The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-29 00:00:00

THE CZAR OF ALL THE RUSSIAS.

(Prom the Constitutionnel.)

It is impossible to express the profound surprise into
Which Russia has thrown Europe. One would be
tempted to compare her at one time to floating sticks,
which at a distance are something, but near are nothing;
at another to phantoms, which the imagination enlarges
in the obscurity, and which dissolve away when daylight
appears. What has become at present of the prestige
which enveloped her I Where is, then, that formidable
power, that irresistible force which was so long attributed
to her ? There were in our days two giants, or rather
two spectres, which were equally dreaded from not being
looked at steadily in the face—Socialism, which terrified
society, whose existence it attacked ; and Russia, who
intimidated Europe, whose independence she menaced.
With Socialism order at home was constantly in peril ;
with Russia, peace abroad was at the mercy of one
man. Napoleon 111. marched resolutely on the phan-
tom of Socialism, and it vanished, order being re-esta-
blished on the eternal basis of religion, family, and pro-
perty. He is at present marching with the same calm,
the same severity of mind, and the same firmness, on the
phantom of Russia, and already that phantom has so
declined in the eyes of the world, that the assertion may
be lAdly made that it is about to disappear, leaving
peace established on the immutable foundation of pro-
gress, justice, and right. Fifteen months ago, when the
armies of the Czar, violating all divine laws, trampling
under foot all human engagements, and placing right iu
force, passel the Pruth, and marched on the Danube to
seize on Moldavia and Wallachia, who entertained a
doubt that they would sweep away all obstacles and over-
turn all barriers ? Who doubted their superiority over
the forces of the Sultan? Already every one imagined
them at the foot of the Balkans. Admiration wap felt for
the patriotic devotedness and sublime heroism of the
Ottoman soldiers, marching without hesitation to a de-
feat considered inevitable, and to certain death. No
one

ever imagined, with the idea which was entertained
of the weakness of Turkey, and of the strength of Rus-
sia, that the victory could be for an instant doubtful
between them. But nothing of what was anticipated
has happened. Each new combat has been for the
Russians a new defeat, and men are obliged to ask
each other at present how it has come to pass that
there has been so much want of skill, or so much
ill fortune on the side of the generals, and so little
enthusiasm and vigoar on the side of the soldiers. The
armies of the Czar, commanded, however, by re-
nowned chiefs, provided with a considerable materiel
of war, and firmed of chosen troops, have been
beaten at Oltenitza, Kalafat, Silistria, and Giurgevo ;
beaten everywhere and always by the armies of the
Sultan, who have become the admiration of Europe,
delighted to applaud their triumph. Never, certainly,
was a more humiliating campaign made than the recent
one of Prince Paskiewitsch in the Danubian Principali-
ties. The faith in the Russian power was, however,
so deeply rooted in men's minds that the shameful
checks of the campaign on the Danube were attributed
to anything else than the real weakness of an army,
which is fighting neither for its independence, nor for
right, nor justice, which in fact fights under the empire
of constraint, withoutenthusiasm, patriotism, conviction,
or energy. It is supposed that the Czar would
take a striking revenge in the Crimea ; that
Prince Menschikoff would avenge Prince Paskie-
witsch, and that Russia, although succumbing, would
do so, there at least, with great eclat, and in show-
ing that she was not entirely unworthy of the
opinion which had been formed of her. There was
in the port of Sebastopol a powerful fleet, which, with
well appointed armies, would, it was pretended, pro-
ceed in the Black Sea, and on the magnificent plains of
the Crimea to meet with boldness the united forces of
France, England, and Turkey. Another surprise for
Europe, which at length knows what the power of
Russia is worth when weighed in the balance of truth.
This formidable army of 60,000 men, which was to
have been at the disposal of Prince Menschikoff on the
plains of the Crimea, scarcely amounts to 50,000 men,
and that envoy of the Czar, that Admiral-Minister,
that General-Ambassador, who showed himself so
haughty at Constantinople, has not even attempted
a semblance of resistance to the landing of the allied
armies. He keeps himself modestly on the defensive,
under shelter of his entrenched camps and his forts,
giving up without a combat to the soldiers of 'France
and England all the points of the coast, and preparing
not to conquer or to die, but to destroy Sebastopol and
the fleet, for Russia is still in 1854 thinking of the expe-
dients of 1812. The weapon which she best understands
is the torch which lighted Moscow ; and not being able
to gain victories, she wishes at least to produce a heap
of ruins. The Czar of all the Russias, who has been
represented to be so great and so strong, is reduced to
playing the part of Erestrates ! What a fall.