
14_„ h empire was, in the eyes of the whole world, an act
‘4,vrar. If the Porte has been recommended not to
tlalte 'it a case of war, it was because, in' spite of the
d
Ngreseive character of the acts of Russia, it was
ow still
Qope that there would be on the part of that Per a
et,urn to moderation and equity.
the
'Russia has no better foundation for casting back on
two maritime Powers the initiative of the 4rovoca-
'6-48, .• It is an affair already judged ; and since the
6.obaet of St. Petersburg brings to our recollection on
Zeler_lunbjec. t the memorandum. of the 18th of last February,
'a.. in our turn, send it back to the whole of the
a'curnents which, in England as well as in France, have
° completely placed the question beyond a doubt, that
113._ elfBorntehealubdr'a•
teit_her of the two Governments have thought it worth
this while to occupy themselves for one moment with
ndum, which has, frequently been refuted
The initiative of the acts of war, as far as
itreFards the Porte, as well as theprovocations in matters
.:',,u war ebing the maritime Powers; belongs exclusively to the
ITWhich invaded the principalities of the Danube ;
such is the opinion of all Europe.
that' The declaration of the Russian Cabinet remarks
~.'he
ing occnpaotion had not prevented the negotiations
et_ut bepened, and that they would not have
:cillyed their being followed out, if the Powers had not
W
and without valid reasons, changed the bases
up ~O,,,.hieey had themselves given in the first note drawn
eiv one; pazeirtatehdad, in fact, laid down prin;
L'Les which 1
dlfference; but the coin , might then have solvec.
n received from the cmooennttadrey which thes,:note in
qcestio
t",,,dtthe Russian Cabinet did
not
accept
teltrciedme
,a.tetxecsetepdt
tby g,'.gaohing to them a signification veryp different from
It Idea of the conference of Vienna as was admitted
.411 the
the
srepresented that conference.
IS, therefore Russia herself which changed the bases
otielstilfeernoetgheetrisaierThean
Russian
npGelled the Great Powers to
notfl,tatreirsly cdorni
I:elcciof the demand which the Cabinetsnine
naval
for addressed to the Commander-in-Chief nonf itse
con
f.ces at Sebastopol in consequence of the aggres-
but .° Sulope We admit that that demand was unusual,
W Failed for by a state of things which was not