The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-18 00:00:00

popular branch of the Legislature ? Why, he
spoke of the EMPEROR of Russia, in so many words,
as the wanton destroyer' of the peace of Christen-
dom ! He spoke of the system of deception and
concealment carried on by the CZAR and
his ambaSsadors. He said that the war would be
nothing less than a war in defence not only of
the independence of Turkey; but of Germany also,
and of the othernations of the European Continent.
That the necessity for some formal vindication of
the independence of Germany, for example, had
latterly become apparent, was shown somewhat
amusingly last evening by Lord JOHN RUSSELL,
when he recounted the conduct of the differen
states of Europe a year or two back, when NAPO-
LEON 111. was elected by a vast majority of
the French people as their Emperor, and
when it became a question consequently among
the other powers as to the manner in which that
memorable event should • obtain from them an
acknowledgment. " The House is aware" said
Lord Jourr, "and I had occasion to relate it with
that commendation which I thought was due—
t that when the Earl of MALsrEssunYfound the Es-
t PEROR of the French meant to be faithful to the
engagements of the country over which he was
called to reign, and that his object was to main-
tain the peace of Europe, that on the part of
this country we declared our willing recognition of
him to that new empire. But, sir, the Powers of
Germany acted very differently. They thought
it advisable to wait until the EMPEROR of RUSSIA
declared his mind on the subject. The mind
of the Emperor of Russia. was that the Emperor
of the French might be 'acknowledged, but that,
not having descended from a royalty which had
for centuries occupied the throne, he (the
Emperor of Russia) would not call the
Emperor of the French his brother. The
Emperor of the French had too much good
sense to attach any very great importance to
the subject. He was called my good friend,' in-
stead of my brother.' But the Powers of
Germany, one and all, desired their Ministers
to unite at Paris and not to recognise the Em-
peror of the French until. they were sure that this
unusual form of recognit ton had been received ;
so that, if the Emperor of the French had chosen
to say—and he had full right to say—' I will
stand by established forms ; I will not have them
departed from in any case;, and I consider it part
of my dignity to maintain, them'—not one of
those Powers of Germany- were ready to recognise
him as the Emperor of the' French, and, moreover,
to call him their brother." Wherefore, said
the Ministerial Leader of the House of Commons,
that shows the state of Gel n many not so independent
as one would wish. to see it." Ministers conceive,
However, that at last both Austria and Prussia
have discovered an opporim nity of relieving them-
selves from this position of hitherto almost com-
pulsory subserviency to the Russian AUTOCRAT.
Whether or not this belief o n the part of the Cabinet
prove erroneous—there hap pily remains no uncer-
tainty now whatsoever of the entire accord of
France and England, and of their absolute deter-
mination to dedicate the w'b ole of their enormous
energies to the maintenanc e of the outraged rights
of the Ottoman Empire, a,a. I to the driving back
of the troops of tliC CZAR 'within the boundaries
of his dominions. Let Ett be observed, more-
over, at tliis juncture, how very doubtfully
Lord JOHN RUSSELL spolict 3 last night of the
possibility of war being now avoided—how
he spoke of it, in fact„ as of some vague
supposition scarcely within reach of realisation,
when he talked of it thus " If, most unexpec-
tedly, the Emperor of Rus sLA should recede from
his demands." So faint ani . feeble are the last
hadowy chances of a pacifism ation ! Leaving Sir
.TAMES GRAHAM, therefore, to babble about the
" diplomatic triumph" (sat e the mark !) of the
Coalition, we await with cat &dance the progress
of events, looking forward , not without some
pleasurable emotions of pa triotism, to the re-
newal of last night's debate on Monday evening,
the time fixed by its adjourn.ment.