The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-04 00:00:00

the East, and which had called for the active intOerference
of Turkey. It was said, however, that, notwithstanding
this advice to Prince Daniel, the Emperor had given dia-
metrically opposite advice to the Sultan, recommending the
subjugation of the Montenegrins. Thus, Russia would ap-
pear to have been true to her old policy of exciting discord
suitaud ahnerimoty
lyinboercadelrletdhaint,
with
mediator. In taking this course she had only followed the
ebendtws,eesnheetmheigrheet uunititmriaeste
Precedent she had set herself inthe case of Poland, Turkey,
and ultimately in Hungary. But the Montenegrins, hav-
ing received this advice from Russia, proceeded to act upon
it, commencing incursions upon the neighbouring territory
of Turkey, and committing acts of robbery, pillage, and
murder. With the commencement of hostilities came the
interference of Austria, who addressed very extraordinary
and peremptory demands to Turkey, couched in a manner
wholly incompatable with the position of that country as
an independent state. The Austrians complained that a
large army should have been assembled by Turkey, with-
out previous intimation; they demanded the removal of
certain Hungarian refugees engaged near the Austrian ter-
ritories, and the cession of certain portions of the Turkish
territory. So peremptory were these demands, that the
ambassador threatened to withdraw if within five days his
ultimatum were not assented to. Now, undoubtedly, the
raising of an army might require explanation, but that ex-
planation ought to be sought courteously, and not by means
of threats. If Austria had taken that course, the Turkish
Government would have been quite ready to give an assur-
ance that the army was not intended as a threat to Austria,
but to suppress disturbance, and re-establish a peaceable
state of things in Montenegro. The idea of Turkey enter-
taining any hostile intentions towards Austria was prepos-
terous, asthe slightest consideration of the force of the two
countries would prove. The Montenegrins were a brave and
generous people, with whom the Turks had had several
encounters, who found great difficulty in subduing them.
Montenegro was not an independent state, but as all maps,
official or otherwise, would show, a part of Turkey. With
what grace, however, could Austria contend for the inde-
pendence of the Montenegrins ?—that country which only a
short time ago had called another independent state a
" geographical atom "—that country which, in defiance of
all treaties, had annexed to it the republic of Cracow, an
apt which had called forth the p'rotest of England and
France. To make the matter worse, the person whom
Austria had sent as ambassador to defend the independence
of the Montenegrins was no other than Count Leinengen,
the Military Governor of Cracow. Then came the demand
for the removal of the Hungarian refugees. No doubt
some of them had embraced the Mahometan faith, but by
doing so they acquired all the privileges of Turks. Instead
of demanding the extradition of such persons, their; re-
moval to some other part of Turkey not on the frontier
would have been sufficient. Austria had also put forward
the singular claim of being the protector of all Roman Ca-
tholics within the Turkish dominions. The Turks might
with justice say that such an assumed protectorate was un-
necessary, as in no country were the Roman Catholics per-
mitted so free an exercise of their religion and religious
rites as in Turkey. No country was more tolerant of all
religions than in Turkey. Religious processions were per-
mitted to pass through Constantinople without the slightest
interference on the part of the Government ; while Pro-
testants could point to their English bishop at Jerusalem
in pied' of the toleration extended to Protestantism. In-
deed, under the Mussulraan government, Protestants, Ro-
man Catholics, and Greeks enjoyed the most perfect free-
dom in the exercise of their religious rites. He wished
the same could be said of some Christian countries which
he could name. (Hear.) Austria, who made these de-
mands, had been the most intolerant state which the
world had seen for ages. It had persecuted Protestants,
it had decimated millions, and, but for the assistance of
Turkey, Bohemia would have been exterminated. He
feared there was something lurking behind the specious
pretences of Austria. If Austria had any quarrel with
Turkey she could state [her grievance openly. A few
years back had we not seen Austria demanding foreign
refugees upon whom to slake her vengeance, and was it
not owing to Turkey that they remained in security ?
It was plain to every thinking man that under this
pretended solicitude for religious freedom and inde-
pendence lay a vindictive 'spirit against Turkey for the
share that power had taken on behalf of Hungary and
Kossuth. Turkey, however, had never found fault with
Austria for hiving a large force in Hungary, although that
force marched to the confines of the Austrian territory,
retreating before the irresistable banner of brave old Bern.
The cause of Austria was, in fact, the cause of might against
right—illegality against justice. Urger such circumstances,
he wished to know what would be the policy of the present
Government with regard to those transactions—whether
they held the same opinions and convictions as to the ne-
cessity of preserving Turkish independence which had been
expressed and felt by former Governments, whether they
were Tory,, Liberal, or Peelite ? We were bound to sup-
port Turkey by treaty, and if we did not, the equilibrium
of Europe would be destroyed. He did not join in the
contempt which some persons felt for the maintenance of
this equilibrium, for if Russia and Austria took possession
of European Turkey they would acquire such power that
it would be difficult for us to interpose, and serious danger
would threaten the liberties of Europe. But in a commer-
cial point of view, it was of the utmost importance to
maintain the rule of the Sultan in Turkey. Our commerce
with that state hid increased in a most prodigious ratio ;
for our exports to Turkey for the last 20 years had nearly
quadrupled, whilst our exports to Russia had not doubled,
and our exports to Austria had absolutely diminished. If
Turkey fell under the dominion of Russia or Austria, our
trade would suffer most materially. In such an event,
how much longer, he would ask, would religion be free in
Turkey, or an English bishop be found at Jerusalem ?
Austria instead of being our ancient" ally, as she was
called, was one of the most modern of empires. The alli-
ance formed by Marlborough was not with Austria, but
with the Emperor of Germany, and a very small portion of
the Austrian dominions was German. But look at what
was occurring in Italy under Austrian rule, where the
people were kept down by large armies, where executions
were frequent, and where, owing to the barbarous system
of Government pursued, the unfortunate Italians, like
crushed worms, were almost tr-ning upon their oppressors.
Now it had been very much the fashion to attribute the
bad feeling manifested by Austria towards Turkey to the
conduct pursued by his noble friend who now filled the
office of Secretary for the Home Department. But it was
a very remarkable thing that all the proceedings to which
he had been calling the attention of the house took place
subsequently to that noble lord's retirement from the
Foreign-office of this country. On the other hand, while
there was a Government in power which had been always
most profuse in its declarations of amity towards Austria,
an insult which never could have been expected was per-
petrated by the Imperial Government against the people
of this country; for Austria was the only state in Europe
that refused to send over a field marshal to honour the
funeral of our illustrious hero, by whose victories it was
no exaggeration to say the Austrian empire had been
preserved. (Hear.) He hoped that this question would
not be regarded as a pal ;:y question, for the independ-
ence of Turkey was a matter that interested all. Were
hon. gentlemen Protestants, then he could show them
that Protestants might expect better treatment from the
Turkish Government than at the hands either of Austria
or Russia. Did hon. gentleman belong to the opposition,
he could show them that their party had given utterance
to declarations of the importance of this matter, and that
their leader on the only occasion of his addressing the
house this session stated, in terms for which he (Lord IL
Stuart) felt most grateful to him, and which did the
right hon. gentleman infinite credit, that he too felt the
gravity of the considerations which he had that night
urged upon them. And turning to the Treasury benches
he saw there men who had for years maintained the neces-
sity of supporting Turkey. Well, Turkey having agreed
to listen to the recommendations which had been pressed
upon her by our Government, was now about to pay the
price of having so listened to that advice, and was the
English Ministry about to allow foreign governments to be
avenged on her for her noble conduct, while, at the same
time, they satisfied their own lust for power and increase
of territory ? He had seen with dissatisfaction the re-
marks of a portion of the press on the proposed partition
of Turkey. That question was discussed just as if there
was no doubt of its admissibility, even if things were ripe
for it. As to the interest which England had in altering
the present position of Turkey, that interest was entirely
directed to the possession of Egypt, in order thereby to
secure a free passage to our Indian empire. But, in his
opinion, that passage was as free and unchecked already as
could be wished. He trusted that the good understanding
which the house heard with such pleasure the other night
existed between the Governments of France and England
would make the settlement of this question all the easier,
because it was evidently the interest of both countries to
protect Turkey, and to preserve the faith of treaties un-
broken. He must say of the French Government, that
ever since the peace it had adhered most rigorously to the
treaties which had been made, although, generally, those
treaties were obnoxious to her interests (hear, hear) ; but
he was sorry he could not say as much for the other great
powers, for Russia and Austria had repeatedly and openly
violated the treaty of Vienna. He had no doubt but
gie hutw,
agiveodu it.n bound to
unfold I t
i.ak wase
neverthelessimpossible
h ifet oc4
roidnvi ve itn
inhee.
that Turkey would readily adopt any advice which our
f
awG ohmerit
e r not
oft nEe e
gtul ataunl might
n
course of time great changes were brought about, that this
country should not have to behold Turkey divided b two powers that would overthrow both her r r etween
civil independence, and would reduce h e igious and
inhabitants to a condition infinitely er unfortunate
y worse than that in
which they were at present. The noble lord moving for the papers of which he had concluded by
e
Mr. M. MILNES seconded th yen notice.
Ur
that the independence of T key motion, and hoped
mo
France and England.would be preserved by
Lord J, RUSSELL—I trust that has brought forward this
mot. my noble friend who
to press for the papers asked flo°ll will not feel it necessary
subject have not yet come t o
a r, as the negotiations on the
ever, follow termination. I will, how-
my noble f •
to which he r mud in his remarks upon this sub-
jectfesses in •
tion of the house P his notice to call the atten-
tion
the contest —namely, the affairs of Turkey as affected
now iroce • -kr
• I agree in
the general prin •edmg in Montenegro.
this count principles
entry ought to b laid down by my
e cautious to main friend, that
noble
• tain the indepen-
dence and integritylong formed
of Turkey. Turkey has an important part of system. Its indepen-
dence and integrity have been repeatedly treaties, and sanctioned by a convention of
egeneral
powere of Europe, no longer ago than in 1801. I trust
'fled, and I own
that independence may long be maintained, on Europe
could not conceive any greater calamityecessity- should arise of
at the present time than that the.
nu such a case as the dis-
memberment what should be doig
'seen, therefore, with pain
memberment of Turkey.
havel been recently put forth upon
the speculations that we could not attempt the
this subject. In my opinionby
farce and aggression without
dismemberment of Turkey
t crime and breach of faith towards
committing
gml.:tion of all the ties which bind nations
Turkey, and a vio
together. (Ue3".' I trust there is no Englishman who
wishes to be a party to such transactions as those which
the partition of Poland. (Cheers.) But if
unfortunately accompanied Turkey should fall to pieces from her own
weakness, a question • of very great importance might arise;
and for my own part I own that it appears to me a ques.
tion gravity
of such great gray that I can hardly expect it to be
exciting awar in Europe. lam afraid,
solved without_ _
looking at the position of the different powers, that it
would be hardly possible to provide for such a case without
producing in Europe
se such a preponderance of one power as
would naturally rai the envy and opposition
of all the
other powers, and without producing such a state
in Asia as it is fearful to contemplate. Forof anarchy
I think, therefore, that on grounds of • my own part
tional law, of faith towards our all right, of interns.
of general policy and expediency, the and &lab on grounds
integrity and independence of Turk e maintenance of the
point in the foreign policy of Eneaey is a great and ruling
respect to the transactions nd. (Hear.) Sir, with
will state to the house, Lehwitho have lately occurred, I
ut
of these negotiations the going into the. particulars
cured with respect to _ general outline of what has oc-
Montenegro. I will nof enter into
questions relating to the other powers, but wiioz regard to